s10 frame swap,53 chevy

[Curbstone Mechanic]

I'll be starting a new project soon. I orderd an s10 frame swap kit from A.D. Engineering. The kit should save me a lot of time. If anyone wants to know more about the kit, I can send you a file of the instructions. Maybe someoene could help me to post them here. The kit itself is not here yet, but was shipped on Friday. I just located a long bed,regular cab s10 yesterday. I'll be taking the s10 to a local junkyard to strip it down to the rolling chasis.
I'll bring the rolling chasis home, put the 68 outside under a cover, and begin installing the kit to the rolling s10 frame. If anyone is interested, I'll post my progress here, hopefully with pics.

[busterwivell]

Count me in, I'm very interested in seeing how this really works.

Bill

[Curbstone Mechanic]

Will do, Bill. I've been sending emails with the file of instructions and pics to individuals since I can't post them here, (file is too big?). If you like I'll email you a set, and whoever else until we can get them posted.
Curbie

[Dale Lambert]

I'm interested!

[ksucatz]

I would like to see the instructions and pictures too.

[fryguy]

:smile: :smile: :smile:
i came across your post just now and my father inlaw has a 50 chevy truck
and s 10 frame. A friend of his is try to get him to sell the frame and weld a mustang 2 front clip and im tring to take him out of it some info and pics would be great .
im new to the forum and would love to check it some more:biggrin: :biggrin:
todd aka fryguy

[Mr48chev]

How is the swap comming. From what I have seen in the past the early S-10 has a pretty narrow tread width as compared to the 47/53 trucks.
I ran the 48 for years and a lot of miles with a rear steer early Camaro subframe.
It drove great but I was never satisfied with the appearance of the installation.
I was planning on going to an aftermarket Mustang II style setup with tube A-arms and 11 in brakes.
I'd really like to see more on thr trials and tribulations of using the S-10 chassis and the kit you purchased.

[Mr48chev]

On the way of "OH by the way" There is a series running in Kit Car magazine on putting a Glass 40ish Willies Pickup on an S-10 Chassis. I don't know how much usefull info is there but it may be worth a look.
After looking it over again I can't say that there is all that much info in the Nov 06 issue but It may be worth a news stand scan to check out. The article is on Page 54. Or check them out at http://www.kitcarmag.com/

[tom f.]

:smile: :smile: Will do, Bill. I've been sending emails with the file of instructions and pics to individuals since I can't post them here, (file is too big?). If you like I'll email you a set, and whoever else until we can get them posted.
Curbie

[tom f.]

curbstone mechanic, i read your message and i am planning an s-10 frame swap for my 1954 chevy truck using adengineerings kit, would you please send me the plans/instructions you spoke of to preview? any tips/suggestions are welcome, thanks, tom

[Mr48chev]

Ok where do you find this adengineering to check out the kits?

[shortcut96]

I started the S10 swap on my 1953 Chev Suburban quite awhile ago and am doing fairly well. The frame is stripped, blasted & painted. The TBI350-700R4 is in as well as the 9" ford rear end. I am awaiting the arrival of the first Sub/Panel swap kit from AD Engineering off his assembly line. I will be glad to visit online with anyone who wants to trade tips and ideas with about this project. Ordered coated headers yesterday.........this is gettin' exciting !!

[miniracin3]

I have a 53 that i like to do the swap on. Would like to see the files if any has them so i can decide if its for me before i order the kit

[Mr48chev]

Ok I found it with a bit of hunting
http://www.ad-engineering.com/
now to investigate a bit.
It looks like the tread width is 5 inches narrower than a stock 47/1st series 55 and they recommend using 2-1/2 inch spacers on the wheels and swapping to a 4X rear axle.
I for one am not a big fan of wheel spacers especially that thick.

[rhondayou]

Hi Curbie,

I too am interested in the instructions for the S-10 frame swap.

My son just purchased a 53 GMC 1/2 ton, as well as a 1982 long bed, S-10 standard cab pickup just for this reason.

My son is saving for the A.D.Engineering kit, but does have the frame removed from the S-10. If your offer still stands, we too would like to see the instuctions so we can prepare for the frame swap when we do purchase the kit.

Thanks,
Jeff

email: jclarke@dallasairmotive.com

[amayesing]

curbie, i too would like to check out this info along with any pics you might have. The guy at my local hotrod shop says he has never heard of it. But i have seen the AD Eng. site and am very interested.

