Old habit S10

Awesome!

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Somehow we got two LH covers from the JY we pulled the engine from... I don't think the tubes will stay. But that's a problem for another day. 
 
Just cut a hole for the shifter. Next is modifying the crossmember and slinging the trans. 
 

For once, all my measurements came out correct. But I lost enough bolts to even out that success. Got the transmission in and the truck back done on the wheels, so I can at least push it out of the way if I have to slow my progress for any reason. 
 

Lots left to go. Including modifying the shifter. The seat is all the way back and the stick is in 1/3, so much clearance is still needed. 

Headers are the worst. Full stop. 
They are worse when they're cheap. 
They are worse when the fit is tight and things are in the way. 
 

driver side goes around the steering shaft, and requires bending brake lines. Passenger side lives way too close to the hvac box. 
 

grabbing lunch and a couple parts. 

I didn't get enough pictures today. But here's the bracket I made that serves as both transmission mount and clutch slave mount. 
 

I managed to make a shifter extension, install the headers, install the start of the exhaust and formulate a plan for it. 

barefootcyborg5000 said:

To cam, or not to cam. That is the question. 
 

Stock specs, near as I can find, are .414/.429 196* @.050

I'm eying a Summit piece. .450/.450 204/214@.050. Advertised specs with stock rockers. 112LSA. Will fit with no trimming or cutting needed. 
 

I would also add threaded studs which I'm comfortable installing. 
 

Im replacing the timing set anyway, so this is exactly zero more fasteners to worry about. 
Just money. $315 to my door. Should I do it? Should I save my money for gas?

Thinking back on this. I'm glad I bought a bigger stick. Otherwise I may have not actually removed the valves... which means I would have been low on compression, which means I would have (likely) just been disappointed with the final result, or (less likely) had to remove the engine and tear it down again. 
 

So let this be a lesson for yall. Just buy the cam. 

Exhaust is 90%
Fuel system is 90%
Radiator fits, but doesn't have a port I need. Simple solutions available. 
 
Starter is going to be tricky. Bellhousing dictates I use a unit with a small nose cone, space dictates I can't use the one I have. The expenses keep growing...

Pictures. Fancy clutch thing:

 

Exhaust wiggles:

crossover:

Shroud needs unshrouding:

And somehow I need to fit an HEI here:

Exhaust looks good. Seems you were able to tuck it up higher than bottom of front crossmember. Nice.

Can you get a small-cap HEI in budget?

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

drivers side cross pipe does hang just below the front crossmember, but it's not bad. Definitely not worth redoing. Also unsure if I have enough 2.5" to finish the tailpipe the way I want. But that's easy enough to finish later. 
 

This isn't a challenge build. The budget complaints are because I'm exceedingly cheap. Small cap dizzy is a last resort (especially since I learned I need a fancy small starter). I already sprung for an accel unit with a melonized gear. I'm confident I can get this one in, I'll just have to disassemble it a little.  Hopefully I can get the oil shaft in the right spot the first time so I don't have to install the thing too many times. 

Dizzy fits

its snug, but passable. And the harness is in the perfect spot. In fact, I'll have oil pressure, water temp, alternator, starter, and ignition voltage all without having to modify the wiring at all. Major major victory. I won't have a speedometer, but I'll fix that in the future with a gps unit. 
 

Made a clutch pedal rod to connect it to the new master cyl. Hoping the angle I built in helps to reduce side thrust in the cylinder, since the geometry is odd in these trucks and wasn't helped by my modifications. 

hard to get good pictures of that in place, and I didn't want to take it out again for the 27th time. Pedal gives full swing and reaches the start safety switch, so I'm calling it good. That was the big project this evening. Now the system is ready for fluid. Trans also needs filled, but first I need to finalize my driveline situation. This transmission is shorter than the old unit, and the shaft is just long enough to slip in about 1/4" which isn't enough at all. I found a junkyard unit that is 1.75" longer between joints, but still too short for comfort so I think I'm out of road and time to find a cheap solution. I have my old shaft and some measurements to have it professionally lengthened next week. 
 

Also didn't care for the issues I was running into using a 2nd gen radiator. It fit, but it didn't have a bung for the heater return like the first gen's do, and my water pump doesn't have a bypass either so I sold some stuff and snagged a new radiator for a 1st gen 4.3. Bonus is the core is 1/4" thicker than the others so I'll take it. 
 

Tomorrow is half day at work, and Saturday is open so I'm hoping to make some good progress. Also need to decide if my pulleys and valve covers get painted black or orange.

And also hoping the 16" pusher is up to the task since I have no room for a mechanical unit unless I go hardcore without a fan clutch. It will be shrouded, but I need to modify the old shroud a bit. 

Pulleys painted, and valve covers. Gotta say, Chevy orange is good. 
 

but glad I made the water pump black. The contrast is good. Also started thinking about throttle linkage and alternator mounting. 99% sure I can use the original alt, but not with the $9 bracket for older style jobs. A turnbuckle bracket from Amazon should do the trick though. It almost works, but doesn't leave enough room for any real adjustment 

if I have it in any position other than all the way out, the alt fan hits the bracket. Also the bracket requires modification or a secondary bracket to bolt the back of it properly to the intake. 
 

Hoping to get all the stuff finished under the truck tomorrow, aside from the driveshaft. Clutch bleeding, starter installed and wired, exhaust hung more securely and finished out, and fuel lines finalized. I think I can manage all that, and then everything left becomes much smaller projects. 
 

Still need to get creative with the throttle linkage, but I'm waiting on some hardware before I can really get after it. Then it's just wiring and fluids. Getting close. Should be on track to finish in April. 

