It's been ~9 years since I sold my Typhoon, so it's about time I build another AWD project. The body will be a '47-'53 Chevy/GMC truck with original paint and plenty of 'patina'. Interior will be nearly stock. Under the classic body will be a turbocharged Gen III-powered AWD chassis. For either option, I already have an NVG-149 transfer case along with a custom shaft to adapt it to a 4L80E transmission.
As for the chassis donor, I'm debating between a couple of options, and I'd welcome your comments and suggestions as to which one would be best. The goal for the truck is to have an all-weather daily driver that would perform well on the street, the autocross course, or the dragstrip.
Option 1 - 2nd gen S-series 4WD truck, standard cab, long bed
* Benefits:
**** Wheelbase is nearly perfect for the '47-'53 shortbed trucks
**** Track width fits easily within the original fenders, so no body mods are necessary (preserves the original paint/patina)
**** The 1st/2nd-gen S10 chassis swap is well documented and fairly straightforward for these trucks
**** Donor trucks are cheap and plentiful
*Drawbacks:
**** Need to plan for a Gen-III engine swap which isn't the easiest in a 4WD S-series chassis due to oil pan clearance, etc.
**** Even the newest of these trucks has some age and mileage on it, so the suspension bushings, front axle u-joints, etc. are likely to be somewhat worn.
Option 2 - Trailblazer / Envoy 4WD w/5.3 engine
* Benefits:
**** Already has a 5.3L engine, so no engine swap is required
**** Chassis is newer, so hopefully suspension bushings etc. will be less worn, aged, etc.
Drabacks
**** Wheelbase would need to be stretched ~3" for a short wheelbase Envoy or shortened ~13" from a long wheelbase Envoy
**** Track width is too wide for the '47-'53 trucks and would require the fenders to be widened ~3" each, which would mess up part of the original paint
**** The number of 4WD Trailblazers and Envoys that were built with 5.3L (or 6.0L) engines is pretty limited, so the donor would be a bit tougher to find for a decent price.
**** I've seen this swap done once under a '47-'53 Suburban body, but I believe they swapped the entire floorboard and firewall with the chassis, so that's a whole 'nother animal.
Questions:
Which chassis can be most inexpensively modified to handle well on an autocross course? Is either suspension system inherently better or worse?
How does the strength of the axles compare between the two chassis options?
Are limited slip differentials available for both?
Thanks in advance
As for the chassis donor, I'm debating between a couple of options, and I'd welcome your comments and suggestions as to which one would be best. The goal for the truck is to have an all-weather daily driver that would perform well on the street, the autocross course, or the dragstrip.
Option 1 - 2nd gen S-series 4WD truck, standard cab, long bed
* Benefits:
**** Wheelbase is nearly perfect for the '47-'53 shortbed trucks
**** Track width fits easily within the original fenders, so no body mods are necessary (preserves the original paint/patina)
**** The 1st/2nd-gen S10 chassis swap is well documented and fairly straightforward for these trucks
**** Donor trucks are cheap and plentiful
*Drawbacks:
**** Need to plan for a Gen-III engine swap which isn't the easiest in a 4WD S-series chassis due to oil pan clearance, etc.
**** Even the newest of these trucks has some age and mileage on it, so the suspension bushings, front axle u-joints, etc. are likely to be somewhat worn.
Option 2 - Trailblazer / Envoy 4WD w/5.3 engine
* Benefits:
**** Already has a 5.3L engine, so no engine swap is required
**** Chassis is newer, so hopefully suspension bushings etc. will be less worn, aged, etc.
Drabacks
**** Wheelbase would need to be stretched ~3" for a short wheelbase Envoy or shortened ~13" from a long wheelbase Envoy
**** Track width is too wide for the '47-'53 trucks and would require the fenders to be widened ~3" each, which would mess up part of the original paint
**** The number of 4WD Trailblazers and Envoys that were built with 5.3L (or 6.0L) engines is pretty limited, so the donor would be a bit tougher to find for a decent price.
**** I've seen this swap done once under a '47-'53 Suburban body, but I believe they swapped the entire floorboard and firewall with the chassis, so that's a whole 'nother animal.
Questions:
Which chassis can be most inexpensively modified to handle well on an autocross course? Is either suspension system inherently better or worse?
How does the strength of the axles compare between the two chassis options?
Are limited slip differentials available for both?
Thanks in advance
