S10.. what do I do with one

well WAY back in '07 I tried to get ahold of an s10... specifically my memas (grandmother-in-law)... this was a "farm truck" used on their 20 acres... would run into town on occasion... at that point it had been parked and replaced with a newer model S10... needed an exhaust manifold and some eaten wires replaced... she wouldn't let it go as it was papas (her husband) who'd passed a few years prior.

now a few years latter she's down sizing, shes giving me the truck in trade for some work (that i'd do for free but she'd insist on paying me for)

it's an '88 2.5L duke/tech 4 with a slushy box trans.

those years back I had a few ideas of what to do with it... I had a line on a 350 powered chebby van... but now I just don't know... I'd love a 5spd turbo v6 of some flavor (how hard is swapping to a 5spd from a slush box?)..

HybridZ24 posted this in my what to do thread on the old forum

HybridZ24 said: thats a hybrid. 2.8L rwd block, 94-99 3.1L pistons and heads/intakes, aforementioned turbo. very cheap JY engine/turbo setup. ran 13.7's on 7 psi with traction issues.

so we're back to the "what do we do"... working over the suspension a bit is a given (3/4 drop or something like that with some wheels and good tires... make it something fun still somewhat usable to haul furniture and crap around with when needed.

so what would you do on a GRM challenge type budget?

Bag and body drop it

damnit someone beat me to it lol drop in a turbo nailhead and your golden

I saw this at Motorama in Tunerwars this weekend I love it, it is so well done and clean and then put this in it

brunton stalker kit? Ehh...wrong motor.

Drop a Vortech 350 in the engine bay and sleep.

SBC underhood your choice of trannys out back.
Black out the bumpers, grill, mirrors.
Matte black rally wheels (if those wheels are 15, just paint them black, matte or semi-gloss black keep the caps stock) small drop leave the rest of it untouched. MAYBE upgrade to the blazer's bucket seats.

Vicious street sleeper on the street.

I've always wanted to see the 3800 series II supercharged in a RWD application. I have my suspicions that the camaro v6 trans would work, and from there, it should be fairly close to any other GM swap.

This

Put in some nice seats, practice your detailing and cleaning skills, and run the living heck out of it. Wait until you have a well thought out plan, assemble all the parts you'll need, then attack it with a vengeance. Nothing is worse than a half-assed project sitting, rotting away, until the significant other can't stand it anymore and "The Ultimatum" is delivered.

Vortec V-6s are rated about 300 hp from the factory and are a bit easier to drop in place over a V-8.

Been there, done that. I got an '85 in a barter deal. Went to a local bone yard, picked up a 350 from a '70 Impala for 75.00. Full rebuild, a bit of head work, 650 Holly, Crane cam, Hooker engine mounts, 4 speed Saginaw tranny, had me a fun toy. Somewhat traction challenged with an open 3.42 diff. I used this as my work truck, complete with ladders on top. Had a LOT of fun with kids in their 5.0 Mustangs. The truck has plenty of room to put most anything in there. Why not a 12 cylinder Jag?

ncjay wrote: Vortec V-6s are rated about 300 hp from the factory and are a bit easier to drop in place over a V-8.

huh? my S10 Vortec 4.3 V6 was 155 hp

Some of the I6's reach 290hp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Vortec_engine#4300

ncjay wrote: Vortec V-6s are rated about 300 hp from the factory and are a bit easier to drop in place over a V-8.

the only one that was ever close to 300hp from the factory was the turbo 4.3L out of the sy/ty....close to 300hp at the crank is possible n/a from the standard 4.3L though, with alot of work.....I made it to the mid 300's at the wheels with a worked over hybrid 4.3L and 80 shot of spray though....

hmm ok maybe I shouldn't post so late... I thought I posted this int he proper GRM forum not OT haha...

ideally I'd go with minimacs idea... but I don't know if it would run even right now... I'll have do dig though it and see if I can sort it with the stock I4... would be nice just to drive it for a little bit... but I won't spend much money to get the stock engine running.

cwh wrote: Been there, done that. I got an '85 in a barter deal. Went to a local bone yard, picked up a 350 from a '70 Impala for 75.00. Full rebuild, a bit of head work, 650 Holly, Crane cam, Hooker engine mounts, 4 speed Saginaw tranny, had me a fun toy. Somewhat traction challenged with an open 3.42 diff. I used this as my work truck, complete with ladders on top. Had a LOT of fun with kids in their 5.0 Mustangs. The truck has plenty of room to put most anything in there. Why not a 12 cylinder Jag?

how long ago was that?... lol... complete engines at the yard around here go for $300... add another $100 for the trans... and then all the little odds and ends :-/

if only they wern't all 1 hr or more away from me :(

I like that idea, put a Jag V12 in one.......damn.....looking on cragslist!!

Ive been seriously thinking about an autox ready S10. Im also thinking supercharged 3.8 + gearbox. I think im gonna have to break down and begin to do my homework in earnest to find out the particulars...Donors, what to keep, what to look out for at the upullit lots etc. Anyone have some links to builds?

In reply to donalson:

I did this in 1990, in Baltimore. Engine was sold as a rebuildable core. When I pulled off the valve covers, the sludge matched the covers. Looked really weird. Pick a part places around here sell engines for 125.00 IIRC. Also, lot's of suspension goodies for circle track Chevies bolt in. Talk to the guy that ran an S-10 in the Challenge, lot's of info there.

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f106/s10-3800-swap-354001/

some good links in there too...

more links:

http://ras001.0catch.com/s10/s10.htm
http://www.sportmachines.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Truck+and+Sport+Utility+Performance+Feb+1993
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/hybrids/206694-my-money-pit.html

I still think this is pretty awesome... the thought of a bed mounted turbo has evil thoughts for when at the strip mounting an IC in the back in a tank of ice water... but who knows how well something like that would function lol...

http://www.performancetrucks.net/forums/showthread.php?t=456090

mndsm wrote: I've always wanted to see the 3800 series II supercharged in a RWD application. I have my suspicions that the camaro v6 trans would work, and from there, it should be fairly close to any other GM swap.

the 4-cyl 98 S-10 2wd transmission actually is the one you want

I've got an 86 Camaro donor car....

If I had a free S-10 is swap in my Camaro go parts.

lol... I need to find a $500 parts car like that doh...