1978 chevy donar frame
 

Has any one ever used a 1978 or similiar frame and suspension for a 1958 chevy shorwide. I bought a running 1978 chevy short wheelbase step side truck, and wanted to mount my 1958 on these suspension.

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

too wide!

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

Not exactly what you are asking about......
http://www.thehollisterroadcompany.com/C10ifs.html

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

My 59 has 74 front and rear axles. As you can see from the photo with skinny tires (7.50 x 16 in that photo) the outside is just even with the vertical front fender and rear bed sides. Any wider tires or "dished" rims and your tires are outside of the fenders, which means rocks, dirt, etc. will be kicked up on the side. In some states you need to run full flares if the tires stick out beyond the fender. If you do a search you will find some trucks on the C series frames.

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

here is one on an 82 chassis
http://www.thehollisterroadcompany.c...#39;s59004.jpg

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

On a 58 -9 they are just about right

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

The best way to find out is to get each one up in the air and crawl under and take measurements of the mounting points and watch to see if fabricating any brackets is practical. Draw yourself a map of each and compare them. Something to watch for is the frame at the rear axle on the '78 will rise up to sort of create a factory "C" notch. Your bed floor will not clear that and remain flat. Mine is on a '64 frame and I had to raise my bed floor about 2". Good luck and let us know of the results.:ito:

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

I also have a 70 chevy short wide parts truck. With leaf springs on rear. Would that be a better choice than the 78'.

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

The trailing arm rear suspension is sweet and makes for a better ride. Not sure of any frame difference between '70 and '78. I'd be more inclined to go with the '78 if you can get the dimensions to work with the 58 cab and box. That's a 20 year upgrade.:ito:

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

I'm with the guys who say they are too wide "if" you want to run wider or reverse rims and wider tires and lower the truck down where most guys who lower trucks like them.

That little red truck that Dwscr posted the link to is sitting at pretty close to stock height and is running fairly narrow tires with what look like Ralleys with no reverse to them.

Sometimes what looks like the easiest and or cheapest way isn't necessarily easy nor cheap in the long run.

If you have enough gumption and fabricating skills and equipment almost anything can be made to fit on another chassis but getting it on there and then having it "look right" is another whole can of worms to open and consume.

Re: 1978 chevy donar frame
 

I am putting a 56 short base stepside on a 1980 short frame. The frame width is exactly the same on mine all I had to do was figure out where to put the rear cab mounts and then bolt them right up the frame. Perfect!!!

Biggest problem is the front radiator mount but I have also worked through that with some other parts of another similar frame.

However there is now a guy who sells prefab kits for about 700.00 or 800.00 bucks and then you just bolt/weld it all together. He has them for a couple of different frame body swap combinations but for sure one that bolts our cabs up to these frames. I will see if I can find his name if you want?

Tire and wheel fitment is a bit of an issue but there is lots of choice out there. I am not dropping mine to the ground so it should not be a big problem.

56hotrodred