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250 - 292 inline 6 in an S10 frame

14K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  techinspector1 
#1 ·
Has anyone done this swap? I want something different than a SBC.

The S10 originally had a 2.8 v6 and I'm putting a 36 Ford...I think it started life as a coupe but someone cut up the back end trying to make a Chevy SSR.

The 36 has a Mustang 2 subframe that's not squared and what's left of the rails is in pretty bad shape. The S10 was from another project and would be a whole lot safer.
 
#4 ·
The firewall on the 36 is shot. Evidently the person who cut up the back thought if pop rivets and Bondo made for good bodywork the same made a better firewall, so I'll be making a new one. The butchered 36 frame has a SBC with angle iron bolted to the front of the motor and X member. I'm not a fabricator but even I know that's not right. I'll try and get some pix.

As far as front end clearance I was more worried about the steering box on the S10 but there's an inch from the front of the box to the sheet metal, as measured from the cross member.

The reason for the 250/292 is it's not another SBC.
 
#5 ·
Mail order Mid motor plate for any 350 s10 swap with some biscuit rubber mounts. Then a front plate attached to the block that runs to the frame rails. 4 biscuits total.


292 if you want to run it under 3500k
250 if you want to run it over.

That engine in that car would look great with YF sidedraft carbs.
 
#11 ·
Not the worst I have seen. I have pictures of wooden solid mounts somewhere. But, what you have there is something I would not run either way.



That's why I said use motor plates in the front and rear of the block. You basically sit the motor plate ends directly on the rubber biscuits that are attached to the frame.The thing is then sitting on 5 points instead of 3.

Not only does it give you more room for headers/steering it allows you to easily set the height of the motor. As a added benefit you can easily leave the transmission up with the weight on the rear motor plate and pull the motor and front plate with a bit of planing.


With garage space at a premium I tend to roll my projects around while rebuilding engines and being able to leave the transmission in place is a great thing to have. You basically remove the bell housing bolts from the block slide it forward with a jack under the transmission then reinstall the in the motor plate and your good to roll the car around. You throw a piece of duct tape on the converter if it is automatic to keep it in place.








With the s10 frame are you sure you want to go that way?

Here is the thing. You can build a frame with quarter elliptical front and rear for that coupe. Run rack and pinion easily and not only will the thing be lighter you will have tons more room to drop that tall motor and rest of the drive train down.

You will end up with a suspension, engine, and car that looks like it was hotrodded in the early 70's with front and rear quarter elliptical suspension, YF carburetors,maybe some gm calipers and disc brakes peeking through a set of mags or hiding behind a set of steelies.

Just throwing it out there. The s10 thing sounds great with the geometry is done as long as you match it up weight wise you should be fine. But there are many issues with fit and finish that quickly arise. You can "hide" these things under body work. But you will know they are there. You will find yourself cutting up the frame and in the end may have been better off building one from the start.


Best of luck with your build.
 
#7 ·
If your making a new firewall, then you'll need an engine cover back into the cabin due to the length of the inline. A 292 can make some serious HP per cube if your're willing to spend the money, but you're still at the 300-350 range. The issue is that you can make way more than that easily, and cheaper, with a V engine and not have the fitment issues.
 
#9 ·
Thanks. I know the easy thing would be to use a SBC since there're V8 swap kits for like $600 for the S10. Honestly, I might go that way in the end. I just figured with all the ugly I've got to get off the thing for it to be a rat rod I'd do something different with the engine.

I'm not a metal fabricator I'm a leather worker so this is a labor of love and tribute to my late father with help of his tools and my kids. So it'll take several times longer than it should... Lol
 
#12 ·
The story with the S10 it was for a 41 truck that I traded for the 36 Ford. I thought since the 36 was already subbed it'd be an easier first build. Uhm, yeah. Adapt and overcome.

I like the idea of building a frame using the rails as a pattern and making sure the Mustang subframe is square, a well not stick welded, but that's a bit beyond me. But that doesn't mean I can't learn from the 36 frame and use it as a pattern for the next build. With all the body work I'll be getting plenty of welding practice, lol. I'd like to get a square back or sedan delivery and put a flatty in it or a diesel.
 
#13 ·
Post a photo of the body, if you are building a complete car and aren't up to speed welding, get to practicing before you make any big decisions based on the lack of welding skills that you WILL have down the road! You my very well regret in the future the decisions made now.

Brian
 
#14 ·
I didn't want to turn this into bodywork, but since you asked. There was a metal cover over the "bed" and I had hoped to find the original coupe body lines and the "bed" opening was just the trunk repurposed. Not so much no, so my son is drawing up something. We're thinking, as of this split second, of either stretching the doors or body behind the post about 7" toake room for a back seat. Then building a 4' or so bed or cutting it off like a bucket.

I'm not going to try and make a frame for this, maybe the next. My welding skills are "connect the tacks" and my equipment is a $100 Harbor Freight wire feed. I figured I'd make cardboard patterns of the body mounts and send them to a real welder. Theres a guy on CL nearby in Charlotte that sells mounts for pickup cabs to the S10. With a bit of luck and planning I can have them be bolt on.

I did some more measuring and I'd have to push the firewall back about 4" more to get the straight 6 in and with the S10 frame I'll have move any engine back for the 36 body.
 

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#16 ·
Have you studied this body at all as to where it was modified and why? It looks like it could possibly be a "Flower car" or something like that and have some historical value.

Brian
 
#15 ·
An old trick to gain some engine space that we used back in the day was to use the tub from a metal wheelbarrow. we trimmed the tub so it fit the firewall and extended back into the cab. Commonly used on sbc swaps to provide clearance for rear mounted dist.

Sam
 
#18 ·
I drove a 68 hearse as my daily for about 5yrs. Unfortunately the wheelbase is way too short. Plus funeral cars of that era had carved wooden sides, really beautiful stuff. As cool as it'd be this isn't one. I think they were going for the SSR/Elcamino/Ranchero look.

I like the wheelbarrow and extra mount ideas. I'm going to keep my options open for engines. It may come down to budget since building a better mouse, pun intended, trap can get expensive
 
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