junkyarddawg

I am thinking about selling my big blocked 71 Chevelle and building myself a nice fun street and strip toy using a 400 small block Chevy I have sitting in my garage.

However I'm sort of having trouble deciding on what kind of car I should get.

I would like to run in the 11's if not the 10's. I figure I'll need something lightweight. Yet I don't want to go with a "gutted out" vehicle because this will also be a street car.

I also don't want something that's going to need body work.

The first two vehicles in mind would be either:

82-87 Chevy S-10 2WD reg cab short bed. I would get the base model truck. I believe they were about 2500 lbs curb weight and adding a sbc from what I have read adds roughly 200 lbs to the nose. Problem is finding a truck that's not been beaten up/rusted to pieces.

62-65 Chevy II. I think i read somewhere these cars ran in the 2500-2800 lb range. Not sure which engines made them what, but one of my main concerns is the front sump pan....will it fit a 74 400 sbc and how? Looks like the biggest issue is these little cars are expensive now and if not they're rusted.

I've also considered a Buick Regal G body, though they're a little on the heavy side, seems like they're classy with style and parts are out there for them.

Not sure what else to look for.....would love some input on what makes a good street car but will still run 10's/11's at the track with a 400 sbc.

jbsjunk

Drove past a nice Nash Metropolitan yesterday, kidded a buddy about putting something suitable in it. It would be light, and squirrelly as hell. :wink:

mytmouz

I'm partial to LUV trucks. :lol:

woodsman

junkyarddawg this is my opinion if you are a truck man than go with the truck that you like if your truly a car man stay with what you have and put your money in it and make it do what you are looking for. Over the years I have had more hotrods then I can count and have come to the realization that I have spent a lot of money and still don't have what I wanted its because we are never satfisfied with what we have. So I made my mind up that I was going to stay with what I already had and build my dream car. I am not a truck man and my brother has the finest prostreet truck that I have ever seen. I am putting a website in if you go with a truck. dragtruck.com

Robert1320

DO the between vehicle.

El Camino, they came with sbc's tons of aftermatket suspenions parts available. these are g-bodies. You could do a big of small block.

stevehgs

Do the S-truck. It's a very easy swap and the are a blast to drive. But your right, finding a good on can be hard. I'm kinda partial though, Steve.

spib

S10 and I want pics, a extended cab,12pt cage,31x16.5 in the back sitting low, I really want pics!!!!!!!!

jbsjunk

I had a couple pics of a very nice one. Here is the engine, the truck shots weren't too good, not enough light. BTW, that's not the radiator, it's the intercooler. :shock:

junkyarddawg

Hey....

Yes I am kind of partial to the S-10's. I'm currently on my 3rd one one and after I sold my last S-10 (which had a 350 in it) at first I told myself "that's it for the S-10's" but now I'm telling myself "I'd like to do another one".

However I think there's an issue with the V8 S-10's, and that's traction, since there's no weight over the bed. For the truck I wanted to build I had thought of getting myself a new Currie 9 inch and then running a set of street meats for the rear but come race day swapping out for a set of drag tires.

I figure it may hook well with the drag tires, but on the street tires it'll be the burnout king. :lol:

However I am also a car guy too. One thing I've always liked about the 62-65 Nova/Chevy II was that the dash was all metal, which is sort of a cool thing to me. I also liked the boxiness of the 62-65's.

But the S-10 and the early Chevy II Nova are the only two cars I can think of that are the lightest.

It seems like all the Monzas, Vegas, Luvs and Chevettes done went to boneyard heaven years ago due to being built so cheap, otherwise I'd consider them.

I wouldn't mind an Elky but I never did think they were much good for drag racing.

I could bastardize another Ford Mustang and drop in the 400 into it. :lol: Heck it might even run better. :wink: But since everyone and their brother has/has had a Mustang I'm going to steer clear of them.

I know what you mean about going thru alot of hot rods and not being content....I'm sorta not happy with my Chevelle now and sorta just want to start over as opposed to ripping it back down.....

Now something that I thought in the back of my mind, and you can tell me if this is a good idea or not BUT....

I've considered investing alot of the money and time into the engine and trans and perhaps some into the suspension, but leave the body/interior mostly stock.

For example in the case of the S-10: I'd get a new Currie 9 inch, new coils to handle the V8, exhaust (obviously), but I'd leave the body stock, maybe add a ratchet shifter to the interior.

I was thinking by putting most of the $$ into the engine/trans and not going all out with the car/truck itself, if I ever got tired of it I could take the engine/trans out and drop it in something else....and that way I already have most of my $$ with me....

Not sure if this makes any sense or not.

Anyhow please keep the responses coming.

spib

here is a very cool s10 who doesnt have traction problems in fact if you do it right they hook, or back half a s10 they will hook http://media.putfile.com/Jody-TT-06-30-07