Engine and trans are in. These S10's are tight as far as the firewall and headers go. If I was building an S10 to go fast I would cut out the firewall and make a trans tunnel. The headers came with the truck, if I was going to buy headers I'd go out the front of the fender or at the least have fenderwell headers. I bought the truck to use a motor and transmission I already had. Just want it to run 7.50 or slower for 1/8mi Sportsman class. Still has factory rear under it, will run it until or when it breaks. If I need a rear I'll find an 8.8 from an Explorer.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
Engine and trans are in. These S10's are tight as far as the firewall and headers go. If I was building an S10 to go fast I would cut out the firewall and make a trans tunnel. The headers came with the truck, if I was going to buy headers I'd go out the front of the fender or at the least have fenderwell headers. I bought the truck to use a motor and transmission I already had. Just want it to run 7.50 or slower for 1/8mi Sportsman class. Still has factory rear under it, will run it until or when it breaks. If I need a rear I'll find an 8.8 from an Explorer.

Oh yeah, the S10s are tight. Mine had a V8 swapped in it already when I bought it. It looks like the transmission tunnel may have been hammered a little to clear the TH350 transmission. Don't know if a Powerglide would fit better.

Mine had a GM HEI distributor in it, but I see that my MSD Pro Billet distributer clears the firewall much better.

Hmm, I'd never before heard of forward exit fenderwell headers, at least not for the S10. Thanks!! I must know more!!
I could surely use new headers on my S10, as one has a hole in it, right in the 'crotch' between two of the little 1 1/2" primary tubes where I can't patch it too easily.

Your 7.50 1/8th mile is not terribly quick, but is still a decent ride I reckon, translating to about 12.00 seconds in the quarter-mile.

What year is your S10? The earliest ones had a flimsy 8.5" ring and 26-spline axles, as you probably already know. I think newer ones had a better 8.5" or so ring and 28-spline axles?

I once saw a guy with a first-gen. S10 launch with a healthy motor and a stock rear end. He snapped an axle at launch, but managed to drive down the track and back to his pit space, skidding on one slapper bar! He didn't realize that he broke an axle until one of the starters came around in a golf cart with his rear wheel and the broken axle!

I imagine you're using C-clip eliminators? And a mini-spool?

For the lurkers who read these forums, a Ford 8.8 Explorer rear end is a fairly common swap into Chevy S10 trucks.

The Ford 8.8" differential is pretty strong; about as strong as a GM 12-bolt I am told.
The leaf springs on an Explorer run below the axle, the same as the S10, but unlike the Ranger pickup which one might expect to be similar.

The leaf spring perch spacing is very close I think to that of the S10.

I believe too that Explorers have 31-spline axles, unlike the Rangers with their 28-spline units.
I think all or most of the Explorers I've seen in salvage yards had limited-slip differentials with 3.73 gears.

The Explorer rear ends I believe to be slightly wider than a stock S10 rear end, so a guy might want wheels with a greater backset; perhaps 6" or so. And they use the standard Ford 4 1/2" bolt circle.

And too, I think in 1995 they started to put disc brakes on those rear ends. Drum brakes may hold better for foot-brake racing and maybe won't require a master cylinder change like disc brakes can.

Ford rear ends hook up to the driveshaft differently too, so guys looking at the Explorer rear end should know that.

I hope it's a winning combo for you, Eman!
T.

IHRA Sportsman has a minimum ET of 7.50. My headers are Hedman full length, I need to put an oil filter relocation kit on it. You have to loosen the header to change the oil filter. I'm aware of the Explorer rear. Need to shorten 1 side and use 2 of the short axles. I had an 8.5 10 bolt from an S10 with a 4.3 5spd but I sold it with another S10.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
IHRA Sportsman has a minimum ET of 7.50. My headers are Hedman full length, I need to put an oil filter relocation kit on it. You have to loosen the header to change the oil filter. I'm aware of the Explorer rear. Need to shorten 1 side and use 2 of the short axles. I had an 8.5 10 bolt from an S10 with a 4.3 5spd but I sold it with another S10.

That's interesting that one can shorten just one side of an Explorer rear end. I imagine then you must relocate the spring perches?

I was thinking of going with full-length headers myself, but it seems I would need to relocate the oil filter? Can a guy install full length headers on an S10 without lifting the engine?

Thanks!

The full length Hedman's come apart and you install some of the tubes individually. You can slip them in but it's tight.
You can google search but the 8.8 swap is real common and all you need is 2 of the short side axles. Yes you have to move the perches.

Moroso front springs on good components, and a decent adjustable shock, I'd opt for the "R" valved QA1, mine are normal QA1's, I like them.
You'll adjust them for reaction time mostly, if at all once you've tested them.

Lakewood 50/50 rear shock, work with it to see what your combo wants. That is all the shock technology you need to bracket race a small tire car as quick as 6.50's

You can spend a bunch on adjustments you'll never touch once your ride is working well.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
Moroso front springs on good components, and a decent adjustable shock, I'd opt for the "R" valved QA1, mine are normal QA1's, I like them.
You'll adjust them for reaction time mostly, if at all once you've tested them.

Lakewood 50/50 rear shock, work with it to see what your combo wants. That is all the shock technology you need to bracket race a small tire car as quick as 6.50's

You can spend a bunch on adjustments you'll never touch once your ride is working well.

Thanks, Goob; I'll look at those QA1s.
Are the Lakewood 50/50s adjustable? Clue me in please on the 50/50 part; is that mean that the bump and rebound stiffnesses are both the same?

Cheers,
Troy

The Lakewoods are non adjustable, yes same dampning force both directions. Smoothest ride up the trailer ramps I'd had in years.

The QA-1 fronts I run between full loose, to 3 clicks tighter, have used up to click 5 footbraking only. Usually just leave them on 3rd click. They have 12 clicks.

Maybe I missed it on read through, but transmission gearing makes a huge difference. Usual rules apply, the less power you make, the more loose the suspension needs to be to help plant the tires. You are correct about looser front end if running a Powerglide. When using a 3 speed you will probably find that a tighter front suspension (ie.....70/30) will actually get the car to hold the load on the suspension better. Most folks doing tranny testing between 2 vs. 3 speeds often don't complete the tuning process to optimize each combination.