S10 Xtreme LS3/T56 Build

[Lonnies Performance]

For a few years I have been looking for a nice S10 to build. Unfortunately living in PA, it is hard finding one that isn't severely rusty unless you venture further south. I finally found one a few hours away & it was described as being very clean but having over 100K miles. I was skeptical as I've head the sales pitch before only to arrive & find junk.

When I saw the truck I was amazed, it looked like a low mileage truck. It was never driven in the winter & rarely in the rain. The original owner had show cars & treated it the same. It is fully loaded with options & still wearing it's original paint and the factory 4.3 V6/5 speed.

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I spent a bunch of time on various S10 forums trying to learn what works well. Unfortunately info is rather limited & forum participation seems to be dropping in favor of Facebook, which is great for seeing "who did what" in the last day, but not for data gathering.

I started with a UMI front suspension package with coil overs & tubular control arms. I combined this with a unit bearing style Blazer dropped spindle so I could have more wheel options.
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I sourced a full set of C6 Z06 brakes which are reasonably priced & got the brackets from Core3.
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They are quite the upgrade over stock.
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The truck in now in pieces & at the point of no return. I'll post some more pictures & component weights as I get more time.

[Vimes]

V8S10.org was where I hung out when I had a 1st gen S10. That was the most technically minded forum I was able to find back then. Lot of smart folks there, and they are pretty good about stuffing V8s under the hood and building the rest of the truck to handle it. All the other forums I found stopped at airbags, frame dragging and rubber band tires, and most didn't know the difference between a spark plug and a concrete block. Been a few years since I was there though.

Good find though, those things are getting hard to find even in the south, and those who have the good ones won't part with them. It's part of why I now have a Dodge Dakota, decent S10 ext cabs were too hard to find.

[Lonnies Performance]

I've been working underneath in preparation for the new engine.

Removed all suspension & started taking off the frame coating with lacquer thinner. It took about quite a bit of time but it is all bare metal now.
I spent far too much time sanding the floor, but I think it will be worth it in the end.
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[JayinMI]

Back in 2000 (I think), I got sick of fixing my (now) ex's '86 Camaro, and made her get something new. She ended up with the 2000 model year version of this exact truck, but with a 4 cyl/manual. I had wanted to buy it at the end of the lease and swap an LT1 in it (LS swaps hadn't gotten to be so popular yet)...but the buyout was way above blue book.

Jay

[Lonnies Performance]

Here is some more progress.

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[andrewb70]

Great start!

Andrew

[Bill Wellman]

That is a beautiful color. My undercarriage work never seems to turn out quite that clean. Well done.

[Lonnies Performance]

Here is the finished frame.

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The real fun is just beginning.

[andrewb70]

Why didn't you pull the bed and can off the frame?

[Lonnies Performance]

I had considered it, but I was trying to avoid all the extra work since this is not intended to be a show car... just a nice driver.

Once the body came off, all hell would have broke loose & frame would of ended up powder coated etc.
If I was painting the exterior, then that would have been the way I went, painting the body & floor together.

Here is another truck I previously did.
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I tend to go overboard, but once I go beyond a certain point, then I don't drive them as much & end up with a garage queen, then end up waxing the under floor & inside the bed.

[andrewb70]

I hear that! Scope creep!

[Lonnies Performance]

Here are the front brakes installed. I'll post more pictures of the front suspension & engine soon.

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Inner fenders will be removed & repainted shortly.

[TomMLS1]

Moving right along...great work..

T,

[Lonnies Performance]

Now the hard part begins.... I am pulling a completed car apart for the engine/trans.
I have new plans for my Firebird, so it is donating it's drive line.

There are mixed emotions taking apart something that is finished even though you will make it better long term.

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I managed to get it out & the car back on it's wheels without any scratches in the subframe or floor so 1 major hurdle accomplished.

[Lonnies Performance]

I'm starting to get anxious now. I was getting burned out with all the work over the last few months, but I got new energy knowing the engine was going in.

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I managed to get the engine set in.... no major drama getting it set on the mounts, with the exception of the rear bolt I used to hook the chain on was too close to the firewall to remove afterwards. I had to use a saw to cut the bolt off from underneath to un-thread it.

The fit is pretty tight & the rear coil will need relocated to clear the brake booster. I used a modified AC box from Hooker for more clearance & it made things much easier.

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[Sbeck09]

This is pretty sweet! Should make for a really fun combo. I'd totally daily something like this.

[Lonnies Performance]

That is my goal, a fun daily driver that I can use frequently.

I got my transmission in yesterday... a close ratio T-56 Magnum.

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It should work out well with the 4.10's in the S60 rear I have on order.

After seeing the going rate on a standard T-56 & the cost to relocate the shifter so it fit the factory floor opening, I realized it was a much better deal to but a new T-56 Magnum & sell off the old one.

[Tig]

Wow, great build and what a clean find with a manual, awesome.

This will be an awesome daily when completed.

What are the plans for the firebird? Love that body style.

