49 fordshoe box/s10 subframe question

any one ever do the s10 sub frame swap on a shoe box ford on here. just curious if there are any good tips or things to avoid while doing it. im getting ready to start one. any help input would be great

My best tip would be don't do it.

Google has quit a bit on the subject.

S-10 frames seem to work pretty well for pickups but don't seem to match up wheelbase wise for cars! My buddy tried on an old family Chev coupe but it would have required a frame mod he wasn't up for so he switched back to the orig frame!

BoB

swap

i have done a bunch of reading on it. im not gonna use the whole frame just the front stub/clip. from what i have read the frame is the same height and width. looks like an easy ish swap. the front ends on the shoebox cars suck so im gonna ditch it and go with some thing that drives good. the cars has tons of go but no slow and it dont drive great. just curious if any of you have done it. it dont bother me at all the cut it up. im a good fab guy, its just metal you can always fix it.

I have not used a s10 front stub but it shouldn't be too difficult for you

clip

i have done a bunch of clips so im not to worried about it. never hurts to get a little more info. ill post pics of the job all the way through start to finish when i get started

I'll follow along too [P

Ok, I read the initial post as a complete frame swap, so I retract my previous statement. The front clip shouldn't be a hateful swap. The biggest PITA, as with all S10 front swaps, is the awkward steering box location in relation to the core support, etc. Really by the time all is said and done a MII will save you a lot of time and headaches, but personal preference...

Blue Eyed Devil said:

Ok, I read the initial post as a complete frame swap, so I retract my previous statement. The front clip shouldn't be a hateful swap. The biggest PITA, as with all S10 front swaps, is the awkward steering box location in relation to the core support, etc. Really by the time all is said and done a MII will save you a lot of time and headaches, but personal preference...

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Not to be a downer but I agree! But sometimes you got to use what you got!

Beercan

swap

mustang 2 works good , but the s10 is 1/3 of the price and will be a whole lot more fun to do. im gonna give it a shot might like it might not. ill keep every one posted as soon as i get started on the cutting

I will be watching this. I have quite a few Shoeboxes and two S-10's. I lean towards putting the S-10's under old pick-ups, as the guys said but I'm going to watch and learn from you.
Keep on tinkering.

swap

ill be starting in a couple weeks. i have a 68 4x4 in the shop right now i have to finish for a guy. then the old ford goes under the knife.

49leadsled said:

Im gonna give it a shot might like it might not.

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I like that attitude [P [P [P

^^^^^Me too.....don't know if you don't try[P[P

It should be easier than attaching a complete 39 Ford PU to an S10 chassis. But I managed to make it fit pretty well. Are you going to "Z" it while you are at it?

Afterthought: I had to use 8-inch wide wheels to fill up the fenders on my 39. Seems that the shoebox is wider. I know a Nova sub-frame is too wide, because I was toying with putting one under my 50 20-odd years ago. I still have the sub-frame, but the 50 had to go to a new home during a challenging time in my life.

front end

the s10 is 1 1/4'' narrower than the shoe box no big deal there. im not gonna z the frame if i dont have to. my front end sets up a little like they did in the late 50's. its a tail dragger style sled. but if it dont set right ill cut the crap out of it.

49leadsled said:

the s10 is 1 1/4'' narrower than the shoe box no big deal there. im not gonna z the frame if i dont have to. my front end sets up a little like they did in the late 50's. its a tail dragger style sled. but if it dont set right ill cut the crap out of it.

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Nice. Pics please. I miss my 50.

Tail dragger style sled, you say. Well, right on!
Now about all of those pictures. [dr[dr.

pics

here you