My 89 S10 - Clean and simple.

Haven't been on here in a while. Once I wrote off the 98 Sonoma, I bought an 01 Focus for $400. I put $150 into the car doing a tune-up and flexpipe. I drove from Kitchener, Ontario to Victoria, BC with plans to move in with a buddy and find a job. The trip was a great experience and opened my eyes as to the priorities in my life which helped me make the decision to turn around and come home. I had an oil change done on the focus and headed east again.

After driving 6000km west while riding various skateparks along the way, living in Victoria for a week, and driving anywhere from 8 to 12 hours per day on the way home 4700km east, I sold the car certified and e-tested for $1700. That's $1100 profit, which basically covers the gas. Enough about me, here's my most recent purchase.

I picked up this '89 GMC S15 for $950. The seller wasn't very honest about the flaws of the truck over text, but was honest about anything I asked about.


It was a 3 hour drive each way, so I wasn't leaving without it. The frame and body are in good shape rust-wise, so I consider it worth the money. It has a 4.3 with 700r4 with 240km on it. Runs good but stinks, so either needs a cat or something is wrong. Tune-up and then diagnose tomorrow.

On to the cool stuff.

I picked up my set of 15x8 corvette rally's back from Jeff, the fellow here with the rusted V8 s10. I also picked up some 3" drop coils and 205/60r15 winter tires.


I still have 2" spindles and 3" blocks with u-bolts, as well as air shocks for the rear. I will be dropping the truck 5/6 this weekend and getting another 2 winter tires for the front.

We all know this is an unnacceptable amount of clearance.


Here are my overall plans in a nutshell:
~Suspension~
-2" Belltech drop spindles
-3" drop coils
-3" belltech drop leafs
-3 to 4" angled blocks
-ZQ8 1.25" front swaybar
-ZQ8 1" rear swaybar
-Bilstein shocks in front
-Monroe air shocks in rear
-Custom 3/16" plate frame notch for axle clearance
-15x8 zero offset Corvette Rally rims, red with centre caps no trim rings (off my sonoma)
-wide white walls in the spring

~Body~
-clean front clip to be swapped
-clean doors with power windows to be swapped
-steel rollpan with hidden hitch OR blazer rear bumper with hitch
-block sand entire truck, remove all rust (all minor)
-power blazer mirrors

~Aftermarket Exterior~
-billet grille or homemade
-H4 conversion headlight housings with HID conversion
-clear bumper and corner lights
-smooth chrome front bumper

~Minor Interior Features~
-new steering column (current tilt is broken and has lots of play)
-replace all interior panels with black including crackless dash
-good headliner
-modify door panels for 6.5" components
-new 4x6" speakers in dash
-new 4x10" speakers in pillars
-shallow 10" sub, possibly built into a centre console?
-slim "racing" bucket seats
-quick release wheel, something classy. Grip royal? Nardi? open to suggestions.

Looks like a good starting point and you've got a decent plan set.

Did a tune-up today, much needed.




Also blew a brake line so 2 of the 3 front lines are replaced. Suspension work begins this weekend.

what happened to the 240?

lost the shop, never picked up the car. Lost my $200 deposit.

Started Saturday off by towing Craig's new blazer to his house.


got it inside and started at er.


I installed 3" leafs with a 3" block and 4 degree shims, as well as air shocks incase I haul anything. Same setup as my Sonoma.

The axle hit the frame under load, so I made a notch out of 6" tube and boxed it in with 3/16" plate. Ignore the ugly welds, please. Awkward angles cause for unsteady hand.


Finished the rear including new axle seals and fresh fluid, so I cleaned up quick and turned her around for the front


Installed 3" coils and 2" spindles in the front, as well as replaced the passanger caliper since it wouldn't come off the old spindles when I did the brake lines.


It will be getting a 1.25" swaybar up front once I redrill and tap the mounting bolts larger as someone forced M10 bolts into a 3/8 thread... duhhhh.

Here's a brief picture, it rubs like crazy up front so once it's aligned (much needed, multiple degrees of toe-out currently) I'll get another 2 winters for it in a 205/60r15 to match the rears.


So happy on the results, just need to finish it up on my days off this week.

I just did my own alignment the other night.  Wasn't too frustrating and I'm pretty happy with the results.  Toe is the easy part and Ryo put a great write up on S10 Forum several years ago.

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f178/how-to-set-your-toe-alignment-at-home-365904/

I used a digital level for the camber setting, which made it easy.  Zero it on the floor and get an actual number for the camber.

I'm planning on playing with the caster until I'm happy with it.

I used to set my own toe but for $80 i'd rather have it done, especially with the rust control arm bolts on this thing. Got it done to .5 degree camber and 1/8" toe, drives great, but still rubs so i'll be stepping down a few sizes in tires up front.

Here she is thismorning


I will be running my ralleyes all around once I find tires

Got around to mounting the ZQ8 swaybar, re-tapped all the frame bolts to 7/16 and mounted it up with new bushings, fullsize chevy endlinks (about an inch shorter than s10), and some new grade 8 frame bolts.


ignore the excessive oil leak




One major thing needed was the steering column. It had about 6" of play in the wheel up and down/side to side which I thought was a broken tilt mechanism. I got it apart and found that the 4 e-torx bolts holding the mechanism to the column housing had come loose.



Video off facebook, not sure it'll work
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153622200790512&l=7351781065466459908

Stripped the column down to nothing except the shifter assembly, but didn't grab a pic. Here she is half way down


This was actually very simple. I have a factory GM service manual from an 89 Blazer so I had proper instructions and the specialty tools available to me at a friend's.

Tightened everything up, replaced a few minor things (broken signal cancel spring, etc) and now everything functions perfect and feels tight and smooth. So happy, and its a good feeling knowing I fixed it for free and did it all with help from my buddy's Dad.


minitruckin.


Drove 1.5 hours to Ajax to meet up with a buddy and pick up this hood off his truck before he changed things up. He raised the centre at the body lines, I like it because it's subtle yet mean.




Not much else to update, lots of goodies on my christmas list so hopefully Santa is feeling generous.

I plan on getting creative with the grille, but not sure exactly how yet so it'll be a surprise.

Nice job on a free fix!

Let a friend of mine borrow the truck to get to a doctor's appt today. Some lady pulled out and hit her, so I'm going to see the truck tonight and find out how bad it actually is. Not sure yet. Insurance adjuster is looking at truck Monday I hear.

Seems you need something other than an s10, you have horrible luck with them.

I own a 98 shorty fullsize, it needs a rad and motor so if they write it off that's what i'll be doing.