[Lonnies Performance]

I picked up a used LS9 ZR1 Vette engine about 5 years ago.
I was looking for a vehicle to put it in & wanted to couple it with an automatic since I will be boosting the HP to near 900rwhp.

When I found the S10 with a 5 speed, I decided to keep it a manual & put my Firebird back to it's original auto configuration.
I figured the car was more apt to put the power power to the ground with better weight distribution.

I used to drive my Firebird frequently until I made it too nice. Now since it is a limited use vehicle, I can run some sticky tires & good fuel without regret. I'll get back to completing it probably this fall.

[Lonnies Performance]

I ran into a few snags last night...

The headers are tight everywhere. Stainless Works makes the only 1-7/8" long tubes for this truck. They seem to be within 1/4" of everything... not any room to spare. I'm impressed with the build quality & what it took to fit this chassis. Things you don't go through for an extra 10 HP LOL.

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The literature does not state that the headers do not clear a T-56 Belle housing. After about 5 hours of adjusting & slotting motor mounts, grinding, cussing & repainting some parts, they finally fit. The belle housing ear around the starter was the main culprit.
It is gone now....

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I fitted the new transmission & the shifter aligns with the floor hole nicely, but the shifter mounting surface is tilted slightly towards the driver & the taller side contacts the transmission tunnel. If I lower the transmission, the oil pan gets too close to the cross member (I already ground both for clearance) & the drivers side header would be against the frame. I'm actually considering raising the body off the frame by 1/4". This will give more steering shaft to header clearance, more brake booster to coil clearance, in addition to getting the transmission away from the floor.

[Timmyboy2]

So...what spindle are you using for the Corvette brake setup? Super sweet build. Keep the updates coming.

[Lonnies Performance]

The spindle is for a S10 Blazer, from Belltech. It differs from the pickup as it has a unit bearing instead of traditional bearings/races.
If you planned to run a wheel with high positive offset & a spacer, it would clear the pick-up hub (same hub as a Monte Carlo), but most modern aftermarket wheels are no longer designed for the old style hubs.

The unit bearing has no protrusion to cause wheel interference.

Brake brackets are from Kore3.

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I used the drop spindle as it allows more wheel clearance at the upper control arm for additional wheel backspace & extended ball joints (running 1" uppers), but at the expense of tie rod clearance. Due to the brakes, I have to run an 18" minimum diameter so a wheel with over 5.5" backspace will still clear the tie rod. A 17" would hit the tie rod unless it was narrower... guessing less than 5" BS.

When I did a mock-up of wheels on totally stock suspension, an 18" wheel with 5.7" BS touched the upper control arm with any steering input. Currently I'm trying to find a suitable 10.5" wheel with approx 6.25" back space.

I'm currently undecided on wheels.... large 18" tires in 305/315 sizes are limited to race type offerings with 0-200 tread wear & about $350+ per tire, Not sensible for a daily driver. In a 19", the choices go up drastically with many tires in the 300 tread wear category for reasonable prices. What I'm afraid of is the o-ring appearance of a very short sidewall. I'm worried that I will not like the looks of a 305/30-19, whereas I like the 305/35-18 sidewall.

[Vimes]

Holy moly. You get more done in 5 minutes than I get done all year.

Way outside your choice, but I plan on 255/55R18s for my own truck. 29 inches tall, the truck won't wander the wallered out parts on older roads and it won't hydroplane nearly as easily when it rains. Plus, the thicker sidewalls make for a more comfortable ride and you'll be far less likely to take wheel damage on potholes or accidental curbings. Going to run BFG Advantage TAs, which I've found to be a really good all-around tire. I'd probably leave the wide tires for the dragstrip.

[Lonnies Performance]

I'm just getting caught up with my posts... I've been working on the truck since March. Started with mock-ups & measurements, then stalled out for a few months due to Covid 19 & a lack of parts availability. Started receiving my parts about in June so I hit it hard then. Painted the floor 2 weeks ago & installed the engine last weekend. Put the new trans in 2 nights ago & spent all weekend trying to fab up exhaust.

[Timmyboy2]

Thanks for all the great info!

[Lonnies Performance]

After being tortured with clearance issues, I decided to fab some 1/4" spacers for use between the body & frame. This freed up some space between the headers & steering shaft as well as helping the transmission to floor clearance.

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Now I can move on to other things such as exhaust.
I decided to go with dual 3" into a single 3.5" in 304 stainless.

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I still have polishing to do, but it is coming together.
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The muffler I want needs custom made, so the wait is 6-8 weeks... but I'll steal the one off my Firebird in the meantime to keep some progress moving forward.

[Lonnies Performance]

Waited 4 weeks for my rear to come in, only to have UPS Freight mangle it. Somehow it managed to arrive upside down with the pallet on top of the rear....

Paid extra for powder coating & considered refusing it, but I knew it would delay things another month at least.

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Fortunately the cover was the main casualty, which I planned to replace anyway.

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[andrewb70]

The S60 is a beast of a rear end. Looks good!

