Topic: s-10 v8 anyone done one or been in one?

[bender01]

This is something Ive wanted to do since 1986 when a logger i knew stuck a 302 from a granada in a 4wheel drive ranger. I was amazed and ive looked at the forums and stuff like JTR and but before I join one of those forums has anyone here done ot? My victim looks like a 95 shortbed with the 4.3 and  5speed. The 5 speed is a plus in my book and 90% of the truck is red taboot taboot. I just want a mild carbuerated 300 horse 350 to drive and suprise a few. This looks like a cheaper project to me than restoring a 750 lately. Obviously things like heat and air are not on my top priorities list.

[mark]

I took apart an earlier one a few years back - it was all a kit except for the hokey grafted radiator setup. I'm sure someone makes the pieces to bolt it all together. A/C was a problem on the '80s models but the parts are smaller now. Cheaper than restoring a 750? Which one?

[PxTx]

I had done one on a 1985 2wd ext cab.  Bought the JTR book, motor mounts etc.  It was a tight fit, and I would not recommend doing it again.  Mainly because of the # of hours it took to refine the installation.  I used a stock 350 and a 700r tranny.  Power was not that significant, although severly up from the stock 2.8.  Felt similar to a 1980 Malibu with a V8.

I've also owned a Tacoma with a 3.4 and the TRD roots type supercharger, and mentioned this truck in the Colorado thread.  Anyways, I would strongly recommend this combo over the S-10.  The SC is about $1700 on line and can be installed in an afternoon.  You get V8 power and even more torque, with a refined EFI confi, keep the A/C and aside from the SC belt, everything is as stock and easy to source parts at PepBoys and such.  I must say, the torque of the forced induction is incredible!

[bender01]

Cheaper than restoring a 750? Which one?
  Im in the southeast and there arent many older bikes at all. Any 750 s i see are 2- 4 hours away and start at $ 1500 ugly non original paint or seat bars exhaust no tool kit owners manual or "title" usually.. Of course  afew show up nice in the 2- 5k$ range  4 -5 hours one way trip. I cant chase them down and haggle them as they Know they will get it$. Hopefully this s-10 will be home for 500$. With a title and i have had a line on 350 for awhile. I suppose i could rat one of the 1500$ 750s but I wouldnt enjoy it. Beating the s-10 for 2grand or so sounds great. Maybe someone will stumble into me with an" Ive got an old Honda that was the king of its day. It didnt run well in 73 and by 74 it died . I drained the tank and carb bowls and covered till I moved down here and are you interested in something like that? oh i dont know ..4-500$???  thats a hint to those Bogarting a 750 near me.

[PxTx]

You'll need to buy some swap headers or get TBI 3rd gen camaro exhaust manifolds.  Then you need to decide where you want to clearance the truck.  Either cut the crossmember and re-enforce it to allow the oil pan to move forward, or moved the engine and trans back (doubtful with the 4x4).  Rad will need to be located under the rad support, if you move the engine forward, which may require you to loose your AC.  Now that you've got all that extra hot air under the hood, you need to make sure you can get it out.  It sure is tight in there!

Did I understand that you planned on doing everything for under $2K?

[fuzzybutt]

check out summit racing, they have everything you'll need from headers to motor mounts to radiators. i helped a friend put a 400ci smallblock into his 4x4 s-10 blazer. it ran like stink, it would smoke all 4 with a 200 r-4 in it.

[Bikebuff]

Yeah, my buddy who lived 2 houses down from me did the swap in 1989.  He had an '83 S-10 long bed that he lowered approximately 1.5" all around, chopped the top off and braced darn near everything and then shoehorned an older Vette 350 with cam, headers, carb, dual exhaust, stall converter, etc.  I can still remember being in the passenger seat and just screaming my head off with glee-it was a ROCKET!  I don't recall the specifics about engine and tranny mounts, and some of the logistical installment stuff but I agree with fuzzybutt-check out Summit racing.  Off the top of my head, I seem to recall that there's a website dedicated to shoehorning V8's into these mini-trucks but I can't seem to find it right now.  Have fun with this project-you'll definitely fly once its all sorted.

[bender01]

twin 55s (rolldown windows) for A/C.Here in SC theres no inspection so can get away with murder. I believe theres an oil pan in one of the kits with a special aluminun radiator and electric fans so hopefully no cutting. 2K$ about.  I think it should be road worthy for that. Ugly but driveable. Maybe I should buy someone elses headache for a little more but then I wont have the knowledge of the corners that person cut. Ive been hearing about the summit package . Ill check it out.  This wont be a show truck just a stoplight supriser. Ive read that the stock driveline will handle regular driving fine. Suspension too. The truck im starting wit is a 4.3 and thats like cutting two cyliders off a 350. Weight shouldnt be too much off a problem. Buy some better shocks down the road. Enough rambling Its something ive wanted to try for a long time and the stars are aligning for an s-10 and a 350 at my home CHEAP.Yes theyre are a few s-10 sites but they dont seem as active as this one .
   Thanks

[Steve F]

A friend did a 6.0L swap in a GMC (S-10) 4x4 pickup a little over a year ago.  He did the computer swap and all.  A few problems with getting things to clear, but it was a good runner even without tweeking the computer.  I could find out more if you're interested.

[Bikebuff]

Wow, up here in WI things are more strict, but definitely better than say, California.  I believe that the GM designers just lopped off the 2 cylinders off a small block Chevy to come up with the 4.3 liter v-6.  Anyhoo, I'd be concerned about how much power that 5 speed is capable of handling, and if the 4.3 liter was internally or externally balanced, as that may or may not be compatible with the 350 and whether it'll bolt right up to the 5-speed.  Even if you have change balancers those parts are a dime a dozen anyhow so it probably won't cost much to rectify.  I'd probably lay off of full throttle launches from a standing start though, you may wind up with some tranny shrapnel.  You may also want to invest in a scattershield to protect your legs and pretty much your lower torso should the tranny grenade at an unexpected moment.  Just trying to keep some semblance of safety and your livelihood intact for another day.  However, Steve F mentioned his friend dropped in a 6.0 liter-that sounds intriguing...

[PxTx]

All of the accessories swap right over from the 4.3.  Clutch/flywheel will work.  Both are internally balanced.  The 5 speed in a 1995 may hold up for a while, but a New Venture 5 speed out of a 1500 full size would be the way to go.  It will be nice to use the in tank electric fuel pump. Just get a valve on the return line which you can restric just enough to run about 8psi of fuel pressure if you are going carburated. 

Looking forward to some pics!