What to do?

Ran across a 40 chevy cab , and 48 chevy cab sitting on a s10 frame and an almost complete square body s10 with a 4.3 auto today. Before i do any dealing for this mess of metal, can either truck cab look good on a s10 frame? Kinda thinking about trading the 53 for everything. I can build one or the other the way i want from, pretty much, scratch. I got a fortune in the 53, but still needs a small fortune and a million hours to be what i want it to be, got in too big of a hurry to drive it and want to change about everything ive done to her. Are the 40 and 48 cabs even worth anything? I'm normally the one that says, the price is what its worth to you, but this is a big leap trading a running, driving car for about 3 trailer loads of parts i know nothing about.

IMHO, the S10 frame only looks good under a full fendered truck. The way it sticks out behind the front tire is better hidden by fenders. You can cut that section out and make it look some better, there is one on here now that has been done that way, but it's still better looking when covered.

Again, IMHO, a running, driving vehicle is worth more than a trailer load of parts, unless that trailer load is something like 32 Ford parts. It can be a pain having to sit and look at an uncompleted vehicle when you have one right now you can drive and enjoy. It's killing me right now to have mine sitting in the shop, hasn't been on the road in over a year now. You keep thinking, one more thing and it will be ready to go, but time and money says otherwise, and a incomplete project sits a lot waiting on you. With a driveable project, you change something and get it back on the road quicker.

Your call, you want to be able to drive and improve something, or take the time and build something from the ground up? You can figure 3-4 times as long as you think it should take because something always gets in the way. Me, I'll take the easier path, I'll take the driver and make improvements.

The 48 Chevy truck cab on the s-10 frame is a very common swap. So common in fact that there was a company making complete kits to do the swap.
The 40 cab might be a different story as it is most likely narrower then the 48 and the s-10 frame maybe too wide.
I am in total agreement with Bama in regards to s-10 frame being good for swaps with fenders but they look odd to me on fender less vehicles.
I also agree with his remarks about a running, driving vehicle vs a truck load of parts.
As to the value. Prewar stuff is getting scarce, but their still seems to be a supply of the 2nd series chevy trucks. (Like the 48 cab)
As far as the complete square body S-10 goes. The junk yards are full of them.
And unless you really can't stand your current build I don't see how a truck load of parts is going to be any cheaper for you to finish.
Just my 2 cents.
Torchie

What they said.

Full fendered 40 can look like this or better. No fenders, not so good. Just no way to make the suspension parts look good.

I went and looked at everything today and thought i died and went to junk yard heaven. 62 falcon wagon, 59 f100, about 5 40 thru 50 truck cabs, couple 48 fords complete, a 37 ford 2 door on a ranger frame with the 8 plug 4 cylinder, running. The 48 he wants to trade is already on a s10 frame with a running 4.3. There was rat rods everywhere but nothing completely done. I can get the 37 ford, the 40 cab, the almost complete s10, a karma gia cut down the middle with about a foot and a half cut out of the center and maybe the 48 too and a bunch of parts. I wanted to jump on it and start loading up but i could almost hear my 53 from 20 miles away say, "don't let this guy have me." I left, went and bought some sandpaper and fiberglass, and started back to work on her. I want all that stuff so bad but dont want to let the 53 go. I worked on her for about 5 hours today and got all day tomorrow set aside for her. I guess i love her.

" Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone."
Sounds like lots of cool stuff but in my book you made the right choice.
Keep at it and post up in your build thread. It may help to keep you motivated and we will all cheer you on as well.[cl [cl [cl [cl [cl [cl [cl
Torchie.

You were strong in your moment of temptation. You have to win on a trade. Keep at that cool 53. It is getting there. [cl

Skip said:

You were strong in your moment of temptation. You have to win on a trade. Keep at that cool 53. It is getting there. [cl

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Agreed...
I`ve been drowning myself in projects in the past and the only outcome was that I had a lot of projects...

dutch said:

Agreed...
I`ve been drowning myself in projects in the past and the only outcome was that I had a lot of projects...

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I have more projects than I could ever finish in this lifetime but I also have a couple drivers while I'm working on my latest project! When I was in the real estate biz I used to carry around a little rock in my pocket that had a single word lasered on it... FOCUS! It helped... haha! I need one of them again! [ddd

BoB

It is soooooo hard sometimes keeping myself from jumping into things im not ready for or cant handle. I get overwhelmed when i see that much stuff all in one place.