Andrew

[Lonnies Performance]

Yes it is.... but history has proved I can break anything, so I tend to error on the safe side.
I also ordered a chrome-moly driveshaft with forged ends. It may be overkill but I like those parts to stay attached.

My projects also have the tendency to grow in HP the longer I own them, so if/when I upgrade with forced induction, I'm still covered.

[Motown 454]

Nice build! I like what your doing.

[Lonnies Performance]

Drive shaft will be here tomorrow.

A sample wheel will be in on Friday for test fitting.
Trying to fit a 19x10.5 with 305/30-19 in the front, so I am pushing the fitment limits.

I got the C6 Z06 rear brakes installed, but cannot fit the calipers until my larger wheels are in.
Pics to follow, next time the wheels are off.

[Lonnies Performance]

I did some painting while things were apart.

In addition to adding a roll pan, I decided to repaint the tonneau cover & tailgate.
The stripes are now painted on & the clear sanded smooth so you cannot feel the stripes... I never liked decals on my vehicles.

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I also decided to paint match the calipers.

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[Lonnies Performance]

Tires are finally installed. 305/30-19 front & 305/35-19 rear.

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[TomMLS1]

I would say you nailed the stance....

T,

[Lonnies Performance]

I've experimented by raising/lowering it slightly +/- 1" to see where I like it best.

Surprisingly the rear wheel openings are larger but to not have as much clearance as the front.
I did not like the shorter tire height in the rear & ended up with a staggered fitment that is a little over 1" taller in the rear.
It looks much better but I don't have much room to spare.

Suspension travel is at a premium so I ended up with the rear about 1" higher than the front to equalize travel & balance the fender gaps.
I have approx 3" of compression so I'm hoping it works out OK. The 650# front springs should not move a great deal.

[Tig]

That looks great, stance is perfect.
Love this build.

[Lonnies Performance]

It took a lot of fitting to get a tire with 12.4" section width under the front.

The 2" drop spindles allowed me to run a 1" tall ball joint for better camber gain, but still clear a wheel with over 6 backspace.
Blazer unit bearings open up wheel choices as there is no longer a hub/dust cover protruding through the wheel.

I also had to machine custom spacers to get the offset where it would work, even though the brakes complicated things a lot...
Getting a wheel with a nice lip that had almost 2" of caliper clearance plus over 6" backspace was tough to find for a reasonable price.
I would like more backspace at this point, but I only have .100" caliper to wheel clearance & was not inclined to buy a $5000 set of custom wheels.

Currently fitting a battery box under the rear of the truck to gain room for an air box under the hood. Also moving 40lb to the rear helps an already front heavy vehicle.

I also got my exhaust finished.... dual 3" into a single 3.5" to the rear, all hidden behind the frame so none is visible from the side or rear.
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[syborg tt]

Blown away by this build and would love to see what else you’ve built.

[Lonnies Performance]

A little more progress...

I've been working on the tonneau cover for the last few days.

It turned into quite a project... after the usual bodywork making fiberglass straight, I spent about 6 hrs masking the stripes & emblem off. Then after multiple coats of silver, blue & clear, it is finally painted.

Now another 5hrs of sanding to level the 2 colors so you cannot feel the transitions & then buff to the final finish.

Here is the freshly painted version.

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It keeps rotating it for some reason...

[syborg tt]

Looks great.

[Lonnies Performance]

Thanks...
Progress has been slow as I work on finishing details.

Finding a shifter setup that fits was not going well. I ended up with a Billet Specialties stick & welded another piece to the shifter stub with additional mounting holes to get the angle where I wanted it.

Mounted a battery box under the rear of the truck & routed new cables.

Ordered a radiator & after waiting a week for it to arrive, ended up being the wrong one. Now repeating the process hoping for better luck the second time.

Ran all new stainless braided teflon Fuel lines underneath & will start under the hood soon with the final connections.

Drive shaft loop still needs installed... just in case.

E-brake cables are in route... ordered a set of Blazer Disc brake cables, hoping it will not be too big of an ordeal to adapt them to the Vette brakes.

[BK2LIFE]

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I sourced a full set of C6 Z06 brakes which are reasonably priced & got the brackets from Core3
.
i need a set for my alice... who is this Core3? i'm going to hit the google box.

here is a pic of alice..

[BK2LIFE]

Found them. the google box is king somedays..

http://www.kore3.com

[Lonnies Performance]

i need a set for my alice... who is this Core3? i'm going to hit the google box.

here is a pic of alice..

I saw your build on the S10 forum.... nice work.


Kore3 has a really nice set of brackets for the front & also the rear e-brake backing plates, while not cheap, are very nice & work exceptionally well.
I cringed when I bought them, but the install went flawlessly & they offer a great set of brake hoses to fit the stock hangers.

Also the C6 Z06 brakes stop the truck incredibly well.

[Austin97C1500]

I have been following your build. Love It!! My first new vehicle was a 2002 Chevy s10 Extreme. Had to order it because V6 5 spd. trucks were impossible to find. I just picked up a pretty clean truck and I'm in the planning phases of the build. I was curious to know what you used for rear Suspension, and your wheel specs with the Blazer spindle, z06 brake combo. I was looking at running Little Shop w/ Wilwood caliper upgrade for brakes w/ a 17" wheel. This has piqued my interest though.

