Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

this is an idea i have had floating in the ol' noodle for awhile and i was wonder what it would take exactly...a 57 cab,front fenders,grill ect. onto a 65 shortbed frame.i just happen to have the most rusted out 65' ever and have a 57's body laying around and this is the easiest way to not sell all the parts off(what can i say im addicted to old trucks:metal:)

i know it will work(anything works with a big enough hammer and a welder)
but will the cab and front sheetmetal bolt up without a Sombit*h of a hassle?
will i have to move my 454 from where it sits now(not out of the question just wondering)

THANK YOU for helping an 18 make his truck WORK FOR ONCE:devil:....hopefully

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

I'm looking at doing the same thing, plus I'll use a crossmember from an '80's vintage. The cab should set down in the sway, you may have to build taller body mount perches if you want the bed and front clip to set at full height. I'm planning to rebuild the core support to lower the front end to match the cab's lowered position in the sway, then raise the floor of the bed to match as well. I guess you'd call it a body drop. That'll give me a dropped look while maintaining original ride height on the frame.

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

thats what i was thinking is the cab would set lower.....but if thats about it then im going threw with it,this should be cool. A 57' pickup with a 60's frame thats loaded with late 70's suspension(entire front subframe,leafs,12bolt) and of course that beautiful 454ci(brings a tear to my eye)

oooo this is gonna be FUN!!

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

The 60's chassis won't have leafs, it'll be a trailing arm with coils. That's the same suspension NASCAR trucks run today, one of the best launching suspensions available. I know a guy that had a 555 in a '69, ran low 10's, backhalfed it with a high $$$ ladderbar setup and picked up less than a tenth.
Go to http://www.classicbowtie.com/new/195...nformation.htm
and look at the pic of the '60 suspension and how much stiffer it is than the pic of the '63. That's because the first couple of years with this design they used torsion bars for the front - hard to find parts for, that's why I ditched it in favor of 80's parts. Mine is a '60, it weighs about 150lbs more than the '63 but is much, much stiffer. I had to use a bar clamp to slightly pull the front frame rails together to get enough clearance to mount the '85 crossmember. No cutting, no heating, just pulled it together about 1/4" and it fit fine. There's your front discs and front steering plus a crossmember, quick and easy.

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

i have leafs on mine(swapped from trailing arms for the time being) and a later front crossmember (75-80?) with power discs.Powered by a 454ci with a th400 and a 12 bolt and it moves it along Quite Nicely,plus with the 57' swap on it,she will be a looker to

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

joeys66pickup, email me direct, I have a few questions and maybe a few answers for you. 81vette4speed@suddenlink.net

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

i have a 58' that is on a mid 60's frame and it seems to fit fine. i did not do the swap i picked it up that way at a auction for the sum of $5 bucks because nobody wanted it, it even has big back window.

Re: Swapping a 57' cab/front clip to a 65' frame....
 

dude thats so not fair....but going through each nut and bolt on my truck is going to be fun as hell so im hapy