1982 Chevy S10 - $2018 Challenge Build by a 16 year old kid

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

I'm not as worried about daily comfort (because you can always just use the lap portion of the harness for daily driving) it's more of the cost side of making a harness bar. 

Like i said I can't afford a roll bar kit and i don't have a welder (and I don't trust my welds for a bar) so I would have to pay someone to weld it for me (more $$$ I don't have in budget). 

In the C4 did you just put a harness bar to the body and run harnesses or did you put a roll bar on it? 

The harness and harness bar is more for having some sort of safety device that actually works and the benefits of autocross is a plus. I am not an autoX guy I'm a drag guy so this truck will almost never see cornering forces higher than normal street driving where a bucket seat would be beneficial which is why I'm wanting to keep the bench. 

Thanks for the input,

Gabe

In reply to gabecar3 :

just used 1 inch square tubing attached to upper frame.  looped harness around square tube

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Okay got it. I'm thinking something like actual mild steel round pipe in 2" which I should be able to get cheap and then some brackets so I can remove it without messing up the body.

In reply to gabecar3 :

tube right...not pipe.

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Yeah tubing not piping.

In reply to gabecar3 :

I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but the main function of a harness bar is to provide the proper angle for the shoulder straps in relation to your shoulders. If you can anchor the shoulder straps in such a way that the angle from the mount to your shoulders is correct then you don't really need a harness bar (per Simpson shoulder belts should be 0-20 degrees below top of shoulder). Mount the lap belt to your seat belt mounts if proper angle...otherwise thru floor board properly reinforced . Mount the crotch strap properly positioned and reinforced

I figure I could attach the shoulder belts to the back of the cab, the lap belts to the floor/current belt mounts, and the anti-dive belt to an eye-loop bolted to the floor but Idk if making a hole in the cab to fit the shoulder belts is the best idea when I could just make a harness bar but Idk much about structural integrity of the cab to hold the belts...

In reply to gabecar3 :

Is there a bolt in stock seat belt guide on the b-pillar? Porsche harness bar are often attached there going from one B pillar to the other.  The big problem with stock seats is that the crotch strap cannot be mounted properly location without running the strap over upholstery. Thus in an accident the the upholstery foam compresses making the strap useless. The purpose is not anti-submarine but more so to not allow the lap belt to climb up thereby loosening your shoulder belts in an accident

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Sorry I got busy working on re-wiring my gauge cluster. 

The stock seatbelt guide is about 6" above the top of the bench so I couldn't use it for the harness bar. I did find more or less where I can bolt in the harness bar. The top half of the cab (more or less from the window sill up) there is a gap between the outside of the body and the inside pieces. I can sandwich the inside part with a plate and the harness bar. the harness bar would then sit about level with the top of the bench back rest which I think is the best height.

i mean a 4-point harness would have the same issue the only difference then would be the anti-submarine strap...

In reply to gabecar3 :

Trying to visualize it. If it's sturdy enough and with proper reinforcement you could make brackets to vote your seatbelts to and wouldn't need a harness bar I would think if you get a chance shoot picture of what you're talking about and I'll see if I can come up with some ideas

EDIT....Oh your talking about side of cab, not rear of cab.  I think.

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Yes the double wall thing is on the sides of the cab. On the rear I would need to either weld a plate to the cab that I can bolt the straps to OR weld some eye loops to the back to hook the straps on... I think a harness bar would be the one that would get the least attention from someone doing inspections...

Feel free to PM me and I can send you pictures when I go out to my truck and we can think of something via text or email.

Early on in my S10 build when I was still in makeitaracecar mode I had a plan. Maybe a good plan, maybe not. 

Plan was to fab a framework than used stock seat belt mounting points, upper and lower, and had a harness bar running just behind the seat at shoulder level. Something like this:

Never did try it though. Not sure if it would have been a good idea or not.

In reply to barefootskater :

I have no experience doing this but this is what I pictured in my head.  Seems like it should work.

In reply to barefootskater :

That doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'll have to look into it. It would let me not weld stuff to the cab but it should also be safe enough. 

The lap belts would get bolted to the stock bottom belt mounts, the shoulder straps would wrap around the bar and the anti-submarine belt could get bolted to the floor of the cab. 

I think this is the best idea yet.

Thanks!

7/8/18 UPDATE:

Okay so this past weekend 7/7-7/8 I got the transmission and engine in for the most part.

I starter to put the engine in the truck on Saturday but was running into some issues where the engine wouldn't go in but nothing was visually hitting so I had a buddy come over Sunday and see if he could give me a second opinion and help me out.

We got the 305/80e in the truck for the most part yesterday afternoon.

We had to pull the heater core because my manifolds were hitting it even after I "massaged" it with my BFH (now I need to figure out if I want to weld a plate over the holes OR try to use the holes as a vent to channel air into the cab through the heater vents in the truck to help circulate some air in the cab).

For those who are interested a 4l80e will physically fit in the trans tunnel of a first gen S10 with only the firewall getting hammered to make room for the bellhousing before the engine dropped onto the mounts. 

