S10 V8 conversion..
#1
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Car: 87' Firebird Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
S10 V8 conversion..
Any guys here that have experienced an V8 conversion in an S10? How'd you like it? This will be my next project vehicle.
#2
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
Yeah I actually have one right now. Its a 91 with a 5.7 vortec in it. It won't melt your face off or anything and it can't beat my 85 but it runs good. Its a fun little truck
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Car: 87' Firebird Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
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Car: 1987 Trans Am
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
Had a Jimmy and an s15 with 350's in them. Fun little trucks. Front suspension is basically A/G body, so they can handle quite well too.
#5
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Car: 87' Firebird Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
cool. Im planning to get a cheap 1st gen s10 shortbed with 2wd and convert it to the almighty 8 cylinder. I'm really interested in how that thing would move. You guys have traction problems?
#7
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
Its stock except for exhaust. It runs good for what it is... Probably low 14s. One thing I will say about a V8 S10 though- it will be a tire spinning sonofagun with even decent power if the suspension isn't set up right and it doesn't have sticky tires on it.
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#8
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Car: 1985 Trans Am
Engine: 385
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4.10
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
The only experience I have with them is a girl handing me my *** in her MS3 cammed 6.0 S10, off the bottle.
#11
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Car: '87 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0L-V8
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 - Posi -10 Bolt
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
I know someone put a 383 into an S10. Completely rebuilt the back suspension and rear end.. don't know all the specs but he did tub it and dump wipe tires on it. He does street drive it to cruises and I think he ran low 12's..
#14
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Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 355, 10.34:1, 249/252 @.050", IK200
Transmission: TH-400, 3500 stall 9.5" converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9", detroit locker, 3.89 gears
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
I just finished a V8 swap into an S10. Nothing wild, just a fun driver
1988 S10. Guy that had it before converted the dash to the 91 style. I put in..
Vortec headed gen I 355, 7qt oil pan, windage screen, 214/224@.050" cam, hyper flat tops, edelbrock performer intake, 600cfm carb. th-350, 2800 stall converter, stock 3.42 rear. shorty headers, dual 2.25" pipes and summit turbo mufflers.
Summit gauges fitted in custom gauge bezel in dash, third gen F body center console and megashifter, blazer bucket seats. Steel cowl hood, aftermarket chrome step bumper for a late 80's toyota (what I had on hand) and made some mounts to fit it up with.
I had to notch and rebrace the front crossmember to fit the 7qt pan.
It's a fun little truck to drive. No traction at all though but I'm not racing it or anything so don't really care about that.
There is a LONG story that goes with my V8S10. My mama and her hubby bought the truck from from my aunt back in the mid 90's with a blown up 4cyl. He swapped in a '91 4.3L, then later tried to do a V8 swap. Wasted alot of money kept buying parts, wouldnt listen to me on how to do the swap. Never could get the V8 engine in and running. After wasting 10 grand and close to 10 years trying to do the swap. He gave up and asked me if I wanted the truck and parts for free, just come get it.
I went and got it, rebuilt the engine, bought used wheels, vortec heads, tailgate, front bumper, bedliner, tool box, etc off CL and local junkyard.
I got about 1500 miles on it so far. Getting 14 mpg around town. Still need to do paint on it and put the stereo and speakers in
1988 S10. Guy that had it before converted the dash to the 91 style. I put in..
Vortec headed gen I 355, 7qt oil pan, windage screen, 214/224@.050" cam, hyper flat tops, edelbrock performer intake, 600cfm carb. th-350, 2800 stall converter, stock 3.42 rear. shorty headers, dual 2.25" pipes and summit turbo mufflers.
Summit gauges fitted in custom gauge bezel in dash, third gen F body center console and megashifter, blazer bucket seats. Steel cowl hood, aftermarket chrome step bumper for a late 80's toyota (what I had on hand) and made some mounts to fit it up with.
I had to notch and rebrace the front crossmember to fit the 7qt pan.
It's a fun little truck to drive. No traction at all though but I'm not racing it or anything so don't really care about that.
There is a LONG story that goes with my V8S10. My mama and her hubby bought the truck from from my aunt back in the mid 90's with a blown up 4cyl. He swapped in a '91 4.3L, then later tried to do a V8 swap. Wasted alot of money kept buying parts, wouldnt listen to me on how to do the swap. Never could get the V8 engine in and running. After wasting 10 grand and close to 10 years trying to do the swap. He gave up and asked me if I wanted the truck and parts for free, just come get it.
I went and got it, rebuilt the engine, bought used wheels, vortec heads, tailgate, front bumper, bedliner, tool box, etc off CL and local junkyard.
