You guys are terrible, just terrible...

For me that is... well me, my bank account and probably eventually my marriage.

My Craigslist searches for this week alone have have been, 6-speeds, s-10s, Miatas and old Datsuns

So, on the subject of S-10s, This has been kicking around in my head for the past couple months:

Basicly square side s-10, V8, AWD, sheet metal interior, perhaps a 4 link and coil overs in the rear. Rally and Autocross it, plus it could handle Daily driving in the winter.

I think it would be fun, and useful... but here is the catch:

We already have a 92 safari AWD van that needs a new motor. It an original owner (step fathers) car, its not great but it was basicly free, and we know the complete history. Until the motor went it was our hauling and 'backup' vehical for when one of our DDs went down.

I don't need another project, and the practical side of says to fix what we have, but the hot rodder in me says the s-10 'mongrel' would be pretty epic! I am not really looking forward to pulling the motor in the van, but like I said I don't need to start ANOTHER in depth project.

So how crazy am I for thinking about this? What would the hive do?

I think it's a pretty cool idea (and I like the drawing) and it would certainly be epic. I doubt that it would actually be all that competitive at either autocross or rallycross, but if the goal is just to have fun, I say go for it!

I want to be supportive...

Will you be selling t-shrts of the above rendering for your build, because I would buy one.

Sounds like you have your t case donor for the s10

So is truck class (aka s10 "spec" class lol) definitely happening for $2017? If so, there's a strong chance I'll be attending my first challenge. I've got very similar ideas in my head that I can't seem to shake...

In reply to irish44j:

I don't think one would do all that poorly in CAM-T.

Edit:

Although AWD wouldn't fly.

At least you aren't planning on building a panther drift car for your daily.

Madhatr wrote: So how crazy am I for thinking about this? What would the hive do?

A rallycross squarebody S10 is on my list of neat things I want to try. I'd do an extremely liberal interpretation of the rules and convert it to a long 4 link and coilover setup, cut the frame off outside where the suspension mounts (and of course the shocks will cant forward to maximize the amount of frame removal), the "bed" will have a cover but no floor and will house the radiator.

The entire stock frame, of course, would be completely eliminated, in favor of a couple of 2x3 sections of tubing that will tie the rear suspension to the front suspension (probably sourced from an FC RX-7 or GC Subaru) and be a place for the cab to bolt to. There is a lot of useless weight dedicated to the stock front suspension, lots of metal needed to deal with the stresses that could all be eliminated by going to a strut front end. Fiberglass everything that wasn't the cab and doors. The bed, of course, is only there for looks. 3400/4L60 drivetrain combo, stone simple, broad powerband, easy to drive, and more than enough horsepower for 2wd.

And I bet it could all be done for around the same as a used Evo IX runs for nowadays. Man that'd be the easy button, wouldn't it?

Knurled wrote: Man that'd be the easy button, wouldn't it?

Dear God, he's insane. I blame the rotaries.

Wait till you start scouring multiple craigslist searches for a Subaru BRAT.

did some one say Brat?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/5595174748.html

Pretty sweet one there.

What would be the cheapest way to get an ls running in a tbi 4.3 square body? Possible to use a carb intake manifold and swap the whole tbi setup over? What about spark control?

I found something on CL that is giving me very bad ideas...

cheapest way would be get a complete engine with harness and prune it down to run stand alone on the stock ls computer. the tbi computer could stay under the dash for silly things like the speedo if it even does that.

i used a swap harness last time. next time i'm using a factory one. there are so many tutorials online about how to make the harness work that it's silly not to. heck a stand alone harness costs 1/2 as much as the carb intake and ignition box. why anyone carbs an ls engine i know not.

Suppose the s10 came with a 5.3 with no intake, ecu, or harness...eh still probably cheaper to buy all that. Or sell the block and buy a complete 4.8/5.3.

Don't know if the link will work, but someone did one Red Bull themed

In reply to captdownshift:

Linky no worky

I've been wanting to build one for stage Rally...

The drawing is excellent!

patgizz wrote: cheapest way would be get a complete engine with harness and prune it down to run stand alone on the stock ls computer. the tbi computer could stay under the dash for silly things like the speedo if it even does that.

The new computer will happily control any GM electronic speedometer. Cruise control may take some finagling. Gauges are easy, if they were over the network then they will still work, if they were separate senders then there are ways to deal with that without fuss.

SBC engine mount adaptors for the chassis and the engine should put the engine in the chassis, everything after that should be plug and play. A/C would be a little tricky but all of the 4.3s put the compressor in the absolute worst place so anything would be an improvement. Intake height may be a problem, truck intakes are tall. Car intakes are incompatible with belt driven fans, although V8 swap may require electric fans anyway.

Wow, thanks for the replies! To be honest, after reading other posts, I figured you guys would be for it

A couple notes:

In reply to irish44j & Furious_E: Im not expecting it to be competitive, but I think it would be fun. AWD would be a must... A: for the coolness factor and B: I already have a v8 RWD Daily.

@ Knurled: you idea sounds wicked!, but I would have to leave the bed in it and probably the front suspension for practicality sake

@ NordicSaab: you it's funny you say that. Ihave thought of doing a line art illustration of the Vette tearing up the dirt. Putting it on t-shirts to supplement fund for the 383 and 6-speed I want... but then someone would have to buy them

Lastly there is a third, middle of the road option that I failed to mention:

Build the motor in van to handle boost, throw a turbo on it (not sure where... maybe remote mount?) And build a spoof/clone of the GMC Cyclone/Typhoon in van form! Call it the 'Twister' or 'Tornado' and do it well enough that people would realy question if it was real. It wouldn't be as raw as the s10 but it would be a good cruiser/hauler... maybe even put a swing out chain hoist boom in the back for picking up motors and alike?

I say all of that and then THIS shows up on Craigslist...

i've got dirty ideas about taking the subframe, trans, and t-case from an AWD astro and grafting them into the front of a caprice since the track width is similar, replacing the torsion bars with coil overs, and making a stock height AWD car with knobby tires. preferably a wagon. so if the astro gets sentenced to death those parts should come to ohio

Reminds me of Mike Hall's rallyx/club rally Mighty Max:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWzWVdoUf1E

I think I saw that that truck at an autocross in Rutland VT. a couple weeks ago. Well, close to it.

In reply to patgizz:

Sorry,but I decided a long while ago the if the van ever got scrapped, I would pull the drivetrain, because -something- could be built. Yes, that probably makes me a car parts hoarder.... Good try though!

Bonus: because you guys liked that illustration, here is a quick one I did when a freind of mine suggested painting my 53 chevy project like Herbie the love bug:

It sounded so wrong when it was suggested, but after putting it on paper it tickles things deep in the dark corners of my soul... to the point this -might- happen.

build the S10!