Chevy Support in GMC 56' - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

56 GMC 1/2 ton · 07-21-2003, 02:26 AM

Does anyone know if a 56' chevy support will bolt into a 56' GMC without a lot of modification. Thanks in advanced for your time and help.

biddaboy · 07-21-2003, 09:27 PM

if your are talking about the crossmember for the engine no it doesnt work .The GMC has a totally different rad support set-up than the chevy has I know I just went through it.You could make it work but you have to change alot of pieces. have a look at the pics I have attached. biddaboy

biddaboy · 07-21-2003, 09:28 PM

the first pic is GMC crossmember the next two are Chevy

biddaboy · 07-21-2003, 09:30 PM

last one

biddaboy · 07-21-2003, 09:32 PM

I hope this helps if not Email me address in profile.

56 GMC 1/2 ton · 07-21-2003, 10:32 PM

Wow, actually that was a BIG help. I'm really not that worried about how the support will be secured at the bottom of the frame but how it will work with the fenders and their support. I can always fab up something to mount the support to the frame/crossmember but the Fenders and the rest of the front end I want to fit perfect.

Also I was wondering if you have a breakaway pic of the Chevy front end? Last question, Do you know where I can get the sheet metal part that mounts the Lower front of the fenders to the support(looks like part number 10-2310) because my passenger side one is only half their? Sorry about all of the Questions and thank you very much for the help so far.

-William Rasche

biddaboy · 07-21-2003, 11:58 PM

I dont have a pic of a chevy blown up but someone else might have that reads this on a chevy there is a lower panel that goes right across the front to join the fenders together then the chevy griulle fills the hole thats left. If you are going with a chevy frontend I was wondering if you have any of the pieces I have highlighted in the picture i could trade you for Chevy parts I have. Let me know Thanks Wayne Talk soon

greatdaen · 02-09-2004, 06:16 PM

I went through this years ago and wanted to keep as much "bolt-on-ability" as possible. Not sure this was the best fix, but it has been working for 20 years.

I removed the GMC front cross member and slid the Chevrolet front cross member in its place. Then I split the GMC cross member with a torch so that I ended up with just the radiator support portion of it - a mini-cross member. I slid this back in the frame and mounted in front of the Chevy x-member.

It has been too many years to recall all the details, but I put the GMC x-member in its original location so that the radiator would be positioned correctly. That locates the engine mounts on the Chevy x-member too far rearward. I removed the riveted mount and repositioned them forward the correct amount and welded them in place. But now the "through hole" for the engine mount is blocked by the x-member material. So I cut holes into the top of the x-member to regain the "through-hole" for the engine mount rubber bumpers.

Today I might follow a similar path, but try a little cleaner approach. But when you are a kid with little experience and even less money....

-dch

SideStepper · 02-09-2004, 11:24 PM

I know that the 55 GMC 2nd series trucks have 2 different size core supports & radiators. My 55 GMC V-8 truck has a 27" wide core support & radiator. I know of other GMC's with a smaller 23" wide core support & radiators.
My guess is that GMC had a I-6 & V-8 engine/radiator combination, or maybe a HD cooling factory option.
In either case, your exploded assembly drawing is correct (same shields etc) but I would think that there are two sets of part numbers.....one for each configuration.

greatdaen · 02-10-2004, 02:12 AM

SideStepper's comments are correct. The GMC with the 249 cid I-6 had the narrower radiator and support opening whereas the GMC with the Pontiac V8 was wider. The vast majority of GMC supports will be for the I-6. I have been cooling a Chevy small block with a rebuilt I-6 radiator for years without any cooling capacity problems. SideStepper is also correct in that the side baffle panels will be different widths depending if the support is for I-6 or V-8.

Although all the pieces that make up the radiator support can be disassembled, in my experience, most have been removed as an assembly - usually because it is easier. The fenders come off with a few bolts and the support after just a few more. Some pull the whole front clip off in one piece if they eat enough Wheaties.

07-21-2003, 02:26 AM	#1
56 GMC 1/2 ton Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 4	Chevy Support in GMC 56' Does anyone know if a 56' chevy support will bolt into a 56' GMC without a lot of modification. Thanks in advanced for your time and help.

