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S-10 Chassis for Champ pickups

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  • Other: S-10 Chassis for Champ pickups

    I have acquired a 2 wheel and a 4X4 S-10 chassis to put under two of my Champ pickups. I hope someone on the forum can tell if they have done this what were some of the obstacles they ran into. It looked to me like the main thing was getting the engine in the right place in relation to the front wheels so it will fit in the tight Champ engine compartment. Any help or comments would be appreciated. Thanks. Bruce.
    1958 Transtar 3E6-122
    1958 Transtar 3E13-31
    1959 Transtar 4E7-122
    1959 Lark 2 door Wagon
    1960 Transtar 5E28-171
    1960 Lark Gasser
    1963 Daytona

  • #2
    First, good luck with the build. A later chassis solves a lot of major problems and creates a thousand minor ones along the way.

    so it will fit in the tight Champ engine compartment.
    Have to disagree here. The Studebaker V8 is one of the widest and tallest post-'49 OHV8s ever built. The Champ and any engine compartment which will accept a Stude V8 will take most any other OHV8 and with the V6 engines likely to be put in an S10 chassis, there will be room left over under there to swing a cat by the tail.

    jack vines
    PackardV8

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    • #3
      Being as how I didn't get any replies about Champ body to S-10 chassis I will take pictures and post on the forum on what I ran into during the builds!
      Jack - as for your disagreeing about the tight engine compartment. It is tight in length compared to all the other SBC engine swaps I have done! It is 2" shorter than a CJ-7 Jeep. Using a serpentine belt system complicates the issue for length. If I was putting a SBC in a Hawk no problem. Even my Avanti's have plenty of room for the SBC with a serpentine belt system. There a quite a few engines wider than the Stude V8 and taller. I have put a BBC in a M-5 pickup before and it was snug but I had the room. In a Lark or Champ that would be impossible without major firewall reconstruction. Still hoping to hear from someone about their S-10 chassis build. Thanks. Bruce.
      1958 Transtar 3E6-122
      1958 Transtar 3E13-31
      1959 Transtar 4E7-122
      1959 Lark 2 door Wagon
      1960 Transtar 5E28-171
      1960 Lark Gasser
      1963 Daytona

      Comment


      • #4
        I run a SB chev in my M Series on an S10 Chassis. I had to move the Firewall back 2" and my Distributer and trans dip stick were still very close. The water pump nose is about 1/2" from the rad. Thus I have a pusher fan on the front of the rad.
        So I agree that the engine compartment on PU's is a little short. Or at least on the M series....don't know much about Champs???
        Good Roads
        Brian
        Brian Woods
        woodysrods@shaw.ca
        1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

        Comment


        • #5
          I used the original studebaker chassis on two of my M-5 project trucks and didn't have to do anything with the firewall and still ran a clutch fan. One was with a SBC and the other was a 455 Pontiac. Must have something to do with the S-10 chassis compared to the Stude chassis and how the engine sits in the frame rails. In both of those particular pickups the engine sat very low compared to the hood opening! I think how I set the Champ body in relation to the S-10 chassis heigth wise may be a determining factor on room. I wish it was going to be as simple as when I did the M series conversions. Bruce.
          1958 Transtar 3E6-122
          1958 Transtar 3E13-31
          1959 Transtar 4E7-122
          1959 Lark 2 door Wagon
          1960 Transtar 5E28-171
          1960 Lark Gasser
          1963 Daytona

          Comment


          • #6
            My motor does not sit up high...but it is not low and lost in the hole like some I have seen.
            Brian
            Last edited by woodysrods; 09-10-2011, 05:15 AM.
            Brian Woods
            woodysrods@shaw.ca
            1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

            Comment


            • #7
              I never heard this before.that was funny and made my day thanks!
              Originally posted by PackardV8 View Post
              there will be room left over under there to swing a cat by the tail.

              jack vines

              Comment


              • #8
                But it better have booties. Ever been attacked by a cat. Had a buddy that had a Champ truck up on ramps, changing the oil. Laying on his creeper. He wasn't wearing any shoes, just socks. Cat attacked his toes and he whacked his head on the bottom of the truck

                Comment


                • #9
                  First, my apologies for this off-topic diversion in your S10 chassis conversion thread.

                  There a quite a few engines wider than the Stude V8 and taller.
                  Just for my education, which US OHV8s, other than the Ford SOHC and the current Ford 4-cam, are wider or taller than the Studebaker V8? I've found some V8s to be longer than the Studebaker, (Packard V8, nailhead Buick and late Cadillac V8 come to mind) which requires work with the radiator and/or firewall, but most others I've tried will go in the same side-to-side, top-to-bottom hole.

                  jack vines
                  PackardV8

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    The 232-289 Stude V8 is approx. 23 1/2" wide without exhaust manifolds and 25 1/2" with. The engine is almost square. 23 1/2" at the valve covers. The Stude is 26 1/6" long from the back of the Pass side valve cover to the center of the fan belt. Same measurement from the dist. to the fan belt. It is a very compact engine for the weight. I have put a number of different engines in both cars and trucks over the years. And can tell you that some engines that are narrower will not fit and some that are wider will, depending on the position of the exhaust outlets. The old Chrysler Hemis. are 30" wide and the new Fords are 34" wide. That SBC fits in the Champ like they were made for it and there is enough room on the top for a GMC 471.
                    Last edited by Alan; 09-10-2011, 01:38 PM.

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                    • #11
                      As usual, Alan has the hard data.
                      I have put a number of different engines in both cars and trucks over the years. And can tell you that some engines that are narrower will not fit and some that are wider will, depending on the position of the exhaust outlets.
                      In a C/K, with the steering box out of the equation, any rear-sump V8 I've ever tried will fit in the hole left where the Stude V8 comes out . As Alan says, the point of interference is almost always the left-hand-exhaust-manifold-to-steering box. The Packard V8 fits in there and it is one of the largest US car OHV8s ever made.

                      Having said that of the C/K, the short wheelbase sedans, Larks, Champs and Avanti are entirely different animals as far as fore-and-aft engine placement. I had to make several fore-to-aft changes to fit the Packard V8 in my C-cab.

                      jack vines
                      PackardV8

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        As I said before length is the most pressing problem! My SBC engines with TBI or TPI with serpentine belt systems need 31" without a fan and about 33" with a SS flex fan. Doesn't look like there is any room to move the radiator forward at all. Bruce.
                        1958 Transtar 3E6-122
                        1958 Transtar 3E13-31
                        1959 Transtar 4E7-122
                        1959 Lark 2 door Wagon
                        1960 Transtar 5E28-171
                        1960 Lark Gasser
                        1963 Daytona

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Bruce, I have never tried to put an S-10 frame under a T-cab. I have put 11 different engine combos in T-Cab trucks and still have the patterns that I made for my Plasma Cam for mounts. To me it is going backwards to do what you want. But please put up pics. of your progress. My latest T-Cab project is at Sonnys site, Racing Studes. On the Projects page about half way down the first page. For me it is easier than over here, some people get grumpy about the large pics. on dial up.

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                          • #14
                            Alan, I guess if it is backwards to want a stronger frame, better brakes, better steering, and way better suspension then I am going about it backwards!
                            1958 Transtar 3E6-122
                            1958 Transtar 3E13-31
                            1959 Transtar 4E7-122
                            1959 Lark 2 door Wagon
                            1960 Transtar 5E28-171
                            1960 Lark Gasser
                            1963 Daytona

                            Comment

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