S10 chassis'd "Faux" Rod

Okay... college done for the summer, able to officially make a run at this project atleast till Sept. I hope to have the major fab/construction work done by the return to brain melting (mechanical engineering ) in Sept., so everything after that is just upgrading/tinkering (cause lets face it, i'll have no time or life for about 2.5 years)

so the basis of the project.  a 'Fake' late 30's early 40's 5 window hot rod, I'm doing this with bug body chunks cause it's WAY cheaper, kinda funky, and gives me a 5window shape and still have a back seat! (family cruising FTW)

something like this (super profession rendering... a whole 5 mins in MS paint)



My base S10 .. is an 87 std cab, long box ... I got for FREE with the simple stipulation that my friend wanted the body parts back ... he got it for basically nothing because it's got a knock, which we think is the flex or converter, I'll figure it out in the relatively near future, at the moment I don't care that much

while I don't have a garage... I do have an old house that used to have a basement/garage.  however by insurance I can't keep a RUNNING car in there anymore (not sealed from rest of house for exhaust, and the whole tank of gasoline..etc )
so.... the box had to come off , and the gas tank removed



(pulled the box on my lonesome I might add LOL )

fuel tank/box removed ... into the basement she comes... and the unbolting body bits started.





and then... after back to work for a week, the next weekend of S10 hacky hacky



and thats how it sits going into this weekend.  I did however run into the gentleman I'm buying the Bug body chunks from, and I should be receiving them this weekend, or an evening this week. 

I'll be getting the shells of atleast these two , and I believe he said theres the rear half of another once I've processed these two in the space I have (residential area, yay)

The actual direction of this build is embracing the "faux" hot rod ideal, Cheap fun! (cheap is relative, not cutting corners just using other parts for a look/feel)

... It's staying a v6 ... the 2.hate will remain for aslong as it lives (15w40 is written on the valve cover, and the knock MAY actually be the bottom end.. but i doesn't sound right for a bottom end knock) ... I'm searching for a cheap 3.4 locally to rebuild and liven up a bit to throw in. 

Eventually I want to put a twin turbo'd 3800 in it ... but I also want to actually drive it some point 'soon', shake it down... etc make sure I actually LIKE it.

Part of the 'Faux' I'm doing.. the shifter will appear to be a 4spd stick (but its staying an auto) .. I'll be building a hillborn injection looking cover/airbox for the TBI ... using a bazooka NOS bass tube between the front seats (anyone remember when those were cool?? ) .. stuff like that...  the V6 will get a lumpy cam... engine will be exposed ... headers...etc etc

I want to gear the suspension and other performance choices towards handling, possible autoX trips.. maybe even a little drifting (theres not much of either anywhere around me) ... so it'll go through a whole evolution of bolting on pieces just as much as the driveline ...

This is either going to be cool a heck! .. or a total abomination ... I don't think there will be a middle ground at all

woot! ... bug chunks... and I ment chunks when I said it LOL




played around a little bit... just to make sure the idea was going to work (using the stock s10 firewall) ... basically right beside the heaterbox/core exits ... and right beside the brake master/booster ...

I love these body swaps - nice work so far!

Thank you

Home sick from work today ... and this showed up
g[/URL]

This weekend I hope to get my hands on some front seats, get the template made of the bug 'cowl' area ... transfer that to the S10 firewall and start the trimming. 

Theres 1 more bug chunk still to arrive... a better rear 'half' that still have complete pillars and door jam and most of the roof.    Hopefully the welder I'm waiting to cycle back on sale does this weekend too. 

still have to get doors and door jam bottoms/rocker panels before I can get too far on trimming the s10 floor

so got some stuff and made a little progress over the past couple weeks

finally got my welder it's a 110v hobby unit, flux or gas MIG ... wont have gas gear for awhile, so flux core mode for me



and an engine hoist kinda fell into my lap at work ... "we're selling this for cost" "done!"



and actual progress, got a couple useable doors... started cutting the S10 floor

oh the carnage!


rear cab mounts will hide within the B pillars, front cab mounts will hide under the backs of the front fenders ... and doing some measuring the body will end about 1.5-2 inchs behind the shackles... so keeping the leafs for now

... got some more done... though it wont "look" like much this step was rather important ...

If you ever wondered how much you have to hack off an s10 floor to fit a bug body LOL



and heres the important part... the front Apillar section of the body where it's going to live... tacked in at the bottom .. leveled dash...etc
unfortunately the drivers door had a grumpy hinge so it didn't get to be mounted for this mock/set up (can see it in the back ground)



and heres a shot to show how far set back the A pillar bit actually is ... so from the new windshield to the S10's firewall will be a cowl.   Still have lots to do before I trim the rest too the firewall, and the shape of the firewall to match the new cowl etc ...


still gathering bits at work for pulling the engine/trans for a freshen up and a touch of performance ... "port" the heads and intake, 4.3 tbi unit, MTC5 melling cam, and some 1.6 stamped rockers (more so just cause it'll be apart and open) .. give it a lil bump in the idle

 I've decided after the Fab and shake down... 3.4/3500 hybrid, nastiest cam I can get my hands on and ITBs, and just jump to the 8.8 ford rear, but thats all much farther in the future.

project is not dead! ... I am still awaiting the last 'chunk of bug' (the one with good B pillars/rockers ) ... took the first actual vacation from work I ever have, with the family for 5 days over last weekend.

so While awaiting the body chunk, I still move on to ripping the engine and trans out this weekend and start on the freshen up/rebuild/foolishly spending time and money on a 2.hate v6 (it might make 175ish hp at the flywheel woohoo!! )

You'll have to go more than a couple weeks before we consider it dead around here 

Keep working at it. You're making good progress.