In reply to Patrick :
That's still helpful, thanks for the advice! One of the center cab mounts is in rough shape, and I may have to fab up rear cab mounts from scratch as part of the 3 link brackets. I'll make sure to wander through the electrical aisle next HD/Lowes trip I make
Got a ton of help today trying to remove the old axle.
Rust slowed us down significantly, and despite the torch and a ton of PB Blaster, we could not remove all the u-bolts. After burning about an hour on them, we gave in and cut them off with the angle grinder. I need to order some replacements for temporary use, and come up with a new method to mount the shocks to the axle to keep them from going in the challenge budget. Maybe I'll just weld the spring plates to the pads on the axle.
After the cutting, we wrestled the old axle out and set the new axle in roughly the right position.
Can't really do much else until it is bolted in, so I'll take a few days off until parts arrive. I may need to shop for a new cordless impact though, I think we overworked it a bit, and it is about to bite the dust. It's been a beast for 10+ years, though, so I may just grab another Kobalt. I'll take a look at others, too, just in case, but keeping with something I already have batteries for seems to be a good idea.
On a positive note, I was wrong about the ZR2 panhard bar. It's actually over 40" long, so if I can get it and its bracket re-oriented to under the axle, it could work very well.
Leaf spring hardware showed up today, but I've been pretty busy. Stepped out after dinner, figuring I could quickly throw the new axle on. Turns out I have multiple bolts frozen into bushing sleeves, both on the chassis, and the axle, so I'll have to go after it when I have more time and energy, and a willingness to make the garage smell like burnt rubber.
In the last few days, I installed the replacement axle, and have gone back to fitting and welding on the frame. Ran out of welding wire today, so I need to go out and grab some before any more progress. Also, made another Trailblazer part sale, so my current budget stands at:
EDITED Total: $399.03
Been continuing to work on the truck, but just have not felt like posting what I considered very minor updates. Finally have a significant update. The cab is setting back on the frame.
It is not yet bolted on, since it'll probably need to come back off at some point, but it is more than stable enough to work in and around. More importantly for me, I do not plan on doing anything with angle grinders for a while, so all the plastic sheeting is down. I'll be cleaning up and reorganizing the garage next, and after that, doing any work that does not involve hurling rust and abrasive particles all over the place.
I also need to get back to working on the budget list for the turbo LS parts lot, as that could determine a future shift for the project. If I stick with leaf springs, and just throw some lowering blocks (and the hop shock) on the back, rather than the planned three link, that could easily free up a couple hundred dollars for the turbo goodies. Choice may be between a better rear suspension design or another 150 or so HP.
i don't think gas to pick up your engine donor is a challenge budget hit?
Patrick said:i don't think gas to pick up your engine donor is a challenge budget hit?
It would be nice if I can take that out. I'd interpreted it as a transportation cost. The only thing I though was exempt was the actual challenge car.
Shipped an eBay sale item out this morning that zeroes out the Trailblazer budget, so free-ish aluminum 5.3!. Now to see how far negative I can take it.
In reply to eastsideTim :
I drove to Ohio to pick up a free LS4 intake from Patrick at the Wartburg build party. I don't intend to include the gas money to pick that up in my budget.
The rules state that shipping of parts needs to be included in budget. It makes no mention of the gas to drive and pick up parts from Book Face or List of Craigs purchases.
Unless Tom chimes in to say otherwise, I'd remove that gas line item, as you did not pay shipping on it, you picked it up.
eastsideTim said:Patrick said:i don't think gas to pick up your engine donor is a challenge budget hit?
It would be nice if I can take that out. I'd interpreted it as a transportation cost. The only thing I though was exempt was the actual challenge car.
But we didn't burn a single drop of gas to go get the trailblazer! LOOPHOLE!
You are killing it sir! Keep up the good work. We need another team work session as soon we can arrange it.
Just scored a set of brand new tubular upper control arms for $60. Don't know if they'll make it on the truck, but I couldn't pass up the deal.
Indy - Guy said:In reply to eastsideTim :
I drove to Ohio to pick up a free LS4 intake from Patrick at the Wartburg build party. I don't intend to include the gas money to pick that up in my budget.
The rules state that shipping of parts needs to be included in budget. It makes no mention of the gas to drive and pick up parts from Book Face or List of Craigs purchases.
Unless Tom chimes in to say otherwise, I'd remove that gas line item, as you did not pay shipping on it, you picked it up.
Updated the price in the last budget post
I had not checked in recently, love the progress!
Dash and heater core are now out.
I'm going to hold off on bodywork on the cab for a bit. Next major task is to convert the transmission to RWD and install the shift kit. I'm a little stuck on that because I ordered a ton of parts in January, and just this weekend realized that one of the orders never made it here. Tracking just stopped in late January. Hoping I can get a replacement sent after all this time. I also want to grab one more part, so need to put together another order anyway.
Once the transmission is done, it and the engine will get a test fit, so I can see if the transmission tunnel needs any surgery. While they are in place, I plan on pulling the various electrical harnesses out of storage and seeing if I can move the fuse box and PCM into the passenger side of the cab. I would like as little wiring as practically possible in the engine compartment.
Cooper_Tired and wae stopped by today, and we rolled it out into the driveway for a much needed bath. No more rust and abrasive dust everywhere.