[Lonnies Performance]

Thanks, It's been a time consuming project.

For rear suspension I used a stock width Strange 60 with Cal Tracs & split-mono springs.
FYI... the 2" drop springs were 1.5" lower than the Xtreme springs, which are already a factory lowering spring.
Their 0 height is approx 1/2" higher than stock... had to buy some things twice.

As for the front. Do not do what I did. I had to machine everything, wheels, calipers, spacers, spindles etc.
Tons of grief to fit that tire & I'm still not done tweaking stuff. Everything is below minimum recommended clearances.

The Blazer unit bearing eliminates the hub stick out, opening up more modern wheel selections.

Limit yourself to a 275 or 285 max tire, which will still need substantial trimming in the front.

If you are using 17's you will be more limited since the smaller dia wheel will hit the upper control arm if you run too much backspace.
The Xtreme flares also restrict your wheel size as they take up about 1" of the wheel opening.

A 17x9 with approx 5.5BS will be about max, but you need the drop spindle & upper control arms to give wheel clearance. An 18" wheel with 5.7BS will not even fit the stock suspension.

I would review some threads on the S10 forum to see what 17" wheels will clear.

[Dynamic]

I'm following this thread closely. One of the nicest I've seen! I ran across it while debating whether to swap a T56 or keep the 4L60E (and build it accordingly) on my new build. I'm mainly debating about what do do with the shifter/interior. I am pretty OCD about things looking sharp and not cobbled together. If it doesn't looks like it belongs, I don't want it in my build. I'm looking forward to what you come up with.

Anyway, very, very nice build. A man after my own heart here!

[Lonnies Performance]

Thanks for the kind words...
It has been a trying project at times but is now basically finished, other than some tuning/tweaking as I drive it more.

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Still cleaning it up under the hood by relocating some wires etc.

I got to drive it for 1 day in late November, just before the weather turned bad.
It rides, handles & stops excellent. Traction with the NT05's were better than I expected & actually stick in 1st gear if you are careful.

It goes over 100 in 3rd gear, so I just finished this modified cluster in order to have usable speedometer & a tach with enough range.

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Working on fine tuning the alignment & bump steer now.

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Now anxiously awaiting for nice weather.

[Lonnies Performance]

As far as the T-56 swap, you will run into some issues with shifter location..

The shifter is too far rearward to align with the factory 5 speed console with a T-56, but the T-56 Magnum allows the forward shifter location which aligns nearly perfectly.
Using an F-body trans puts the shifter in the cup holders.

I mocked up a Camaro Trans & then bought a Magnum for this reason, even though the rear mounted shifter seems more ergonomically pleasing to me, I could not tolerate the modified console. I did have to fab up a shifter handle bracket to get a correct angle that looked appropriate.

[Dynamic]

Man, that looks amazing! Very nice job! My truck is clean, but not THAT clean. Awesome!

I know... I keep going back and forth between swapping to the T-56, or just building a nice 4L60E for it with a good converter and calling it a day. It is really a wash for me as far as cost. I own a custom transmission shop, and build automatic transmissions for a living, so the 60E would definitely be the easy way to go. It would cost me just about the same to build a 60 that will handle the 600(ish) hp that this engine will make as it would to buy a T-56 Magnum (I agree with you...the Magnum is the only way to go), bellhousing, flywheel, clutch, hydraulics, etc. Since this is already an automatic 4.3 truck, I'll probably just build a 60 for it and take the easy route.

I have to ask, though. Where did you get that instrument cluster built? This engine is built to turn some R's, and the 6K tach is just not going to cut it. And the 100 MPH speedo is silly as well. Did you send it out?

Did you have any trouble running the 58X Gen 4 engine with the 0411 ECM? That is one question that I still have unanswered. The truck already has the 0411, and a nice place to mount it. It would be nice to be able to use it.

[Lonnies Performance]

An auto for you would be an easy route....

I used a Lingenfelter box to convert the 58x to the 24x. It worked well & allowed me to keep a cable throttle.
I hate drive by wire, the lag & the unnecessary complexity.

I'm using the stock 411 computer with a V8 segment swap.


As for the custom cluster, I built it. I've been working on perfecting this for a while.
I ran into an issue using a factory 4 cyl 7K tach as the tune would not allow me to get the scaling correct.

I'm trying to source more of the air core motors with the correct specs to build more.
I could not find a speedometer place that was willing to work with me so I figured it out on my own.

I invested a lot of time & money in this, not sure I could afford to sell one for $600.
The cluster electronics vary with the year of the truck. What year is yours?