The engine sits about 1.5" from the back of the engine to the firewall and about 1/4 of the engine sits in front of the front axle (my motor mounts sit on the axle and they are positioned 3/4 forward on the block) I couldn't tell you about manifold clearance because my manifolds are totally wack and the are super wide in certain parts. The stock trans cross member works with the 80e but it gets moved back about 6" so you need to drill new mounting points for it on the frame. The driveshaft is stock length and fits right on the trans with the right clearance for the slip yoke but I had the Isuzu 4-speed which had a really long tail shaft on it so overall trans length on my truck is exactly the same (but the trans mount is on the back of the 80e while it was on the middle of the 4speed) 

The passenger side mount of the engine mounts is about 1/4" too forward but I think that the driverside mount has enough play in it to allow me to rotate the engine around for that extra 1/4".

Here are some pictures:

(A careful viewer will note that the heater core is still in the truck in the pictures )

Now I have to run the lines for my gauges, figure out what parts of my stock wiring harness I can cut out and what I can reuse, and also put the core support and the front side of the truck back on (pictures to come of the radiator and core support modifications)

After that it's a matter of tuning it, making it look nice, and making some test passes and seeing what breaks...

If someone can point me in the right direction as for a base jetting and timing (and how to set the timing before starting an engine) so I cna start the engine and break it in safely I would appreciate it 

Thanks for all the help you all have given me couldn't have done it without y'all's help,

Gabe

Won't be long before you're doing burnouts. 

In reply to gabecar3 :

WOOOHOOO...PROGRESS!

In reply to Stampie :

I'll be posting a video of a big smokey burnout when I get there. AFAIK it's the only way to get the stickers off my tires 

I'm very happy with how the progress on the truck is moving along. Goal is to have it on the road and testing it at the track by the end of the month or first week of August at the latest.

After that it's a matter of making it look pretty/pass tech.

7/16/18 UPDATE:

I cut the core support for the radiator:

I got the front back on the truck (core support, headlights, grill, trim, etc.)

Once I have everything wired I'll bolt the radiator in with the fans but I want to keep it out since i don't want to accidently hit it with anything.

I started wiring the truck so I can have my trans and pump working along with thinning out the engine harness.

I got my dash/gauges all set up and wired (I will have to pull it off again to get to a switch for converter lock up) 

SIDE NOTE: Does anyone know how to fix the fuel gauges on these trucks? Mine is obviously not working so I am wondering if there is a way to fix it

I relocated my battery from the front passenger side of the engine bay to the back passenger side of the engine bay since my manifolds would otherwise dump right into the battery. 

I need to find an engine bay harness wiring diagram so I know what I can cut out of the stock harness and what I can reuse.

Are there any recommendations for some short compact mufflers that will kill engine noise? It can kill all the power they'll come off for the challenge I just need something that I can drive around town that my HOA won't complain about when I start it up.

Thanks for all the help,

Gabe

I think it’s usually a bad sender in the gas tank.  There should be somewhere online that can give you the specs to test with a multimeter.

Maybe I missed it, but what manifolds are you using?  Sounds like the passenger one must be really large.  Or maybe the battery in an 82 was in a slightly different location than in a 92.

In reply to eastsideTim :

Hmm okay I'll have to look it up. I'd like to get my fuel gauge working so I at least know when to get gas. My speedometer won't work since the 80e is electronic but it's fine for hte challenge.

Tbh I have no idea what manifolds I'm using. They were like $15 at the swap meet so they are the cheap model but I had to flip them forward and up which made the dump for them right where my battery sat. Now my issue with them is how to route the exhaust out of the body with some mufflers without hitting tire...

Idk much about the '85+ models but from 82-85 the batteries were in the same place (about middle of the core support on the passenger side; bolted to the fender and core support).

In reply to gabecar3 :

Okay, same place as on my 92.  I hadn’t realized the exhaust was facing forward.  I once saw a Saab ( I think) at a Lemons race that had the exhaust coming out the hood, along the a pillar, and onto the roof.  Not exactly a great looking option, but one that got the exhaust exit behind the driver.

In reply to eastsideTim :

good to know.

I am planning on having it like some drag cars that have the exhaust exiting in front of the front wheels (usually through the fenders but mine will be under the fenders hopefully) 

Okay so I need some help with FMV Recoups:

I have a guess as to what they are worth but I don't know for sure so let me know if I'm in the ballpark or what I should consider them worth.

I have the stock 10 bolt rear out of my truck which I figure from craigslist is worth around $175 (most are being sold around $200 and a few for $150 so $175-ish?) the rear also has a complete kit for the drums (the wheel cylinders, shoes, hardware, drums, etc.) 

I also have the stock 1.9l and the 4speed out of it. the engine runs great and the trans allegedly has a new clutch and it does shift good. I figure $250 is fair for the two together since its a running set up but idk since I can't find anything similar. It's also considered rare but again it's just a 1.9l 4 banger.

Then I have a pair of 14" rims off the truck and another pair of 16" rims that came with the truck. I have no idea what they are worth so give a guess. I also have the spare off the truck but idk anything about it as it's still hanging under the bed acting as a ballast for the rear (might keep it like that might not it depend how well it hooks without it).

I think that's all I have but I'll edit this post if i remember anything.

Also all these parts are for sale if one of y'all have a use for mismatched wheels or a 4cyl/4speed or 10 bolt rear.

Thanks in advance

Not a rule maker but my input as a former entrant.  You valuation seems reasonable.  You only paid $500 for truck therefor your max recoup is $500.   Engine 250 + rear 175 = 425.  5 wheels at 10 each=50.  Total 475.  You got 25 left on recoup.  Done.