Letters To The Editor - Paper Cuts - January 2004

  |   letters To The Editor January 2004 letter Constructing A "Dime-astry"
Dear MT,
I have an '88 S-Dime and I want to install the newer-body-style front end instead of the usual '91-'93 conversion. Is it at all possible to put the '98-'01 front end on my truck without too much of a headache? I also have to replace the old fenders with the new ones. People say that anything is possible, but is that true with this situation, or am I stuck with the '91-'93 conversion kit?
Thanks,
Nick
Puyallup, Washington Nick, we made a few calls to double-check for you, but we were sure that it wasn't going to be as easy as a bolt-on kit conversion. However, don't give up hope because we believe what your friends told you: Anything is possible. In fact, we might have spotted this front end on a first generation before. It just didn't look right because your truck has a rather square body and the new S-10s are much rounder. If you're really determined that this is the look you want, then we suggest you skin the doors - and maybe even the bedsides to round it up a little - and match the new body lines. So, yes, it is possible, but you will want to find a very competent custom body shop to help you out. It could get real costly, real quick. If you do end up going through with it, send us some pictures of how it turns out. Good luck. Can't Turn
Dear MT,
I have an '84 Chevy S-10 pickup and one of my problems is that after I lowered it 5 inches in the front, using coils and spindles, one side seems to sit a little higher than the other. I cannot make a full turn; the tires (205/50R16 OEM Irocs) hit on the inside. In your May '03 issue there is a tech with a white S-10 sporting Iroc wheels. What size wheels and tires are those?
Thank you,
Harcourt Lowe
Nassau, Bahamas, N.P. Harcourt, as far as your first problem, did you buy the parts new? If they're used, you might have received two different coils. If you did the install yourself, did you index the springs into the lower control arm so that both sides are equally flat? If none of that helps, you can try switching one side to the other. It might be faulty equipment, but that's pretty unlikely. The truck in the May '03 issue is rolling on 18x8-inch chrome Irocs wrapped with 215/35R18 rubber. Whenever you lower your truck that much in the front, you're going to experience some limited turning; this is mostly due to your inner fenderwells. You can remove those and relocate various pieces as necessary to give you a better turning radius, but 'bagging the truck will be your best bet in the long run. If you plan on airbagging, you'll more than likely want to cut out the inner fenderwells anyway. Out Of Stickers
A little while back, we told you guys to send in your funniest jokes, and if we ran them, we would send you a free sticker. Unfortunately, it was a big hit and we are all out of stickers. We are also not the ones responsible for sticker distribution anymore, so please keep sending jokes but no more stickers. P'up Parts
Dear MT,
I have a '94 Isuzu Pickup and am having trouble finding customized parts to fit it. I am interested in purchasing a fast-'bag setup, but I would like to know if you can help me find a shop in Texas that specializes in custom installation.
Thank you,
Eric Afshain
Kerrville, Texas If you've been in the scene for awhile you've probably heard the name Ekstensive MetalWorks. The company should be able to help you with your particular truck. It's located in Houston, Texas, and continues to push the limit on custom buildups. Its latest creation is super-sweet, even though it's not a mini-truck. It's an H2 body-dropped on 24s, and it's definitely an eye-catcher. Give the company a call at (281) 442-1050 and see what it can do for you.