[Dynamic]

The cluster looks amazing. In an ideal world, I would love an 8K tach, and anywhere from a 160-200 mph speedo, but I'll take what I can get. LOL

My truck is a 2003 Xtreme, standard cab, sportside, 4.3, automatic. I bought it with a spun rod bearing, but the rest of the truck is really clean, extremely straight, and most importantly to me...original. The front spoiler is kind of beat up thanks to a parking curb, I would imagine, but that can be replaced with minimal hassle...just a little money is all. I'm still building the engine right now (and transmission now, I suppose), but as soon as that is done and ready, and the weather warms up a bit (we're in Spokane, WA), I'll begin the transplant. I don't think I've been excited like this for a project in a long time!

[Lonnies Performance]

I'll look into the 8K tach & see if I can do it.

The only issue is that a very fast revving engine may be able to out accelerate the tach movement, making it lag behind... this I cannot predict.
I can't drive it for a while so I'll keep you posted. I'm running a shift light also so a slight error does not concern me...

[Lonnies Performance]

Here are some updates after a few hundred miles....

The tach & speedometer function flawlessly.
I hid an LED shift light in the AC vent, which matches the 6500 rpm tach reading.

Front suspension has worked out very well. I was concerned that such a wide front tire (305 mm) may tram on uneven roads, but it tracks straight & there is no pulling or darting. I believe that keeping the back space as tight as possible, along with running a lot of caster worked.

During my testing on a sharp 270 deg. off-ramp, I had a significant amount of body roll without the rear sway bar. Unfortunately the factory rear bar would not clear the center of the S60 axle. Since there is not an aftermarket rear bar made for an S10, I was forced to build my own adjustable rear bar setup. It also helped my launches from a dead stop.

Now with the rear under control, I could feel the weight transfer to the front outside corner, which was unloading the inside rear tire, limiting how hard I could accelerate out of a turn. I'm running a Torsen differential so it is pretty forgiving in turns, but the inside tire would squeal while trying to accelerate, then with a little more throttle, I could slide the rear.

I decided to try a solid 1-1/4" UMI front bar in place of the factory hollow 32mm ZQ8 bar. This helps keep the inner rear tire planted & made a ton of difference. I gained another 10 mph (now 60 mph) on my favorite 25 mph off-ramp. I can kick the rear out at will, but it is very predictable & neutral on corner entry.

I experimented with dropping the tire pressure a few increments (from 30 down to 24) & while it helped, it did not make a huge difference.

Now I'm questioning if I should have went with the 850 lb front springs, but currently it rides pretty nice.

[Gump]

I gained another 10 mph (now 60 mph) on my favorite 25 mph off-ramp.

There one of those on the interstate near me... inevitably, when I approach it, the guy in front of me wants to go 25 LOL. it’s 15 minutes of driving to turn around to go try it again.

[Lonnies Performance]

Fortunately this one is a full 4 way cloverleaf interchange on a rural highway, so I can do it repeatedly until I'm dizzy. I just wish they had them in the opposite direction so I could wear the right side tires equally.

[Dynamic]

Awesome report on the suspension. Thank you!

I'm particularly interested in the front suspension. I'm building a 3 link on a Ford 9" in back, so that's obviously different than yours, but I'm particularly interested in the front spring rate. I will be running QA1 coil overs and their control arms up front, but have been debating the front spring rate.

[Lonnies Performance]

I was having some trouble applying power coming out of a turn. I attributed this to weight transferring off of the inner rear to the outer front tire.
As the front suspension compressed, the diagonal opposite rear tire lifts.

To combat this, I just switched to an 850# front spring.
Yesterday I did some testing, but it was trying to rain all day, so I did not quite get finished.

Early results look promising... I actually used the 10HT850 QA1 spring, which was the highest rate QA1 listed.
Ride is still OK. It is definitely firm, but not harsh, even with the shocks set rather aggressively.

I'm hoping you are looking at a true coil over & not a hybrid setup.
If you are getting serious with handling, you may want to look into the UMI complete front suspension package.
It went together well & all parts are designed to work together. You can also drop the entire spring/shock out the bottom without disconnecting the ball joint.

The only issue I found is the sway bar started pulling the threads out of the frame.
I ended up putting 3/8" riv-nuts in the frame for more strength, over the shallow 4 threads in there from the factory.

[Dynamic]

Thanks for the info. Yes, I'll be doing a true coil over. I saw the hybrid setups, and I'm sure they're just fine, but I prefer the true coil overs.

I'll look at the UMI stuff again. You raise a good point in that I do like having the ability to pull the shock out the bottom, without disconnecting the ball joint. You can't do that with the QA1 setup. To be honest, I was a little concerned with the straps that the lower shock mounts attach to on the lower control arms. They looked a little light to me, but then again I haven't actually seen a set up close. I'm sure it's a non-issue.

The riv-nuts sound like a good fix for the rear sway bar . I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to use the factory sway bar setup with the 9" or not. I haven't tackled that part of the project yet.

[2ABodies1FBody]

Fortunately this one is a full 4 way cloverleaf interchange on a rural highway, so I can do it repeatedly until I'm dizzy. I just wish they had them in the opposite direction so I could wear the right side tires equally.

