2000 Chevrolet S10 - New Control Arms & 20s With A/C - Houston, We Have a Problem

12. Since we were upgrading our suspension, we decided to swap out our old weak compressors for two 100-percent duty cycle Viair 480C units, with a flow rating of 1.12-cfm at 200 psi. The compressors have plenty of speed and power to fill 10 gallons of air in a reasonable amount of time.

13. With the front wheels on, we could see that the firewall of both sides needed to be cut and welded back together with the use of some sheetmetal filler panels.

14. On the driver side, the clutch master cylinder got in the way of the tire clearance, and to solve this issue, the mount on the firewall was adjusted to angle upward. Also, the clutch pedal got in the way of the firewall notch. It was simply cut and welded back together at a new angle.

15. The factory brake booster was just a hair in the way of the tires, so for a cheap fix, we bought a booster from a first-generation '82-'93 S-10. This booster is just the size needed for the clearance, and it bolted up to the same mount on our firewall. The only problem was the rod exiting from the booster was too long, and the tab that connected it to the brake pedal was different. This was quickly fixed by cutting off the tab on the factory booster and welding on at the correct length.

Part Two: Keeping the A/C!
The problem with the A/C system is that the plastic box for the blower fan is in the way of the tires on 20-inch wheels. To keep our fan, a new box was made out of sheetmetal, which raised the fan over the tires. Shown here is the new box in its beginning form. Afterward, it was completely closed with more sheetmetal, then it was sealed with seam sealer on the inside, covered in aluminum tape, and coated in resin to avoid leaks.

1. Once the box was done, all of the contact points got a butyl rubber seal, and the box was mounted on.

2. Then, the outside contact between it and the plastic box was also covered in aluminum tape and resin to prevent air leaks.

Part Three: Finish It!
1. With everything pretty much done, the fenders could be placed back on. Because the inner supports were cut out and the wheelwell was removed, our ugly firewall was now exposed. To clean this area, a piece of sheetmetal was cut and bent to fit, then it was screwed into place.

2. The last thing on the list was to add a set of trailer fenders to close off the engine bay. The new inner fenders were placed in, and all of the loose components in this area were secured to the top of them. In the end, it was set up to look factory, and to the naked eye, you can't really tell that any major modifications were done.