I got about 1500 miles on it so far. Getting 14 mpg around town. Still need to do paint on it and put the stereo and speakers in
#15
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Car: 87' Firebird Formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
MY GOSH!!! THOSE ARE SOME BEASTLY TRUCKS!!! I have found a few trucks for sale that have already have the conversion done. One guy had an 86' single cab short bed with a NICE 383 and th350. Says everything under the hood is new and it really looks it!!! Says drivetrain has less than 1000 miles on it. Wants $6800. Sweet talking the wife into it now lol you all know how that is.
I'm really on the fence about the cost of building and final project. Like, I could buy someones built truck for a couple thousand doll hairs and adjust accordingly OR buy a cheap stock truck and build my own slowly, potentially spending more than trucks of the same or higher caliber.
I'm really on the fence about the cost of building and final project. Like, I could buy someones built truck for a couple thousand doll hairs and adjust accordingly OR buy a cheap stock truck and build my own slowly, potentially spending more than trucks of the same or higher caliber.
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Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 355, 10.34:1, 249/252 @.050", IK200
Transmission: TH-400, 3500 stall 9.5" converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9", detroit locker, 3.89 gears
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
Buying someone's already done swap is much cheaper, but you may also be buying their problems too. It may very well be a great truck and everything is perfect but myself if I looked at an already done one I'm thinking I may have to re do something.. Is it still worth it to me if I have to pull X apart and fix it.
You read my post.. I got my truck for free. It was a half done swap. It had the V8 sitting in place and bolted up, with headers on it. The engine was a well used up GM goodwrench crate that should have been rebuilt long before it was installed in the S10, but wasn't. No hood, tailgate, front or rear bumpers. Had blazer bucket seats sitting inside the truck but not bolted in. Had th-350 trans but not installed fully.
Here's my detailed price list for the build.
$45 Tow S10 home Bremen wrecker 6/8/10
$140 American racing outlaw I wheels and tires Craigslist 10/8/10
$350 Vortec heads, intake, roller rockers, valve covers Craigslist 10/22/10
$42 Reflex alum/bubble padding Lowes 10/14/10
$22 2 rolls carpet, cleaner Wal-Mart 10/14/10
$18 bolts for seats, console, shifter, red paint Ace hardware 11/15/10
$14 glue, paint brushes Wal-Mart 11/15/10
$8 Lost title fee Tag office 11/16/10
$182 7 qt oil pan, pickup, timing cover, shift lever kit,
Grant steering wheel and kit, lock plate, throttle cable bracket Summit 11/17/10
$648 Rebuild kit, scat crank, hyper 5cc pistons, SFI flexplate,
shift cable, 1094 head gaskets Northern Auto
$41 Stainless windage screen Speedway Motors 11/17/10
$81 Vortec intake gaskets, valve cover gasket,
autolite 605 plugs, lucas zinc break in oil Advance auto 12/13/10
$228 Scat rods, chrome dipstick Summit 12/13/10
$78.59 Water pump, starter, water neck, brake parts cleaner Advance auto 1/16/11
$125 2” steel cowl hood Craigslist 2/1/11
$185 Oil filter relocation kit, trans cooler, dizzy stud, oil pan studs
header bolts, alt bracket, header reduecers Summit 2/9/11
$44 Front bumper, brackets, air dam, filler panel Pull-a-part 2/27/11
$55 Tailgate, tempo cooling fan Pull-a-part 2/27/11
$381 Main studs, head bolts, push rods, rear baffle, plug wires
Plug wire looms, woodruff keys, carb gaskets, Competition products 3/10/11
$259 Summit gauges, red split wire loom Summit 3/17/11
$290 Machine work.. Bore&hone, hot tank, check heads for cracks
install cam bearings & frost plugs, pin fit pistons, Engine Works 3/25/11
$35 Bedliner Craigslist 3/29/11
$8 PlexiGlass Home Depot 4/05/11
$60 JVC radio, boston 6” speakers Bubba 4/12/11
$6 Blue RTV Advance auto 4/13/11
$5 8 5/16-18x1.5 & 2” bolts and washers Ace 4/26/11
$36 Red, black engine paint, black vinyl paint, 1.75 bolts Advance auto 4/26/11
$23 24x24 engine turn vinyl, 24x12 chrome vinyl,
24x12 red chrome vinyl Metro restyling 5/02/11
$ Chrome 1991 grill Craigslist 6/02/11
$50 Stainless bed rails Mike Bell Chevy 12/23/11
$18.18 detent cable Auto zone 2/10/14
$90 Replace front pump on tranmission Eagle transmission 2/18/14
$20.74 red, black engine paint, header paint Advance auto 2/19/14
$9.29 carb studs, pvc valve o’reillys 2/21/14
$112.34 High torque mini starter Advance auto 2/23/14 $4.27 Starter shims Advance auto 2/23/14
$3.51 3/16”, 1/4” eclips, 4 1/4” x ¾ socket cap screws Home depot 3/1/14
$92.91 Alum crank and water pump pulley, fuel filter Summit 3/20/14
$33.12 alt, ps belts, ps pressure hose, e clip set, 6’ fuel line Advance auto 3/24/14
$ hose clamps
$ fuel tank line sock filter
$ 2 toggel switchs
$ fuel tank sender, elec. Fan controller, hood pins, lanyards
$20.30 2 2-1/4” exhaust flex pipes, headlight adjuster screws O’reilly auto parts
Total $3844
You read my post.. I got my truck for free. It was a half done swap. It had the V8 sitting in place and bolted up, with headers on it. The engine was a well used up GM goodwrench crate that should have been rebuilt long before it was installed in the S10, but wasn't. No hood, tailgate, front or rear bumpers. Had blazer bucket seats sitting inside the truck but not bolted in. Had th-350 trans but not installed fully.