Sent you a PM

[Lonnies Performance]

The riv-nuts sound like a good fix for the rear sway bar . I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to use the factory sway bar setup with the 9" or not. I haven't tackled that part of the project yet.

This was done for the front bar. The rear bar was a whole other issue as the factory one will not clear larger rear ends.

[Dynamic]

Ahhh... The front bar. OK, Got ya. Interesting. I misunderstood. Either way, good fix!

I'm anxiously awaiting front spring rate reviews!

[Lonnies Performance]

The front springs got a good test today, a 65mi. round trip to work & back on winding back roads.
Ride is firm but not harsh (similar to my friends 3500HD Duramax truck... your opinions may differ as I am used to my Firebird that also runs an 800# spring.)

I ended up taking 2 clicks off of the front shock compression from the previous best setting (was 13/18 now 11/18 clicks)
It did not significantly change the handling, but removed a harsh feeling on choppy road surfaces.

Tomorrow I will remove 1 more click of rebound from the rear to see how it reacts.
I know it prefers less rebound stiffness on launch & gear changes, so fingers are crossed that it helps both issues.

[Lonnies Performance]

I figured I would post some updates....
After a summer of driving, I got a good handle on my likes/dislikes.

The camber is a little aggressive & beating up the inside of the front tires.
I think I'm going to reduce it a bit.

I further reduced both shock compression & rebound a bit more for reduced harshness.
Although it feels slightly less responsive, the ultimate cornering ability does not seem reduced.

I still want more rear traction (in both acceleration & cornering), but it appears my only option is a race tire, but the NT05 is wearing very quickly as it is.

The 4.10's & .65 OD is not exactly tailored for extended highway trips but it great for all around use & I can drive just about everywhere in 6th gear.
Only at 80mph on the highway do I wish I had the .5 OD. Some planned engine mods may cause me to drop the rear gear to possibly a 3.73 in the future.

Now for the winter changes....

The performance is good as well as the mileage, but I cannot leave well enough alone.
I found an LSA supercharger so why not try to add another 200hp.

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It is proving to be rather crowded getting everything to fit under the hood.

Saty tuned for more updates on engine mods, fuel system updates & overall fitment issues.

[Manny1522]

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It took a lot of fitting to get a tire with 12.4" section width under the front.

The 2" drop spindles allowed me to run a 1" tall ball joint for better camber gain, but still clear a wheel with over 6 backspace.
Blazer unit bearings open up wheel choices as there is no longer a hub/dust cover protruding through the wheel.

I also had to machine custom spacers to get the offset where it would work, even though the brakes complicated things a lot...
Getting a wheel with a nice lip that had almost 2" of caliper clearance plus over 6" backspace was tough to find for a reasonable price.
I would like more backspace at this point, but I only have .100" caliper to wheel clearance & was not inclined to buy a $5000 set of custom wheels.

Currently fitting a battery box under the rear of the truck to gain room for an air box under the hood. Also moving 40lb to the rear helps an already front heavy vehicle.

I also got my exhaust finished.... dual 3" into a single 3.5" to the rear, all hidden behind the frame so none is visible from the side or rear.
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Wow this thing is a beauty! and that stance is amazing! I am also trying to get my blazer to be setup for pro-touring and doing things little by little! I will be reaching our for help for sure!

[Lonnies Performance]

Let me know...
I learned many things the hard way & I can steer you clear of them on your build.

[BK2LIFE]

im on the edge of going coil overs or not for alice. i need to re-read through your build to see your spring rates

[Zach.Thompson97]

Any build updates on this? Beautiful truck, and very clean build!

[Lonnies Performance]

I made a lot of progress & was driving it in June.

I decided to color match the supercharger.
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It took a lot of mods to fit everything.
The coils had to be lowered to clear the fuel rails, but it then put them closer to the heater box, where room was non-existent.


The reservoir for the PS had to be moved & a custom tube made to reroute the fluid return.
It clears the pulley/belt by about 3/16"
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Because of the cable throttle body, there were some fitment issues here also.
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After making a new cable pin, it clears.
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The intercooler was another issue as the radiator is now inside the rad support to clear the engine & the AC condenser is in front against the grille.
This made me look into a refrigerated intercooler similar to that on the Dodge Demons.
What made it more interesting was the truck has metric AC lines & the aftermarket parts are US dimensions, making adapter fittings unavailable.
I chose to install an isolation valve to turn off the cab AC for max cooling during race use.
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Here is the heat exchanger located under the front bumper.
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It cools very well & I can get 40 deg air temps entering the engine on a 70 degree day.
The water contains glycol to keep it from freezing.

The unexpected benefit is the cool air temps condense the mixture & reduce the boost level.
Boost dropped over 2lb while increasing HP... a good excuse to add a 22% overdrive lower pulley.


This is everything crammed into place.
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Now I am back on the suspension...
After making it handle well, then adding power, I cannot get the truck to hook, even with slicks.