[hotrod bill]

Please count me in too! Email me the pictures and the instructions. I have been thinking of doing this too. Hotrod Bill

[walt 1940]

Curbstone,
What is the latest on your S10 frame swap?
Anyone else also, ?

I also would like the info...

Thanks,
Walt 1940

[JohnRingo]

I would like to know how the progress on your s-10 swap is going.... I have a 53 Chevy panel that i want to do a swap on. Any help and info would be appreciated You can email me or pm . me

[ssempaidavid]

I would like the directions as well PM me please

[rhondayou]

A while back ago, I wrote about wanting to do an S-10 frame swap on my son's 53 GMC using the AD-Engineering frame swap kit.
Today, I want to provide my progress:
We've been pecking away at this frame swap for about a year now, but it's not for any reason other than my not being able to work on it as often as I wish.
Where I'm heading with this project:
Custom show truck for my 17 year old son, equipped with a Vette 350 4-bolt main engine and TH-350 tranny.
I just completed a show quality 1979 Pontiac Phoenix car for my older son who enters it in local car shows and has won a trophy in every show he attends.
First impression:
The kit is very well made with precision welds and bends.
The directions provided with the kit are okay; about an 8 on a scale of 1-10, but I'm a detail freak and find that directions are never my strong point.
Not to worry, if you have any questions at all, AD-Engineering is there to help and very quickly at responding via email, including additional helpful photos. Robert is a great guy and eager to help. The web site is very helpful and I really appreciate the "Customer Rides" section. In fact, with the assistance of AD-Engineering, I was able to correspond with other frame swap customers to share thoughts and ideas.
Could you do this swap without the kit? Sure, but when it is your first time in doing a converstion such as this, it is great to have expert help to pull from.
Second impression:
Cost? I found that the S-10 frame swap is the way to go when it comes to cost savings. When this truck is complete, it will have an old body on a newer style frame. Once you transfer the body on the frame, all of the upgrades are complete. You will feel as if you are driving an S-10!!!
Wheel base is perfect and track width is muchly improved with the 4X4 S-10 direct bolt in rear. As for the front, I will be using the good style bolt on spacers, not the crappy Pepboys style.
Real cost savings came when I removed the S-10 body from the frame and sold the scrap metal for $100.00.........I purchased the entire S-10 truck for only $200.00, that's a 50% return on my money.
When I removed the 53 frame, engine, tranny and frame out from under the old truck, I was able to sell it for $900.00. I purchased the 53 GMC for $1800.00, this too is a 50% return on my money. Mind you, I still have the original gas tank, seat, gauges, etc that I won't be needing for this project that I too will be selling in the very near future.
Space? You need to have a lot of storage space for this project until you sell the items you don't need. But, this goes for any type of refurbish job you do regardless of the project.
Third Impression:
Installing the kit requires simple reference measuring that the instruction provide. We also had to fabricate a transmission cross member which was not rocket science. Do yourself a favor, acquire a lot of C-clamps, vise grips, etc prior to getting started. I literally clamped every part of this kit to my S-10 frame, installed all of the body and bed parts and then check everything for proper position and clearances. This will insure you have everything where it belongs prior to drilling bolt holes and welding the kit permanantly to the S-10 frame.
In light of our making this a custom show truck, we installed all of the body parts on to the kit, checked every bolt hole for alignment and fitment. Once this was accomplished, we made re-assembly reference marks and then removed all of the body parts so we can provide the neccessary body work to each individual part. Once the body work and cutting paint is complete, we will be reinstalling the body parts back on the frame. Because we took the time to properly position and reference everything, re-assembly should be relatively straight forward.
Once the body work is complete, I'll continue this blog. I'll also provide photos.

[RON WOODGEARD]

Very interesting, Keep us updated please.

[Mr48chev]

sounds like you have been busy. Now where are the photos? Ya know how we are around here, It isn't real untill we see the project photos.:wink:

[rhondayou]

I'd like to post some photos of the S-10 frame swap, but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.
Can anyone help?

[Mr48chev]

The easiest way is to put them on a photo host like photobucket or one of the others and then you can post the link. or you can use that to post the photos here.
Something like this = http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/mr48chev/1948%20Chev%20pickup/
That one is pretty bare right now but you can get the idea.

[rhondayou]

Thanks Mr48Chev, photobucket worked out pretty well.

Here are the photos you all asked for.

