Fab question about my 50
 

I just purchased a 1950 lwb pickup. I'm already leaning toward a s10 swap because its cheaper on parts to bag it. Anyways... with it being a long bed, I'm planning to shorten the bed to adjust to the new frame. That being said, how much do I need to take off the bed to make things line up?

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Ok this time I'll buy into the S @#$%^ t
en thing.

The thing is that all of the extra length of the 8 ft bed isn't between the cab and the axle.
A short bed has a 116 inch wheel base while your long bed should have a 1251/4 inch wheel base. That means you will have to take 9-1/4 inches out of the front and the rest of the difference between the 8 ft bed and the 6-1/2 ft bed from the rear to get it right.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I appreciate your answer, but you can keep the smartass comment.
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I never understand the bashing the s10 chassis thing. I think that I can put one on a s10 cheaper (no kit) than useing the factory frame. That is me doing the work and not having to pay someone else to do it. My buddy does not understand why to use the S10 frame either. Till you buy a IFS you can buy a whole s10 way cheaper and rob other parts off it. The really only disadvantage I see is the track width is narrower up front and you have to run adapters and everyone puts another rear in anway for the rear track width. There are a lot of really nice ones on here that are on S10 frames. Most sit low to the ground so you never see what frame is under them anyway. Everyone has there own way of doing things for there own reasons. So let them do what they want. I can see comments if it is unsafe but just because it is not what you would do I can not see the comments.

Shannon

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

It's just my well known opinion. I can't see throwing away a good original frame to replace it with a mini truck frame just because a guy thinks it' the "easy" way to go. In your case you would have to cut up what is probably a 3/4 ton frame to shorten it so it's a different deal.

There is no free lunch with the S10 swap though as guys who do it right spend a lot of hours getting everything lined up right so it looks right plus you have to deal with the wheels sitting way back in the openings and needing spacers to get them out where they look right. On of the guys on here was kind enough to share his patterns and measurements for the stands to mount the cab that make things a lot easier. Right off I don't know which build thread they are in but that will help you a lot in getting things set up right.

With scrap prices what the have been lately and the demand for S10 frames the cost of a dead or dying S10 two wheel drive truck around here has gone up to the point where it isn't a cheap thing to do anymore. What we could get for 100 bucks and drag it out of some guys yard because the engine had blown up 8 years ago is now a 600 item. I know of one chassis of undetermined wheelbase that the asking price is 400 and then you still have to rebuild the suspension.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Either way you look at it they all cost alot of money and are not easy. If you are God willing and able it just seems cheaper, but like I said I am not paying to have it done. But it also nice that if you need something you can go to the parts store and get that part right then and there. I have built and had cars and trucks that you have to mail order the stuff and then do the waiting game. I do not like seeing the stuff crushed either. There are still good deals on the s10s if you are not in a hurry but I know what you mean with the scrap prices. Things are not as cheap as they once were.

Shannon

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I also am looking at the idea of going to the parts store and getting whatever I need. Feel free whoever wants a good 50 frame and is worried about it being crushed, then feel free to make an offer on it!!! Let me rephrase my previous statement. It will be cheaper for ME to bag it on an S10 frame rather than buying an IFS kit. My opinion... And obviously the opinion and preference to a few guys on here. Thanks for all of the opinions to everyone and information.
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

When I got into these trucks, tons of people thought the OG frame was worthless, or everyone I encountered did. It just makes alot of sense to use something a bit stronger and updated. Now as I went s-10 route on my 51' I have no complaints, wheel spacers big deal they aren't that much money. and to be honest, I love the tuck I have (easily controlled variable with spacers)

Here is another perspective. EVERYONE seems to go SBC route, why? Because 1. easy 2. you have tons of options The point isn't taking the easy way out necessarily. It comes down to preference and money.

My 52' I'm starting will have an inline 6 and OG (original) frame that I will lower. I will see for myself (best way of doing it) the pros and cons. I will continue to build different things and way out the options, some ways make more sense for others.

So to all of you. Please don't scrap if you can, it only fuels the market and makes it harder for us to obtain parts, plus all that metal gets shipped to china and back here and made into garbage.

Lastly on the WB issue. Lots of people cut the box shorter to fit different frames, its not the complicated. But keep in mind with with your math. To get the Fenders to properly line up in wheel well, that AD trucks originally offset their wheel wells. So you got to factor that into cutting down your box.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Are there any build threads on lwb AD trucks going to SWB on an s10 frame?
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I'm a longtime advocate of using parts in critical areas that can be easily found at normal parts houses.
If a rig fails on the road a guy should be able to replace a wheel bearing, hose, ignition piece, charging or starting system piece without sitting in a crappy motel room waiting for the brown truck to show up with a red label box and loosing a day or more of road trip time.
You blow an engine or burn up a transmission, usually it's trailer it home anyhow so that doesn't really count although on the first trip out with the 48 in 1973 one of my friends and I rebuilt the transmission for it in a wrecking yard in Marietta OK. We pulled the tail shaft out of a core transmission, swapped it for my bad tail shaft, and stuffed the trans back in the truck and were on the road again in less than three hours total. Otherwise it would have been a tow back to Waco to fix the truck and a ruined vacation.