I also need to pull some rear gear as I now need 5th to get through the quarter. 4th gear is only good for 128 mph

I'm currently working to increase suspension travel to help weight transfer without hurting handling.
There was only 3" front droop from ride height. On launch you could see the slicks wrinkle, the front suspension top out & instantly the rear tires smoke.
I'm doing some alterations to the upper control arms, ball joints & shock length. I currently increased it by another 2.5", now limited by the outer tie rod (rod end) binding.
Next will be altering the tie rod shape to get some more travel, up to the point I run out of ball joint angle.

[LCA1971]

Great thread! In the process of building a 54 Chevy 3100 on an S10 frame. What you have posted is a great help! Keep it coming...

[Jimbo1367]

Blown away by this build and would love to see what else you’ve built.
I totally agree. 100%. I love the color, brakes wheels. Everything lol

[Lonnies Performance]

Thanks,
It's a slow process. but it's been a fun build.

I put a few thousand miles on it, driving it to work, hitting some cruise nights & car shows on the weekends.
Managed to score a few trophies in the process.

Once I get more traction it will be a lot more fun.
It annoys me that I cannot use 1st & most of 2nd gear at full throttle.

The 4.10's are coming out & will be replaced with a 3.54 or 3.73.... still deciding on which one.

Handling is great & everyone compliments it on how well it rides.
I'm on the borderline with height... any lower & I would have limited travel or be hitting the bump stops.
I have no tire to fender contact, but front tires will touch the frame on steep turns into a driveway at full lock.
I just adjusted the steering stops a bit to keep from repainting the frame again.

Getting ready to cut the bump stop braces out of my $600+ UMI upper control arms to get more travel.
It's hard to make a vehicle do everything well, but I'm determined to make it happen.

[Jimbo1367]

I would go 3.52 or similar. Let “us” know how you like whatever gears you choose.

thanks,
jimbo

[Daydream Garage]

Simply amazing! I must have those 305's on the front.

[craulston]

One of my all time favorite trucks. I had a S10 Extreme Blazer. I should have kept it...
I currently have a 91 S10 Blazer with a gen2 LT swap in it. Its a fun truck.

[BigTone]

Tires are finally installed. 305/30-19 front & 305/35-19 rear.

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This picture is making me feel things that aren't usually associated with machines. So good.

[Lonnies Performance]

Thanks guys....
I haven't followed up on this thread for a while.

I pulled the gear back to 3.54's & it made a huge difference in the day-to-day driving.
It still has enough gear to ride around in 6th as long as you are over 40mph as it idles at 35mph.
Now I can also finish the 1/4 in 4th gear.

I did a lot of front suspension work to get more front-end travel.
I made ball joint spacers, offset sway bar links & modified the upper control arms for more travel.
It also required different outer rod ends to support more angle as well as Afco racing ball joints since they have more articulation to prevent binding.
All of this gained an additional 3" of travel without compromising handling.

I was still suffering with the rear axle being too light.
I did some testing & adding weight at the rear helped both straight line traction & cornering.
I got some elevator weights from a friend & installed them in the crossmember over the rear axle.
This made a world of difference, taking a second off of my 0-60 times.
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I drove the truck all last summer this way & had a lot of fun with it.
Unfortunately, now that I found more traction, I found the limitations of the clutch when I put a set of slicks under it.

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You can hardly tell they are on the truck.
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Next was a Monster twin disc which I installed late last fall.
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While I had the trans out, I put in a new short throw shifter.
This required some modification to get the angle correct, so I built an adapter.
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Everything has come together rather well & my remaining item was to build an air box to keep some heat out of the intake.
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With an early spring this year, I got some seat time already & all is working well.

My next change will be to convert the truck to E85 for a few more HP.

[Samckitt]

Awesome build.

I too need a PS tube like this. What did you use to make it? Thanks
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=202872&d=1666143237

[Lonnies Performance]

That is household 1/2" flexible copper pipe.
It's easy to bend & solder.

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A few 90's & a 45deg Street elbow.

[Samckitt]

Hmmmm. I'd be concerned with the vibration it will cause the solder joints to crack & leak.....?

[Lonnies Performance]

Copper can work harden & crack from repeated flexing & vibration, but solder is typically not easy to crack without brute force or excess movement.
If you are worried you can use stronger silver solder.

Note the Cable clamp behind the pulley & there's also another by the reservoir, plus it is connected with rubber hose on both ends to keep from putting stress on the pipe.

You could miter & weld one out of steel if you want to torture yourself... this was my original plan until I found a much simpler way.
Mine has been working fine for 3 years now, so I'm not worried.

[Lonnies Performance]

Copper can work harden & crack from repeated flexing & vibration, but solder is typically not easy to crack without brute force or excess movement.
If you are worried you can use stronger silver solder.

Note the Cable clamp behind the pulley & there's also another by the reservoir, plus it is connected with rubber hose on both ends to keep from putting stress on the pipe.

You could miter & weld one out of steel if you want to torture yourself... this was my original plan until I found a much simpler way.
Mine has been working fine for 3 years now, so I'm not worried.

[Daydream Garage]

Looking forward to any new updates with the truck?

