51 Chevy frame swap??

[scootapimp]

Ok..I got ahold of a late 70's Cheyenne pickup to take the low mileage 350/350 out for my 1951 5 window project....then the thought ocurred... Is it possible to use the later frame etc... with my 51 bodywork? Has anyone done this before? Anyone have pics if it has been done? Any pointers appreciated.
Cheers!
Josh

[67cst]

all i know is the 73 and up frames have the hump on the way to the rear end under the cab, i think your year frame (like my dads 53) is flat under the cab and it arches up to the leaf shackles after the cab, whereas a 73 or newer would make your cab have a big rake...dont know if this helps at all but id check that forsure before you start bolting stuff to a new frame like i did with my 67, what a nightmare

Derek

[droger23]

Josh,
I have been looking for several days to find the same answer to the same question. I have a 93 S/B wanting to put it under a 58 S/B . So if you find anything please let me know.
David

[TooMany2count]

here you go folks.................joe

http://www.chevytrucks.org/tech/50ifsswap.htm

[drszilagyi]

I have a 52 Chevy pickup 5-window and I'm trying to figure out if I can use my 77 shortbed for a frame swap?

[TATE228]

dude your old frame is better because you have no doubt that the body will fit
it's easier it make an engine fit right that it is to make a cab fit correctly

[pugs]

well it all depends on your ability, time and money. i had mounted a 56 on an 81 swb chassis and it wasn't all that hard just took some measurements and just did it. now as far as the 70' chassis it is fairly a flat frame where the cab mounts, which will be ok the think that wil some mods is the rad suppport which shouldn't be to hard to figure out. its on of those things to deciede whether its worth it or not and how much modifing you want to tackle at this time

Pugs

[drszilagyi]

I have finished putting the 52 body on a 77 frame. Fits perfectly. A little high, but with the correct lowering kit it will look great. Any questions or like to see a pic please let me know!

[TooMany2count]

show some pics, & did ya get the tires to fits inside the wheel wells & if so HOW??????????...joe

[drszilagyi]

I haven't put new tires on it yet, but I'm sure the ones that I want will go under the fenders very nicely! My pics are too big for this thread. How do I reduce them?

[TooMany2count]

hell if nothing else mail them to me so I can see them.....joe

[drszilagyi]

Here is a pic of my 52 on a 77

[TATE228]

looks kinda cool, but a little hillbilly for my liking. but a good job with the swap

[ShamrockCustoms]

if using the 73-87 frame, the blazer/sub uses a straight frame under the cab area unlike the trucks, which raise up for the rear cab mount. also, you might look into an s-10 frame as an alternative. anyway you go, you have to figure for wheelbase measurements and overall width too.

of course, you could awlays just clip your frame. lots o' choices.


good luck!

[drszilagyi]

Hey Tate, the truck is just on the stock suspension. It's going to be dropped w/air.

[TATE228]

Thats gonna be pretty cool

[djed50]

glad to see that someone made that swap successfully. i have a 54 3100 and a 74 chevy donor. i have been told not to waste my time trying to put the 54 on the 74 frame. did you shorten the frame to get the wheels to line up in the fenders.

[groundflyer]

a friend of mine has a 84 diesel under his

[TooMany2count]

Originally Posted by ShamrockCustoms

you might look into an s-10 frame as an alternative.

thats what i'm doing

[ShamrockCustoms]

TooMany: Sweet Sub! that's gonna rock

Thats not a regular Sub tho is it? Window count??

[TooMany2count]

really its a one ton schoolbus base on a paneltruck body.
http://www.picrack.com/001/other/large%20marge.jpg

[chevythunder]

i was checkin' out a custom classic trucks magizine and seen a suspension kit u can buy that directly replaces the old one u have. although they range form 2500 to 6000, i could be the best dealsu can get and not have to fab one together, not to mention u get a more updated suspension system than the 73-87 model trucks.
check it out
http://www.fatmanfab.com
http://www.artmorrisan.com

Or u could just replace u'r front suspension
http://www.totalcostinvolved.com/

if ya wanna spend the money and get all new stuff
just food for thought.

[chevythunder]

also.... i have a 79 chevy shortbed pickup. the frame to very much different than the 53. the 53 had a more of a "A" shape to it than the 79. so.. with that said, can u really bolt up a 53 body to a late 70's frame, without much of a headache? i'm not stripin the 79 i have. that one is my baby (for now). i see that the wheel base is prob about 2"-4" shorter than the 79. and the drums/rotors are further apart in the front than the 53. the rear is bout the same. though i did not measure the distance from frame end to frame end to see if the frames are the same length. the little hump toward the back part of the cab that some one was saying, it looked as if it started after the cab to make way of the rear suspension. i was just wondering.....