The 48 is simple this time. Stock frame, MII aftermarket front end with 11 inch rotors, late 70's Camaro/Trans Am disk brake posi rear and most likely leaf springs on the rear. I'll probably upgrade the ball joints that came with the tube A arms to Moog before hitting the road just to be safe and put in all new wheel bearings and seals front and rear. 292 six with manual trans that will probably end up being a five speed to get a better highway gear for road trips.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Several in the build section on putting the AD cabs on S10 frames. Some of the guys started with bare cabs and worked out from there.

I think there is a thread on shortening a long bed into a short bed. It should involve taking 9-1/4 inches out of the front of the bed and moving the post s back by drilling out the spot welds and welding the posts back to the bed. then drill out the spot welds in the middle posts and fill the holes. Then to do it right you need to shorten the bed at the back to get the correct short bed length on the bed.
Stock shortbed pickup
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...547_edited.jpg
Another but chopped shortbed pickup (not mine)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...1248156367.jpg

Long bed AD pickup. Stolen straight off the net for the photo. there may not be as much sticking out the back as I thought.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...k48longbed.jpg

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Well, I haven't searched for any on this site. I have seen one in person, short box on a shortbed s-10 frame. As for a longbed AD bed on any s-10 frame I haven't personally seen a build, that I remember.

However here is one (showing the box for example) I think it looks great. This ironically was one of the first trucks I came across online and fell in love with. Even more so, the truck is located in Pittsburgh, where I live. It is not an s-10 frame but regardless, a shorter box just looks cool.

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/holt_dale_1952.html

I'll see if I can dig up some more. I have a long bed, but it is in way too good a shape to cut down, I am actually trading them possibly. So I could have been in your shoes.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Mine is a longbed on an extended cab s10 fame, see my signature for the build.

The AD longbed is NOT 8 feet long, and you DO NOT have to cut before and after the rear fenders, just before. The AD 3800 9 foot bed you would, but not the 3/4 ton longbed.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

hey theres a guy selling original mustang ifs front ends on craiglist for 100 bucks complete and full of rust lol theres your ifs front end thats seattle tacoma craiglist

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Were they all considered 3/4 ton or did they make these in 1/2 ton? Sorry for the noob question, but obviously I'm very new to AD trucks.
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

yeah 1/2 tons were considered 3100's

3/4 ton were 3600

1 ton were 3800

1.5 ton were 4400

and 2 ton were 6400

I'm pretty sure that is the breakdown, I tried looking it up to be sure, but couldn't find all I needed. One site said there was a 4100 but I don't know
if that is true. There is a ton of little things out there that make these trucks different, some had different frame lengths and larger fenders long bed short beds etc. GMC were 100, 150, 250, 280 , 300 etc. If any of this is wrong please feel free to correct it.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Most long beds will be 3/4 ton. GMC did offer a long bed in a 1/2 ton though.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I need to run the vin, but I'm 95% sure mine is a 3100.
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

a 1950 3100 chevy truck would have a number and then HP which stood for 1/2 ton and a letter after it then a series of numbers

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I hear ya, it's like those guys that shave their cabs...wtf?

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

Well I can't find an S10 frame cheap enough so I'm gonna keep the OG frame and just cut it and the bed and transform it into a SWB truck with an IFS. I appreciate the info from everyone. Now to get some good measurements and start cutting it up!!
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Re: Fab question about my 50
 

that sounds like a good idea. honestly, if you do it right you will feel better about your ride being on the OG frame anyway. I'd box most of it in though.
You can get the xmember and crowns for the IFS and get that ready, then buy your A arms and coils or bags etc afterward. That is prolly the route I'd take instead of buying a complete 1600-2200 full set up all at once.

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

BTW... My truck is a 3600. Any good companies out there for IFS kits? What are y'all running out there??

Re: Fab question about my 50
 

I haven't done a super indepth research on IFS for these trucks, because I just not at that stage yet. I do have some links saved that I gotta find. However, here is a kit for under 1500 from Helix. They seem pretty good, I think it would be a good topic to see what people have ran and like. I'm a bit weary on some xmembers and the quality of the metal and the gauge and I like buying from companies that have tech support. I think that is huge. So the cheapest kit doesn't always pay off in the long run.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/47-54-CHEVY-...sories&vxp=mtr