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj310/rhondayou/

[Mr48chev]

That's quite impressive and it looks like it fits up pretty well.

I like the fact that you don't have to chop up the front inner fender wells as one has to do when he uses a Camaro or Nova sub frame. From looking at the work and expense that I am going to have on my frame in the next few months I may be a convert yet.

[KrazyHorse]

I too am doing the s-10 frame swap. Just recieved my A.D Engenering Kit, and will be starting installation of it within the next week.Excited to see how it works. I am new to this site and am excited to see so many people on here. All the better for me, as I can always use help and support from others who are in the same boat.

[rhondayou]

It's been working out real well. I've been in contact with a guy from Kansas who has already completed his conversion and drives his truck as a daily driver. He says that this truck drives great with all of the feel as the S10.

Anyway, we are almost complete the custom grille on our truck and will soon be starting the steering column linkage fastening which appears pretty easy and straight forward. When this is complete, we will be disassembling the truck, and completeing all of our weld on items and body work. Our goal is to have this truck complete prior to my son's 12th grade graduation.

By the way this is the second vehicle we customized. Our first one was for my older son Todd who we completed a '79 Pontiac Phoenix X-body for. This car has won a trophy at every show we entered it in thus far.

Check it out.....this was a ground up complete restoration. Every part of this car was touched.

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj310/rhondayou/Todds%2079%20Phoneix/

[Smokejohnson]

Could u please send me pictures and the instructions. Ive got a 51 gmc and I dont know what Im going to do yet, a front clip or the s10 thing.
Thanks.

[KrazyHorse]

I just finished installing the ADE s10 kit on a 53. Wow was that simple. The directions you get with the kit although not the most detailed are more than enough to install it. With the right tools it should take only a couple hours to get the cab mounts in place assuming you already have the frame stripped. I welded the mounts as wells as used bolts. I am still amazed at how well everything fit. I am yet to do the box though, so we will see how that turns out. I have many pics if anyone needs.

[hotrod bill]

would like to see your pictures and text

[rhondayou]

Hi All,

Posted more photos of the old GMC showing steering column mounting and custom from Grille.

Check it out.

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj310/rhondayou/

[Smokejohnson]

Nice work:cool:

[51chevytruck]

Well I took the plunge and ordered an AD Engineering frame swap kit in mid Dec. 2007.

I purchased a 51 chevy truck in 1993 and did a frame off restoration back to original. In 2000 I installed a sbc 4 bolt, turbo 350, and a ford 9" rear. In between the restoration and sbc I upgraded to disc brakes all the way around, power brakes, and power steering. After talking to several people who have done the sub frame and IFS kits I decided to go with the S10 frame. I have spent hours on several different web sites and also ordered the S10 v8 conversion manual. I plan on lowering the suspension with the Belltech 2102 spindles and upgrading to the larger blazer brake setup like AD Engineering has on their website. I am also using the suspension components from the ZQ8 (front and rear sway bars, frame stiffener, hop shock, quick ratio steering gear box, shocks and Belltech 3" lowering leafs). I have picked out a frame at the local salvage yard just waiting for them to call, they needed to remove the cab.

Rondayu I am trying to get all of my ducks in a row before starting and was wondering what headers you used, I have seen several different installations using the full length to the shorty headers.

Last buy not least I would like to thank everyone who posts, this is my first post on any of the forums. Without forums like this one I'm sure this swap would be much more difficult not to mention the cost.

[56 Builder]

I'm building a second series truck, and it's already mounted on an S-10 frame. The hardware from ad engineering won't do me any good, but it gave me a few ideas for the 56 I'm working on!

[rhondayou]

Hi 51ChevyTruck,

I did a lot of research in the header department and here is what I found.
I first looked at the S-10 V-8 headers and although these headers would have made navigating the steering linkage from the steering column to the steering box much easier I did not care for the looks of the one, long swooping header tube that allows the steering linkage to travel through it. This type of header would have required a large relief area to be cut out on the drivers side inner fender to allow the tube to clear, and compromising looks for the added function was not worth it.

I then looked at the block hugger (Ram Horn) style. This style came too close to the upper A-Arm bushings on the S-10 chassis and felt that the heat may start melting the bushings out.