Here's my detailed price list for the build.
$45 Tow S10 home Bremen wrecker 6/8/10
$140 American racing outlaw I wheels and tires Craigslist 10/8/10
$350 Vortec heads, intake, roller rockers, valve covers Craigslist 10/22/10
$42 Reflex alum/bubble padding Lowes 10/14/10
$22 2 rolls carpet, cleaner Wal-Mart 10/14/10
$18 bolts for seats, console, shifter, red paint Ace hardware 11/15/10
$14 glue, paint brushes Wal-Mart 11/15/10
$8 Lost title fee Tag office 11/16/10
$182 7 qt oil pan, pickup, timing cover, shift lever kit,
Grant steering wheel and kit, lock plate, throttle cable bracket Summit 11/17/10
$648 Rebuild kit, scat crank, hyper 5cc pistons, SFI flexplate,
shift cable, 1094 head gaskets Northern Auto
$41 Stainless windage screen Speedway Motors 11/17/10
$81 Vortec intake gaskets, valve cover gasket,
autolite 605 plugs, lucas zinc break in oil Advance auto 12/13/10
$228 Scat rods, chrome dipstick Summit 12/13/10
$78.59 Water pump, starter, water neck, brake parts cleaner Advance auto 1/16/11
$125 2” steel cowl hood Craigslist 2/1/11
$185 Oil filter relocation kit, trans cooler, dizzy stud, oil pan studs
header bolts, alt bracket, header reduecers Summit 2/9/11
$44 Front bumper, brackets, air dam, filler panel Pull-a-part 2/27/11
$55 Tailgate, tempo cooling fan Pull-a-part 2/27/11
$381 Main studs, head bolts, push rods, rear baffle, plug wires
Plug wire looms, woodruff keys, carb gaskets, Competition products 3/10/11
$259 Summit gauges, red split wire loom Summit 3/17/11
$290 Machine work.. Bore&hone, hot tank, check heads for cracks
install cam bearings & frost plugs, pin fit pistons, Engine Works 3/25/11
$35 Bedliner Craigslist 3/29/11
$8 PlexiGlass Home Depot 4/05/11
$60 JVC radio, boston 6” speakers Bubba 4/12/11
$6 Blue RTV Advance auto 4/13/11
$5 8 5/16-18x1.5 & 2” bolts and washers Ace 4/26/11
$36 Red, black engine paint, black vinyl paint, 1.75 bolts Advance auto 4/26/11
$23 24x24 engine turn vinyl, 24x12 chrome vinyl,
24x12 red chrome vinyl Metro restyling 5/02/11
$ Chrome 1991 grill Craigslist 6/02/11
$50 Stainless bed rails Mike Bell Chevy 12/23/11
$18.18 detent cable Auto zone 2/10/14
$90 Replace front pump on tranmission Eagle transmission 2/18/14
$20.74 red, black engine paint, header paint Advance auto 2/19/14
$9.29 carb studs, pvc valve o’reillys 2/21/14
$112.34 High torque mini starter Advance auto 2/23/14 $4.27 Starter shims Advance auto 2/23/14
$3.51 3/16”, 1/4” eclips, 4 1/4” x ¾ socket cap screws Home depot 3/1/14
$92.91 Alum crank and water pump pulley, fuel filter Summit 3/20/14
$33.12 alt, ps belts, ps pressure hose, e clip set, 6’ fuel line Advance auto 3/24/14
$ hose clamps
$ fuel tank line sock filter
$ 2 toggel switchs
$ fuel tank sender, elec. Fan controller, hood pins, lanyards
$20.30 2 2-1/4” exhaust flex pipes, headlight adjuster screws O’reilly auto parts
Total $3844
#18
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Car: 89 forrmula
Engine: 350 TBI
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.55
Re: S10 V8 conversion..
I built an 82 S-10 with a 355/TH350 and I installed a GM serpentine setup w/dual fans. There was no way I was going to stuff a V8 under hood and NOT have AC! I kept it as close to stock appearing as possible and also swapped out for a quick ratio Iroc-Z gearbox, F41 front antiroll bar and a B-body spindle swap to retain a 5 on 5 bolt pattern since the 9" rear was also 5 on 5.