Clutch fork may hit the floor, but it'll be fine. Also got the fuel lines finished and fastened. Exhaust is finished to the axle, just need to jump over and figure out a tail pipe answer I like. 
 

 And I filled the transmission. Very nearly finished being under the truck. Making good progress today. Hoping to keep it up. 
 

Nobody pay attention to the double hose clamps on the left. I was forced by laziness and cheapness to choke that 3/8 return hose onto the 5/16 hard line. It's fine. Shouldnt see any pressure. I hope. 

That's all the pipe I have. Still needs to 90 out the side. But it's good enough for now. It's 2.5 on both sides into the muffler, then I necked it down to a single 2.5 for the outlet. I still need a couple clamps, but those are just finishing touches.  It'll be plenty for a street truck that may never see the north side of 5000rpm. 
 

Clutch is bled and functioning. Trans is full and bolted at both ends. And the shifter finally bothered me enough to flip the knob around. 

placement came out really good. And it's the nicest thing in the cab. Not sure if y'all can tell, but this truck has had a hard life. One day I plan to redo the interior in a semi-psychedelic-slash-electric-mayhem theme. I have big plans for the bench upholstery. Big plans. 
 

Calling it for this weekend. I finished everything I wanted to finish and I'm just creeping up on that point of being way too sore and tired tomorrow, so that's my sign. 

In reply to barefootcyborg5000 :

Five, I like running the QJet in my C10. Need to rebuild it at some point to handle modern fuel a bit better but otherwise it has been great for the time i have been driving the truck.

Dude, im loving it.

Orange pullies aren't my thing, but you do you!

And you've convinced me that the vortec im rebuilding for my black truck is getting an aluminum intake and chevy orange everything else.

Keep it up man. I'm looking forward to your first drive report!

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Thanks, man. Yeah the orange is win. I was gonna do the covers black, but dad talked me into orange and I'm glad for it. Hoping the first drive is in about two weeks. 
 

Little to no progress planned for this weekend. Got a side job tomorrow to help fund the thing, and I successfully sold the old and busted transmission today so that's helpful. It's going in some project with a flathead so I'm glad it went to someone who will use it. Zero bites on the 2.5 so far. I'd hate for it to land in the scrap pile, but I can't/wont store it. 
 

Darkrider, welcome to the club. Someday I may make shirts, I'll keep you posted. 

barefootcyborg5000 said:

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Thanks, man. Yeah the orange is win. I was gonna do the covers black, but dad talked me into orange and I'm glad for it. Hoping the first drive is in about two weeks. 
 

Little to no progress planned for this weekend. Got a side job tomorrow to help fund the thing, and I successfully sold the old and busted transmission today so that's helpful. It's going in some project with a flathead so I'm glad it went to someone who will use it. Zero bites on the 2.5 so far. I'd hate for it to land in the scrap pile, but I can't/wont store it. 
 

Darkrider, welcome to the club. Someday I may make shirts, I'll keep you posted. 

Sounds good, Def watching to see how this project turns out as I have been kicking around the idea of building a V8 S10 at some point in time.

I employed a hammer for some much needed exhaust clearancing. 
 

transmission leaks pretty good too. If it still leaks badly after a few test drives, I may yank it and reseal the thing. Maybe should have done that to start, but here we are. 
 

Also remembered I hadn't had the best feeling when I installed the intake, so I removed it and resealed it. Good thing, since I'm sure it would have leaked. 
 

I did fill the oil, and primed it. As well as rotated the engine by hand to verify distributor installation is correct. 
 

I also trimmed the upper shroud to clear the alternator 

and the Amazon turnbuckle bracket is super trick. 

Ive been putting off a throttle bracket since I didn't want to afford one, so I made one from bed frame and I'm happy with it. Still needs paint. 

And a hole drilled for the return spring. 
valve covers are gaskets and bolted. Starter is wired. 
 

Still waiting for an upper hose, a couple grommets, and an air cleaner. I have an air cleaner, but I don't think it fits under the hood. Might have to buy one with a drop base. 
 

It's a cooling system, three wires, and a belt from running. Hoping next week burns fuel. 

In reply to barefootcyborg5000 :

Hell yeah, so close!

I let my better judgement get in the way again and ordered a seal and gasket set for the trans. Should be able to get that done this weekend and be set to hopefully get it driving the following week. Hopefully. 

We're going fully modern out here. 
 

Coworker asked if I was gonna have it rebuilt. 
 

It only needs what it needs. The gauge was happy before, no reason that should have changed. I hope. 

What water pump did you use ? I think I may be seeing a couple of things worth mentioning depending on your answer.

In reply to Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) :

I don't remember the gates number, but it is a standard rotation unit. I know the serpentine drive jobs are reverse, and I have one of those too for if I decide to change things up later and also because it was cheaper to keep than return to RA since I bought it before I thought about what I was doing. 

One step back to hopefully end up with something nearly civilized. Hopefully. 
I picked up this trans in a trade with a guy wanting to convert his truck to auto. At the time, it was only going in a racecar so I wasn't concerned with clean, I just put a rear seal in and slammed it into the Funderbird. Drove it a couple times, and then it sat outside for five years. Under a car, but out in the dirt and elements. Two weeks ago I filled it, and last week I discovered it hadn't stayed full. 
 

thats nearly a 12" puddle. No good  

it's leaking from both ends and the middle too. So today I took delivery of a reseal kit and yanked it back out. 
 

hoping to get it fixed and reinstalled this weekend. Fingers still crossed for starting it next weekend.