My first model in 10-years...

[Maaso]

While I'm still trying to find the correct parts to build a scale version of my 1:1 S-10. I it would be a good idea to freshen up my skills, so I picked up this Syclone to build in the memory of my old one.

Kit the day I brought it home....

The first thing I did was cut off the spare tire since no 1:1 Syclone I've seen has one. I also cut off the fuel tank supports and fabbed up my own rear suspension. Using the front K-member I turned it around and used the T-bars as upper control arms.

From there I build some lower control arms and a crossmember to hold them. After some test fitting with the body and got the stance near stock. I ended up cutting the crossmember and lower control arms out and put a little bend in the crossmember for driveshaft clearance. I made the lowers really thick like the Metco brand F-body control arms, and bent the uppers inward and mounted them in the top of the third member. So it's basically a triangular 4-link....G-Body style. I'm trying to find some small springs now to build some coil-overs for the front and rear.

I got to looking over the parts in my kit here while paint is drying. Not only does the scale version of the TD06 turbo look too dinky for this kit...but it's cast very poorly. So I'm in the process of building myself a larger, better looking turbo. I think it might be too big though....

Edit: I just did my very first flocking job, I forgot to turn off my camera from earlier and the batteries died...so no pictures of it yet. But I used this fresh black material, and it's starting to lighten up as it dries and is looking grayish...almost dusty looking. Is that normal?

Edited June 8, 2010 by Maaso

[jeffs396]

Looks like you still have your skills!

I didn't realize the Syclone kit was so inaccurate...I guess they saved money by leaving the chassis like a standard S-15

Not sure on the flocking, if it was black & you put it on wet black paint or the floor is molded in black & you used clear paint as adhesive, it should be black...

[Foxer]

Jeff had the same comment I was thinking .. skills still intact!

[Maaso]

Made some more progress on the truck today.

Got the engine put together some, I put aluminum heads on it....all though they came factory with cast iron heads. Made and oil filter, distributor, and wires. The distributor isn't that grand...but it's my first and is hidden so all you will see is the wires when it's together. Finally I cut a notch in the intercooler and added some heater hose which will be routed down towards the bottom of the radiator to the heat exchanger. Which will be hidden by the factory skid plate/air scoop. You can also see the finished chassis in the last picture. I didn't take any pictures of it finished for some reason.

The flocking job on my interior darkened up some, not black...but black enough. I think I'm going to skip the factory red detail on the interior since it doesn't match the black and aluminum theme GMC went with. The white-faced gauges are still drying in the last picture. Then I'll paint in some red needles and add some colour to the radio. Then I think I'll be done.

One thing I wanted to do when I build my rear suspension was fix the sagging rear that seems to plague S-Trucks. It seems to affect the 4x4 and the Blazers more but Syclones got it bad(Typhoons are even worse!) since the truck sits about 5/8th inches lower in front and about 1.5 inches in the rear. Not only did it sit lower than a regular S-10...but it also the same height front and rear. They did this by tweaking the torsion bars and removing a leaf from the rear springs. Removing the leaf weakened the rear suspension and after awhile the added weight of the cladding, bed carpet, and tonneau cover added about 100lbs more weight. Followed by a few hard launches at the stop lights, the rear leafs started to sag and the rear would actually sit lower than the front. You can see by the picture of the truck on the kit in my first post of how the truck sits even. So all I did was raise it back to the stock ride height of a regular S-10.

The last thing I did was even up the track-width of the truck. The front ends of all the 4x4 S-trucks are about an inch (three inches on ZR2 models) wider than the rear axle. So I added some spacers to the rear spindles to even them up. The display picture on the kit also shows the rear wheels tucked further in on the rear.

I'm also trying to find some pictures of my old Syclone to match it up with...but I've been through about three computers since then and not sure if I transferred anything over.

[Scalper]

Welcome Back to the Hobby! nice start

[Jared Roach]

Oh my, wow! Man Im loving your build of this already!

I'm a HUGE fan of s-series trucks and I own a 99 sonoma, and the detail your doing is sweet.

I have a question? Did you take the kit's front k-memeber and used it in the back? or just the t-bars?

Do you have any pics of the front suspension? Did you modifiy it any?

I'm very interested in this and can't wait to see it done, because I have this kit waiting and want to do it stock, so let me know.

P.S.: Do you know which number your syclone was? Because it probly in the syclone/Typhoon data base.

[Maaso]

I have a question? Did you take the kit's front k-memeber and used it in the back? or just the t-bars? Do you have any pics of the front suspension? Did you modifiy it any?

Aye, that is exactly what I done. I turned it around and used the crossmember, and the T-bars became the upper control arms. I just cut them shorter and bent them in toward the top of the rear diff. I'll get some pictures of the front end up when I get home. Basically what I done was do a coilover conversion like the one RPM sells for the Sy/Tys.

http://www.sytyperformance.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=66&category_id=200&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26

P.S.: Do you know which number your syclone was? Because it probly in the syclone/Typhoon data base.

I want to say my Syclone was #1176 or #1178. After I sold it, the kid I sold it to wrecked it and last I heard it was in line for the crusher in Tusla Oklahoma. A few years later I bought a Typhoon which was #2025. I hit a deer in it and sold it to a dealership owner in Wichita, KS. It sits in the showroom and is never driven or for sale...just sits there. Almost a waste.

[Maaso]

Here is my front springs, they are simple and completely hidden when I put the wheels and cab on...not sure why I even put them on to be honest.

Mounted my turbo too, but I'm going to have to move it forward a bit. It's blocking the tab where the cab mounts to the chassis.

[David G.]

It looks like you picked a fun build to bring you back into the hobby. What you've got done to this point looks great.

Also, I think many of spend time and effort on details that won't be seen or appreciated once the kit is built, but we know they're there!

[Jordan White]

Any updates with this build? I'll be building one soon and would love to see this get finished!

[davyou5]

Your doing great! keep it up .