[Lonnies Performance]

After the clutch upgrade, it was ready to support some more power...
I converted to E85 this spring & absolutely love running it.

Because of the added octane & the additional evaporative cooling, I was able to add some more timing & gained some significant power.
Interestingly, it is much cheaper to drive it per mile than with premium fuel, even with the reduced fuel mileage.

I picked up about 4mph in the 1/4 & I am still conservative on the timing. There's a lot more in it but being that the engine still has stock LS3 pistons in it, I chose to be safe & not break it. Other than oil changes, I haven't even pulled out a spark plug in 3 years.

I attempted to post some more info & corresponding pictures, but the site crashed on me twice as soon as I attach any pictures. Once it is functioning, I will post more info.

[Daydream Garage]

Thank you for the update. You must be part engineer, part mad scientist. This build is so thorough. I have a fleetside and a stepside both becoming projects in 2025 and neither will be to this standard unfortunately. If you ever feel like it, I am dying to know how you fit that tire wheel combo on the front. You gave some tidbits, but the fact you got a 305 to tuck is the most amazing part of the build inmo. You are running a positive 12 offset and then used a homemade spacer to push it back out?

[Lonnies Performance]

It's actually a 19x10.5 +22 offset wheel with a spacer.

The wheel spacer has 2 uses, both to clear the caliper & to properly center the wheel.
This is mainly because I didn't want to spend $4-6K on a high-end wheel.

I also modified the steering stops, trimmed the spindle, hub & control arms, which also caused clearance issues with the sway bar, bump steer & tie-rod to wheel clearance.

Being an Xtreme made it much harder due to the factory wheel flares making the wheel openings smaller/lower.

I am not posting my combination for fear that someone will try to duplicate & have tons of issues.
Every dimension is way below the recommended clearances & normal production tolerances are enough to make it not work.
I modified every part that I bought to make this work.

A 275-285 on a 9.5" wheel would make a world of difference with respect to fitment & safety margin.
In addition, a smaller caliper would make wheel selection much easier as well.

With that narrower tire/wheel & the correct offset, the UMI full coil over/control arm kit will likely work well for you.
Most people never even notice the tire size anyway... it's too low to see the front tread unless you turn the wheels or have it on the lift.

[Lonnies Performance]

Here is an update of the latest changes... copied from another forum since I already had it typed up.
.................................................. ...

After a long wait, my new wheels arrived.

I had a custom set of 3030 Autosport wheels made.
They are 17x4.5 1 piece billet wheels for the front & 15x10 3pc bead locks for the rear.

I ordered these for my Firebird, but with the intent of them also fitting my S10.
All worked out with the exception of a few tweaks.

Previously I was running a set of 28x10.50-18" slicks that looked like my daily wheels, but the short sidewall of an 18 had limited traction.

Since the C6 Z06 rear brakes would not clear a 15" wheel, 1st on the list was to put on a slightly smaller rear brake setup. I added a Wilwood setup designed to put drag wheels on a C6 Vette, using a factory size C6 rotor.

It is still a 4 piston caliper & 12.6" rotor.
Stopping difference is minimal during normal driving & I can swap back in about 1/2 hr. if I ever desire. I painted them to match my C6Z06 brakes.



i forgot to take pics of the rotor/caliper installed. I'll update later.

[Lonnies Performance]

As for the wheels...
They are ultra light, billet 6061 & due to the manual trans, I chose a bias ply rear tire.
They are MT ET Street R bias in a 28x12.50-15 rear & MT 26x6-17 in the front.

The ABS does not have any issues either.

Here is a picture next to a 275/40-17.

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Installed...

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Currently clearance is too tight for comfort.
Based on the published dimensions, they should be 12.5" at the sidewall on a 10" rim, but they measure over 13"
Fortunately, they do not hit during normal driving, but I'm under 3/4" clearance in multiple places.

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[Daydream Garage]

I will run a 275/40 18 on a 9.5 with a 0 offset using the Umi suspension. Though you and zsawyer03 in instagram had stuffed 10.5's. He is autocrossing on a 315mm square setup. But I am too old to deal with the annoyance of rubbing. How many inches are you lowered front and back?

[Lonnies Performance]

I'm 2" lower than the original height when I bought it. Not sure how much it may have sagged over the years, but it still had the original springs in it.

Originally, I was about 1" lower than it is currently with more rake, but entering steep parking lots & driveways caused the front spoiler to touch the ground too often.
I built it to perform & not be a show queen, so I adjusted accordingly.

I have 3" compression travel now & adjusted the bump stops after having unexpected tire to inner fender contact during a 100mph dip in the road.
This is on the stops with no springs installed.

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[68Formula]

What rate springs?

[Lonnies Performance]

I have both 650's & 850's.

The 850's do offer slightly better handling, but less straight-line traction.
I originally added the 850's to keep more cross corner weight on the inside rear tire.

After adding rear weight, the rear cornering traction significantly improved so I reinstalled the 650's.
At this time, it seems like the best compromise.

Fortunately, with the UMI kit, I can swap springs in under 1/2hr if I want to.