Also managed to remove the crud from back of the cab.
While it was drying off, we grabbed the torch to loosen a few bolts, and got the bellhousing off the Trailblazer transmission. We also got the Ram 50 running for more than a few seconds at a time, but that's a story for a different thread.
I'm going to try to get the transmission work done this week, so test fitting can proceed soon. I've also been digging through remaining parts, and getting them boxed up and listed on eBay. Debating tearing the center console into component pieces and listing them, as there does not seem to be much demand for a complete one on FBM. I also found out the underhood fuse box could be a rather high value item, but I am not 100% sure I don't need it, so I'm not going to list it yet. I've been digging through online wiring diagrams, and finding the Trailblazer was not wired up the same as GMT800s, so I will need to sit down with the S10 and Trailblazer harnesses, a multimeter, and some paper, and figure out how to wire the engine harness into the S10 fuse box, and once the engine is setting in place, see if I can relocate the box and the PCM into the cab, preferably on the passenger side.
impressed with how red it was under the mold and dust
I always find it motivating when a project rolls outside into the daylight for the first time or the first time in a long time. Looking good!
Let's see, since the last update, I converted the transmission to rear wheel drive, and utterly failed at installing a Corvette servo and a shift kit into it. The retaining ring for the servo cover took a ton of effort to remove, and the servo cover itself is still stuck in the transmission case. I think galvanic corrosion from the steel retaining ring has done a number on the cover and the case. Rather than continue hammering at it, I made it a problem for future me, and decided it's time to do some test fitting, so I can figure out what other work needs to be done.
As a reminder to myself, here's what I still need to do to the transmission:
Mated the engine and transmission together, and attempted to slide them into the truck. After a bunch of adjustment, and lifting the cab, I got them in position.
It is as far back on the mounts as it will go. I have run into several issues, most of which I knew ahead of time were possible.
My biggest concern right now is that if I can't pick up the pace considerably, there'll be no time to hit an autocross or two, and no trip to a test and tune at a drag strip before the challenge. I want this to be dialed in somewhat, not have it's first drive be onto the trailer to haul to Florida. Considering alternate options, including a completely different car right now, but it'll have to be something that is pretty much guaranteed to take little time to be ready, since I've already burned 2/3 of a year on this project.
Definitely not the same bolt pattern. I even pulled the S10 pump off the bracket on the off chance there were any additional unused mounting holes.
I though the GMT800 trucks had the same bolt pattern as my 1st gen S10 used, but am not 100% sure. If so, maybe a PS bracket from a truck 5.3 will work. I think I have a 4th gen one in my parts stash I can at least check with if I can unbury it.
Hang in there you have the skills to make this happen. Temporarily X brace between the door openings with the cab supported evenly, then cut the transmission and driveshaft tunnel. You have already accomplished so much! I have let myself stall at times and regretted it later. You got this!
Let me see... Ah! Courtesy of Nook and Tranny:
On a cheap budget, I wonder if you could bung a P/S pump up where the A/C compressor would sit, and make lines or see if lines from a high mount pump could be made to fit.
I know from personal experience that the pumps from a 4.8-6.0 pickup/large SUV/van are the same pumps as the ones from a 5.7 Vortec. Completely interchangeable as far as attaching to the accessory bracket is concerned. They also sit in the same place, probably because they engineered the water pump snout and power steering pump to slot in directly where a SBC used to fit.
Looks like the Trailblazer uses the front drive style pump and not the ancient Saginaw pump.
In reply to madmrak351 :
Thank you for the encouragement. I'm mostly getting frustrated because it seems like I step away from one problem so I can think about it, and then run into another issue with whatever I look at next. I don't have room in the garage to shove this aside, either, so I pretty much have to work full steam on the S10, as the garage bay is blocked until I can move it easily under its own power. Keeping an eye out for C4s, but I need to do more research, don't want to jump to another vehicle, and get trapped into other problems.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Let me see... Ah! Courtesy of Nook and Tranny:
On a cheap budget, I wonder if you could bung a P/S pump up where the A/C compressor would sit, and make lines or see if lines from a high mount pump could be made to fit.
I know from personal experience that the pumps from a 4.8-6.0 pickup/large SUV/van are the same pumps as the ones from a 5.7 Vortec. Completely interchangeable as far as attaching to the accessory bracket is concerned. They also sit in the same place, probably because they engineered the water pump snout and power steering pump to slot in directly where a SBC used to fit.
Looks like the Trailblazer uses the front drive style pump and not the ancient Saginaw pump.
I think I was lulled into a false sense of security, since the Trailblazer looked like it used exactly the same accessory configuration as the full size trucks, but that would just make way too much sense. Got a hold of the truck PS/Alt bracket without tripping over too much stuff.
After removing the pulley, I did a quick test fit, and it seems like it'll work, just be very tight. Too late to do any more tonight, but I'll bolt it up to make sure tomorrow, and if it still works, yank the pulley off the Trailblazer pump. If that works, I'll either FMV the bracket, or see about grabbing one from the junkyard.
I looked up the part number from the Trailblazer bracket, in case it is rare and valuable, but it appears GM used it in more vehicles in the twenty-teens, so not going to make me a fortune on eBay.
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