07-21-2003, 09:27 PM	#2
biddaboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Port Alberni.B.C. Canada Posts: 149	if your are talking about the crossmember for the engine no it doesnt work .The GMC has a totally different rad support set-up than the chevy has I know I just went through it.You could make it work but you have to change alot of pieces. have a look at the pics I have attached. biddaboy Attached Images

07-21-2003, 09:28 PM	#3
biddaboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Port Alberni.B.C. Canada Posts: 149	the first pic is GMC crossmember the next two are Chevy Attached Images

07-21-2003, 09:30 PM	#4
biddaboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Port Alberni.B.C. Canada Posts: 149	last one Attached Images

07-21-2003, 09:32 PM	#5
biddaboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Port Alberni.B.C. Canada Posts: 149	I hope this helps if not Email me address in profile. Attached Images

07-21-2003, 10:32 PM	#6
56 GMC 1/2 ton Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 4	Wow, actually that was a BIG help. I'm really not that worried about how the support will be secured at the bottom of the frame but how it will work with the fenders and their support. I can always fab up something to mount the support to the frame/crossmember but the Fenders and the rest of the front end I want to fit perfect. Also I was wondering if you have a breakaway pic of the Chevy front end? Last question, Do you know where I can get the sheet metal part that mounts the Lower front of the fenders to the support(looks like part number 10-2310) because my passenger side one is only half their? Sorry about all of the Questions and thank you very much for the help so far. -William Rasche

07-21-2003, 11:58 PM	#7
biddaboy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Port Alberni.B.C. Canada Posts: 149	I dont have a pic of a chevy blown up but someone else might have that reads this on a chevy there is a lower panel that goes right across the front to join the fenders together then the chevy griulle fills the hole thats left. If you are going with a chevy frontend I was wondering if you have any of the pieces I have highlighted in the picture i could trade you for Chevy parts I have. Let me know Thanks Wayne Talk soon

02-09-2004, 06:16 PM	#8
greatdaen Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Apache Junction, AZ Posts: 102	I went through this years ago and wanted to keep as much "bolt-on-ability" as possible. Not sure this was the best fix, but it has been working for 20 years. I removed the GMC front cross member and slid the Chevrolet front cross member in its place. Then I split the GMC cross member with a torch so that I ended up with just the radiator support portion of it - a mini-cross member. I slid this back in the frame and mounted in front of the Chevy x-member. It has been too many years to recall all the details, but I put the GMC x-member in its original location so that the radiator would be positioned correctly. That locates the engine mounts on the Chevy x-member too far rearward. I removed the riveted mount and repositioned them forward the correct amount and welded them in place. But now the "through hole" for the engine mount is blocked by the x-member material. So I cut holes into the top of the x-member to regain the "through-hole" for the engine mount rubber bumpers. Today I might follow a similar path, but try a little cleaner approach. But when you are a kid with little experience and even less money.... -dch

02-09-2004, 11:24 PM	#9
SideStepper Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 272	I know that the 55 GMC 2nd series trucks have 2 different size core supports & radiators. My 55 GMC V-8 truck has a 27" wide core support & radiator. I know of other GMC's with a smaller 23" wide core support & radiators. My guess is that GMC had a I-6 & V-8 engine/radiator combination, or maybe a HD cooling factory option. In either case, your exploded assembly drawing is correct (same shields etc) but I would think that there are two sets of part numbers.....one for each configuration.

02-10-2004, 02:12 AM	#10
greatdaen Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Apache Junction, AZ Posts: 102	SideStepper's comments are correct. The GMC with the 249 cid I-6 had the narrower radiator and support opening whereas the GMC with the Pontiac V8 was wider. The vast majority of GMC supports will be for the I-6. I have been cooling a Chevy small block with a rebuilt I-6 radiator for years without any cooling capacity problems. SideStepper is also correct in that the side baffle panels will be different widths depending if the support is for I-6 or V-8. Although all the pieces that make up the radiator support can be disassembled, in my experience, most have been removed as an assembly - usually because it is easier. The fenders come off with a few bolts and the support after just a few more. Some pull the whole front clip off in one piece if they eat enough Wheaties.



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