Project S12V (56k Beware!)

[Trey]

Been creeping the site for a little while, and decided to register since I picked up a donor vehicle for my project truck, and I'm gonna be needing to ask some questions from you guys with experience.

The project truck is a 92 S10 4x4 regular cab.

I've broken every freakin' thing on the truck. It's got a 3" bodylift, exhaust work, 31" tires, and random crap here and there. I've gone through 4 motors, two trannys, a handful of rearends, and a sh*t ton of IFS parts.

I got rearended, and ended up moving from a basement suite to a place with a heated garage, and decided it's time to build the truck how I want it.

Main plan was a solid front axle swap. I got a bunch of half ton parts gathered up, and then decided I'd set a $1500 limit and try to buy a 1 ton Chev 4x4 with a 454 and SM465/205 combo. I really wanted to do a Cummins swap, but the 1st gen 2wd Rams go for around $8000 here, and that's with them falling apart.

A few nights ago, while cruising the local online ads, I spot a 92 2wd Ram 250 with a 12v for sale. 400k kms on the odometer, runs like a clock.

A phone call, a short drive, a few scribbles on a paper and $1600 later, she's mine.

Started tearing it up first night.

Here's some pictures of said vehicles to keep you amused for now - I'll update the thread as I do work, and need questions answered.

Sean

Project truck:


Crap I was sick of with it:




Working on both my S10s with limited room:


Lifted S10 mostly stripped:


The victim:

[Trey]

What a nightmare to get the motor and tranny out with such limited room. I also bent my engine hoist...

[PToombs]

Dude, you should have just put the S10 body on the Dodge! You're going to have to come up with major springs to hold the big C up!
The engine alone is 1100 lbs.
Make sure you do the KDP and the case bolts while you have it out on the floor.

[TWorline]

Hey Trey do you want to sell that Dodge grille? I will second what Pete said the motor, manual trans and transfercase(if you make it a 4X4) together will weight around 1800 lbs. about half what that S10 weights.

[Trey]

Grill and other parts already went to my boss for his two old Rams.

I had no desire to do a body swap, too easy.

I'm going to be 4 linking the front and rear with air bags, possibly one ton Chev springs temporarily.

I was aware of the 1100lbs that the motor weighs, so I have accounted that into plan.

What do you mean by doing the KDP and case bolts? What the heck is a KDP?

I'd like to grab an NV4500 if I can find one cheap, what Tcase would be best suited for me? This truck is gonna be a daily driver, a work truck, a tow pig, and a camping/4x4 rig. The original plan was for a Chev geardriven NP205, but can I make one work with the dodge NV4500?

[Trey]

I also managed to bend the sthi outta the fan, so I'm gonna see what I can do about an electric fan.

Has anyone on here built a bracket to run an EDC?

[Trey]

Like a freakin' glove!!!!!

[PToombs]

Yup, latex glove 3 sizes too small! Tell me that's a reflection or you have a bolt in your mouth! I can't believe you went fishing and somebody hooked you!
Sorry, I just don't deal well with holes in peoples faces full of metal sthi. Must be my age.

The KDP is the killer dowel pin, it falls out sometimes. It's inside the timing cover. Lots of threads on it. And the bolts are in there too. They are known to come loose and fall into the gears. Drive the KDP in, and stake the edges of the hole, or make a tab to hold it. Remove the bolts, clean and Loc-Tite them back in. There are 5, 1 you have to bend a 10 mm wrench to fit, and IIRC, 1 you can't get out (it's behind the cam gear) so you tighten the snot outta it.

[Richie O]

Tell me that's a reflection or you have a bolt in your mouth! I can't believe you went fishing and somebody hooked you!
Sorry, I just don't deal well with holes in peoples faces full of metal sthi.

Pete, Don't you have your belly button pierced?

[TWorline]

Here is a link to some pictures of the KDP and the damage it can do. http://www.1stgen.org/viewtopic.php?t=3645

[Trey]

Ahh, shoulda known what KDP stood for. I've made a tab for one before.

Hehe, I only have 13 piercings at the moment, used to have over 30. If you closer I have my bridge done as well (bridge of my nose), small reflection there too. Everyone at the HD truck shop I work at calls me "Hardware".

[Trey]

I'm getting a kick outta the fact that the forum I thought would be least interested in the project, and be crying murder (of a Ram), is the most interested.

S10forum doesn't care for it cause it isn't all Chevy, isn't lowered, and isn't gonna have big, godawful rims.

Performance-Shop doesn't like it cause it's a "little kid truck" and not a muscle car.

[Ace]

I'd be thinking about hacking up the firewall.

[Trey]

I'd be thinking about hacking up the firewall.

It's getting hacked up. Gonna build a whole new firewall, new floor, new floor mounts. That's about the right height of the body with a 3" bodylift.

Also building a full sheetmetal interior.

[Trey]

Well, from those last pics, I've moved the motor back 7". I'm thinking I'm gonna move it back another 4", and increase the body lift from 3" to 4".

With that done, I should be able to keep the front end fairly stock looking even, with the Ram IC and rad crammed behind the S10 grill.

The IC piping fits right where the holes are to access the frame mounts for the rad support, just need to widen the holes a bit.

I'll need to build a minor (lol) tub for the back of the motor in the firewall. I'll also have to build a cowl hood to accomodate the intake piping.

I'll grab some pics later tonight.