1982 Chevy S10 - $2018 Challenge Build by a 16 year old kid

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Well that makes it easy.

I knew that I could only recoup $500 total so it works out well.

On my budget I just put it as FMV right?

Thanks for the help,

Gabe

In reply to gabecar3 :

Yup...fmv.  You may want to submit evidence to support you FMV claim.  Example on my build somebody gave me a used set of headers.  I polled some folks on forum and they said FMV swap meet price was $25 so I just used $35 FMV on my spreadsheet build cost to be safe.  Was also given set of used plug wires...found a comparable set listed on ebay for $15 BIN so I listed $15 on my budhget.

Part of the challenge fun is playing with the rules. Keep in mind that if you trade a part from your truck for a part you need with no cash changing hands it's a wash. That is it doesn't count either way in the budget. So if someone trade you a GMC 6-71 blower for your rear end it's an even Swap and doesn't affect your budget. But you can't subtract the rear end value from your build cost. Does that make sense?

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

okay that makes sense.

LOL I wish i could get a 6-71 in exchange my rear end that would be amazing.

Thanks again for the help,

Gabe

Semi-UPDATE 8/2/18

So the recent twist to the challenge that has removed the drag portion has made me totally change my plan for the truck.

Instead of a drag truck on 275 drag radials I know have to make an autocross truck on drag radials...

So here's the plan now:

I'm going to finish the swap but instead of getting some traction bars for the truck I am ditching the traction bars for now and am going to throw some stiffer springs up front and new shocks all around.

does anyone have ideas on shocks to make the truck handle well but will still hook and 60' well? At the heart of the truck is still a drag truck set up for a 200-shot and sub-12 second passes but I now need to make it autocross too...

If anyone has any recommendations for setting the truck up to turn and hook I will greatly appreciate any and all ideas.

I looked into a few different shocks for the truck that I can get for super cheap here are the top three set up's I have thought of but idk if any of these will be any good:

First set up: Moog 5662 front springs and competition engineering triple adjustable shocks up front and air shocks out back (the air shocks from what I understand can be used to help the truck hook but if I air them up they could do ok in the autoX)

Second set up: Moog 5662 front springs and competition engineering triple adjustable shocks front and rear (setting on these shocks are 60/40, 80/20, and 90/10)

Third set up: try to find so super cheap coil overs for the front and then run a nice pair of shocks out back (this would be the most expensive from my research) 

Any input would be great

Thanks in advance 

Coilovers would require new ($$) lower control arms, and the only real benefit is adjustability. These trucks can be made to handle, I want to say "well" but I'll just commit to "better". And for cheap.

Blazer sway bars can be had at any junk yard and are mostly bolt in (rear will require welding unless you can find a zq8 truck in a jy which is difficult. But for someone willing to do an engine swap, adding a rear bar is easy. A panhard can be fabricated fairly cheap or leaf sliders will do most of the same work for less $ and fab time.

The front is easy. Tall ball joints and new upper CA's to correct the BJ mounting angle, this will help correct some of the factory bump steer and greatly improve the camber curve. All in for $300. Cut the stock springs to desired length and call it good. Just shocks after that.

Rear height can be done with springs ($) blocks (less $) or by removing leafs (free but possibly sketchy?).

The front will take 245 section tires without rubbing or 255 if depending on your wheel choice. Rears should get as much rubber as you can buy.

If budget allows, a ZQ8 steering gear (or Z28 or any sporty GM "performance suspension" car 1982-1994 IIRC) will greatly help speed up steering input. and replacing the steering shaft for a U-joint shaft will tighten things up nicely.

I was into my S10 $1700 including purchase price, and had all this stuff done and more besides. Lack of documentation and being in UT kept me from holding onto it fot challenge stuff.

Also if budget allows, a limited slip diff. It was the single best investment I made into that truck.

In reply to barefootskater :

Makes sense.

I actually have the sway bar off the exploder I stole the rear from but I don't have any of the hardware to mount it which is my fault... But I'll look into mounting it (it's a stupid thick sway bar too)

hmm never looked into a panhard bar... What do leaf sliders look like never heard of them...