Finally, I purchased shortie, Headmen Headers from Summit, Summit part# HED-68600. The driver side header tucks nicely toward the engine block clearing all of the suspension bushings and allowing for a decent navigation of the steering linkage. The steering linkage will require 2 lenghts of steering shaft. 3 U-joints......1 for the steering box, one for the steering column, one to join the 2 steering shafts. The steering linkage will also require a stationary eye-bearing. No cutting or alteration of the driver side inner fender is needed. One of the header tubes on the passenger side does come a little close to the inner fender, and minor alterations may be required to clear it from hitting and/or burning any paint away from the inner fender. Nonetheless, I found these to be the best look, not to mentiong the 3-bolt exhaust flange and 3" exhaust opening.

[51chevytruck]

Do you have straight plug or angled plug heads?

[rhondayou]

I have straight plugs.

I added photos of the passenger and drivers side headers to my photo website.

Check them out:

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj310/rhondayou/

[51chevytruck]

Thank Rondayou
Looks like your project is coming along, nice work! I appreciate all the pictures I'm sure I'll have many more questions once I dig into it!

[colts1949chevy]

sorry to jump in but I am trying to do the same thing with my 1949 chevy truck and i was wondering if you could please send me those pics of the kit and instructions my e-mail is Bigcatchcdn@yahoo.com

Thanks
Colt

[51chevytruck]

Rhondayou can you tell me what length column you went with?

[rhondayou]

I purchased the Flaming River column from Summit, p/n FLA-FR20006:

32 inch long
2 inch diameter
1 inch DD steering shaft
Tilt
No ignition (Ignition will be on the dash)
No shifter (Going with a floor shifter)

The floor mount and dash mount are also Flaming River from Summit, p/n's FLA-FR20101 and FLA-FR20114.

[rhondayou]

Okay, we finally got around to installing the steering linkage in my son's truck.
We purchased all polished Stainless Steel components and the steering knuckles were manufactured by Unisteer. We liked the soft edge design, as well as the security features.
I posted some photos on the web page below on how we did it.

Enjoy:
http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj310/rhondayou/

[LARRYLOWENTHAL]

I'm interested in any info or instruction you might have concerning this kit. These kit distructions can leave out a little practical instruction. Larrylowe4@yahoo.com

[rhondayou]

Sorry everyone,
I don't have the directions electronically. In addition, I've become friends with the owner of AD-Engineering and he probably would not be very happy if I provided everyone with the directions........copy right infrigments and all.

Besides, the directions are pretty good and if you have any questions at all, AD-Engineering will assist you with additonal photos and "How to" articles, etc. In fact, he sometimes will ask his other customers to assist when they can......everyone is real helpful.

Sorry

[LARRYLOWENTHAL]

Hi Rhonda, I Bought The S-10 Kit From Ad Engineering In Dec '06, But I Lost The Instructions. I Contacted Ad And They Sent Me New Instructions But Were Unable To Send The Instructions To Mount The First Style Running Board Brackets. They Have Changed Over To A New Mount And Don't Have The Instructions For The First Run Brackets.does Anybody Have This? Thanks And Best Regards To All.

[LARRYLOWENTHAL]

Hi To All, I Bought An Ad S-10 Kit For My '53 Chev 3100 In Dec '06. I Lost The Instructions So Ad Engineering Sent Me New Ones But Without Details On The "first Run" Of Running Board Brackets Which They No Longer Have. Any Body Have This? Thanks, Regards Larry

[machin51]

Hi, I'm interested in how the frame swap works. I have a '51 short bed and a 94 S-10 long bed 2 wd. Am interested in using as much of the S-10 as posible. thanks,Walt

[wantsomechin]

looking for any new updates on anyone's project for 48-54 chevy pick frame swap i am considering doing the samething would like to see some do's and dont's thanks :wink:

[slowlearn]

If I read their site correctly some spacers are required to make the front end line up properly.

In my state spacers of any kind are illegal. I'm very interested in how it is going and any suggestions from people on how to avoid spacers.

Regards,

John

[coup_de_ville]

if you plan on using after market wheels you can order them with diffrent ofsets that may be able to due away with spacers

[togi5707]

I am in the early stages of starting a project (So early, I'm still in the searching stages of finding a truck) But I am very interested on any advice you guys can give. I have never done anything like this before, but from what I've read, I find an s10 truck, strip it down to the frame and go from there. Any pictures of your building stages or instructions that you can send me will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance

[chenbrya321]

I would like instuctions and picks for the AD engineering kit will be doing 48 Chevy pickup