bbc in a s10

**onslayer80** · 02-19-2007 08:39 PM

how much shit would i have to go thru in order to stuff a bbc in my 95 s10.headers,mounts,relocating the firewall....

**Leroy Brown** · 02-19-2007 09:13 PM

Frame Fabrication

Early style big block Chevrolet motor mounts were used to mount the engine to the cross member. Extensions were welded to the front edge of the cross member and brackets were fabricated for the motor mounts to bolt to.

The front cross member was cut at the back edge approximately 3" and then boxed in. This allowed room for the engine oil pan to clear and so the engine could be mounted low. The right side of the cross member was cut at the starter location allowing enough room to install a GM full size starter although a mini high torque was used.

There were no modifications needed to the frame for the fuel pump to clear.

The frame on the left and right side was cut along the top inside edge and reshaped into a cup shape to give more room for the exhaust pipe to clear.

The front tips of the frame rails where the radiator mounts were cut downward into a U shape, boxed and welded. This allowed room for the height of the radiator. The radiator support mounts on the frame were cut and moved outward to allow room for the width of the radiator.

A stock S-10 two-wheel-drive automatic transmission cross member was used but it was cut, reshaped and welded on the left side to allow the exhaust pipe to pass through it aiding in ground clearance.

Sheet Metal Modification

A section of the firewall was cut out around the steering column and moved 1" toward the driver’s side of the truck. This allowed clearance for the steering column at the head of the engine.

The flange where the transmission tunnel and firewall meet had to be hammered up to give some clearance for the transmission to clear.

Where the right exhaust manifold meets the firewall of the truck, it had to be reshaped at that point to allow room for the studs, flange, and the pipe to clear.

The radiator support was trimmed approximately 2" at the top, in the boxed area, to allow extra room for the height of the radiator.

The 2 supports on each side of the radiator were moved outward, trimmed to fit over part of the headlight bucket area and welded. This allowed room for the width of the radiator.

Since these areas were moved outward, the radiator support mounts on the frame were moved outward also as described in the frame fabrication.

The radiator was moved forward into the condenser location and the condenser located to the outside of the support.

With the relocation of the radiator and condenser, the hood lock support will need to be cut off just below the lock mechanism. Once this is done, another lock support brace will have to be fabricated to clear the condenser and to support the lock. If a support brace is not made, the hood will shake during driving.

The safety catch on the hood lock was also cut because of interference with the condenser. Some type of safety catches needs to be fabricated for the hood lock in case the lock should fail.

The back of the 1984 grille will also need to be trimmed to clear the condenser.

The filler panel between the grille and the bumper will also need to be trimmed to clear the condenser.

(If a later model grille is used there may not be any or very little trimming needed.)

The stock S-10 hood was used. The under hood reinforcement just above the air breather was trimmed to clear the breather. All of the adhesive attachment points were maintained.

The breather used was a dropped base breather allowing more room to help clear the hood. The stock hood insulation was used and flexes enough to close over the breather.

(Hood Insulation) GM # 15659223