I have thought about cutting the coils but my biggest issue is that with the sbc and 4l80e the truck is already slammed so cutting the springs would just lower it more and then it'll start having other issues. What shocks are recommended for an autoX/street/strip truck?

I have a pair of 2" blocks on the back and with my 28" tall tires I couldn't go too much further than a 3" drop...

It's funny you say a 255 on the front... I have a 275 and the back inside corner of it rubs a good bit on the fender so a sawzall will be taken to the fender to make the tire fit up front... I have some -44 offset wheels so i don't think it'll be hitting the frame when it's on lock.

I've heard of the ZQ8 steering rack but from my understanding they are all power steering racks and I have a manual rack so not sure if it would work...

I'll have to look into the the leaf sliders for the rear.

Thanks for the help,

Gabe

In reply to gabecar3 :

I forgot about the manual steering. Scratch that. A smaller steering wheel will require less arm flailing to speed up the steering a bit. Get your engine and trans in before setting height for sure. If no cutting is required that is better anyway. I found that 3" drop was about right for getting the control arm angles where I wanted them anyway.

As far as shocks go, my only advice is to avoid the bottom shelf monroe units. 

8/9/18 Sort-of UPDATE:

I've been inactive for a week or so now because I was helping a friend find a car but I'm back now.

I finished wiring my truck for the most part this weekend. I wired relays to the fuel pump, E-fans, and my transmission. (Don't have pics because it's all run on the inside of the frame so you can't see it any way)

I put a push/pull button to activate the torque converter lockup while keeping a stock look. Basically it's just a switched ground to activate lockup. It's run straight through the switch because the harness on the trans is all 18awg wire so I ran 18awg wire off the harness to the switch and down to ground; I don't think it's a high enough amperage to warrant a relay on it so an HD switch it is. It looks fairly stock too over by the headlight switch.

There used to be a hole where the manual shifter went that I needed to cover for obvious reasons. So it took the stock bezel/flange/ whatever you want to call it and a piece of 7x8.5" sheet aluminum and went full airplane and riveted the flange with the sheet-metal to cover the hole.

Some grinding, Bondo, and paint and it'll look mint and be reversible if I ever want a manual in the truck.

A little while ago I dressed the engine with the distributor, carb, air cleaner (free from FlaDiver64 because he was throwing it out when he helped me press my pistons), and alternator I got thanks to Stampie's 350.

A carful viewer will notice the radiator wasn't in the truck in that picture but soon after that the new 4.3l Radiator went in with a pair of 1730cfm e-fans.

I am trying to figure out what I will be doing for trans cooler lines I have the ones that came with the 80e but they are bent for a k30 which is a hair longer than my S10 so I have to cut and re-flare the lines and bend them to fit but I don't have a bender so it's a lot of bending around a floor jack handle trying not to kink the lines.

Random mentions of stuff that got done:

the dash lights are wired for the gauges

I got my throttle cable run to the carb and the throttle is functioning as it should

i got the rear end set back a full 1" to avoid cutting the driveshaft due to the engine being set back about 1" (the 80e and the stock 4speed are the exact same length and yes the driveline angle are correct)

the fuel pump is wired and working I just need the gas tank patch to set and put some 93 octane gas in it and see if she starts up or if I messed something up.

all the wiring under the dash is tucked up so it's out of the way and clean looking

I traded the black ball shift knob that came with my shifter for a hurst t-handle my buddy had laying around. It was oxidized from sitting in a tool box near the beach but nothing some sand paper and copper cleaner couldn't fit. 

Post cleaning:

nothing a little acrylic paint can't make look old school:

Now onto important things:

I am signing up for the challenge and I need a one-man team name.

I am thinking of a play on words with Oak (the English translation of my last name Carvalho pronounced Car-Value)

But I don't have any ideas it can also be related to high school (since I am a highschooler), the truck, my being young, homeschooling, etc.

At this point any ideas will be considered since I have no ideas. Shoot away and I'll pick something I think is cool

Thanks,

Gabe

Pretty sure you can get a brake line bender thru one of the rent-a-tool programs.  Pretty sure that's where I got mine (and I didn't return it so now it lives on the shelf).  Same with the flaring tool.

In reply to Dead_Sled :

I have a flare tool from HF but I didn't know about the bender from the rent-a-tool.

Thanks for the idea I'll check it out

In reply to Dead_Sled :

I have a flare tool from HF but I didn't know about the bender from the rent-a-tool.

Thanks for the idea I'll check it out

In reply to gabecar3 :

The Archangel Gabriel blew his horn in biblical tradition to announce judgement day. Hence, Gabriel's horn. But in your case, you're nothing but a hoonigan  about to render judgement on a bunch of geezers so I Pronounce You team GABRIEL'S HOON.

Ovid_and_Flem said:

In reply to gabecar3 :

The Archangel Gabriel blew his horn in biblical tradition to announce judgement day. Hence, Gabriel's horn. But in your case, you're nothing but a hoonigan  about to render judgement on a bunch of geezers so I Pronounce You team GABRIEL'S HOON.

Quoted for awesome. Super bonus internet points for themed artwork on the hood or tailgate.

Ovid_and_Flem said:

In reply to gabecar3 :

The Archangel Gabriel blew his horn in biblical tradition to announce judgement day. Hence, Gabriel's horn. But in your case, you're nothing but a hoonigan  about to render judgement on a bunch of geezers so I Pronounce You team GABRIEL'S HOON.

I approve of this 100%

barefootskater:

Do I get those points if i show up with a "G Hoon" license plate???

In reply to gabecar3 :

Seeing as I won't be there I'll leave it up to the judges. I'd say yes. 

You'll get a lot of points if you play up the Gabriel's horn analogy about rendering judgment. Be a cocky 16 year old and they'll love it.

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Hahaha ironically i render judgment on "geezers" yet I have a carbureted 305 sbc in a manual everything truck... this makes total sense judging old school while running old school equipment in a square body

In reply to gabecar3 :

Of course, an alternative would be ATTILA the HOON......

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Thats also an interesting idea

General Update 8/29/18:

It's been a while since I've posted an update but here we go.

After I got the engine and transmission in I tried putting the driveshaft in but it was a little too long and no matter what I tried I couldn't get it to fit. Fladiver64 offered to shorten it for me so I measured everything out and I got that I needed 3" cut off it. Where he cut those 3" out I left up to him.

From my understanding he ground the welds off the u-joint carrier cap on the end and cut 3" off the end and then welded it back on:

Picture of me with him and the now shortened driveshaft:

I then proceeded to install a driveshaft in the driveway of my buddy's driveway:

A longtime viewer may notice that the truck is now green and not cherry red/patina'd:

I saw a picture of a (i think) 60's C/K truck painted a greyish-green and thought it looked awesome so I decided to paint my truck a similar color in rattle can. Some of the "worn" look on it idk how to replicate on my truck but for reference:

Side-note: is it just me or is the wrap around windshield on these trucks amazing....

If y'all have any ideas on how to get that worn look (the black coming through the green) and where more or less it'll look good I'm open to ideas.

Here are a couple more pictures of the outside of the truck before and after of course:

The idea is a black grill, bumpers, side mirrors, door handles, and locks. I think on the back I can fog the raised "Chevrolet" on the back black with another coat of green over it and sand the edges of the letters to get the worn black outline and the solid green inside.

Thanks for all the help and ideas you all have given me it has made the truck a lot more fun and easier to work on,

Gabe

You get that worn look exactly how you described doing the tailgate lettering.  Spray some black, cover it with green, then sand through the green.  Use very fine (start with 400) wet/dry paper, frequently dunking the paper in a bucket of soapy water to keep it working.

Looks great!  I have a soft spot for these boxy s10's.

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Okay that makes sense.

Thanks!

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Okay that makes sense.

Thanks!