first step of the cross member swap
 

Hi folks I have been away from this project for a bit, I found an 83 C10 I bought for cheap, I parted it out all I could and yesterday I removed all the cross member bolts I am going to install this under my 1963,, this will give this old truck Power steering/brakes and front disc, the second step will be to transplant the 230 with a 292 stay tuned

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Swapping the entire front suspension will give you disc brakes. To have power steering, you will need to mount the '82 C10 steering box to the frame with a adapter plate. I do make and sell those. For power brakes, I also make a booster bracket for a proper installation, securely attaching the booster to the pedal bracket using all factory mounting holes.. However, you will not be able to use the '83 booster with my bracket, You will need one of the many, many, many compatible boosters. You can still use the '83 master cylinder.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

CaptainFab,, I am pretty sure I have it covered thanks to your awesome parts, Folks these parts are first class if you have never seen his work its top shelf all the way,, beautiful welding can't say enough,, Money well spent and the instructions are easy to understand and they both came with Grade 8 bolts,, !

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

I have a second brake booster but sitting here I am not sure of the year is there anything physically I can look at to see if the booster is compatible?

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

It just needs to have mounting studs on the back in either a 3-3/8" x 3-3/8" or 3-3/8" x 3-1/2" pattern that will match up with the holes in the booster bracket.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

This weekend was awesome ! My Bride and I spent the day Sat. cleaning the garage as the 83 parts truck has had it blocked for about 10 months. Our garage situation changed Friday when Our Son hauled the 1983 donor /parts truck away. We picked up the 83 with a title for $400. We parted it out all we could, the cab was junk and we have no room to store it. I do still have the Hood to sell. I am happy to say all Her parts went to folks who dig these trucks n and put the parts to good use. The guy who bought the Bed installed it in Our drive way and drove away,, so cool, financially it was a good deal :chevy:, Now with a clean garage I can make plans to get the cross member under the 63,, not sure I will have the 292 ready by then but its a working driver :lol:

Stay tuned

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Keep up the good documentation. I'm subscribed!

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

well this week end was to be Patsy last Hurrah before the swap actually takes place we were heading to a Parade in Our new home town in North Carolina. I went and had nice rubber put on the six lug wheels that I will be soon not using, after mounting them on the truck I find I have no brakes ! the pedal felt like a clutch, so no parade for us, and I called a buddy to give me a hand with the beginning of the swap, only to get another call saying the Parade has been postponed,, Oh well Lets get the swap under way.,, After this brake "issue" I have entertained the idea of rear disc but I want to do it with a five lug matching hub pattern similar to the pattern on my 83 donor front cross member Any help?

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Auto city classic

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

I make 3 different rear disc brackets for the truck 10/12 bolt with the 5 x 5 wheel stud pattern. Links to the for sale threads are in my sig line.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Captainfab, At this point my plan is to use the stock rear on my 63 change over to the 5 lug axles I this CCP sells them and hang rear disc on this truck,, will this work with your brackets or do I or should I plan to change more,, I have all your other products and believe yours is the best out there Kindly shed more light on this for me

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

You can not bolt rear disc conversion brackets to a '63 truck 12 bolt. This is because the there is no backing plate flange as the backing plates are pressed onto the axle tubes. There will be welding involved in converting a '63 12 bolt to disc brakes.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Welding is within my wheel house,, Just have to figure what rotor fits the ccp axle

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

on the side of trying to get the job done easier does a CHevy El Camino rear end bolt up to the 63 for a rear disc swap

thanks in advance

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

A Chevelle/El Camino differential will need all of the factory mounting brackets cut off and trailing arm mounts welded on as well as a panhard bar mount. Plus the wheel stud pattern is 5 x 4.75". The only 100% bolt in differential in a '63 frame will be a '64 12 bolt. A '65-'70 truck 12 bolt will also work but those utilize a different panhard bar, which is not that difficult to change. The '71-'72 truck 12 bolts will be 5 lug.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Wow, Life has gotten in the way of this project ! It been some time since I did anything to Patsy, hope it all changes very soon, I am getting tired of looking at parts here and there, I think I am going to fab some braces for the engine compartment to support the 230 that is in here and swap the cross member with out pulling the motor,, wish me luck!

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

The later control arms will bolt up to the 63 cross member.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Hi Chevy Fleetside,, are you saying the control arms from the 1983 cross member will bolt righ on the cross member of the 63? my reason for doing this is the Power brake , front disc brakes and Power steering

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Yes they will bolt up. You can use all of the later model steering. You will have to redrill for the idler arm. The easy way to do that is to mount up the steering box first. You might also run into the problem of the truck steering to the left more then the right. I fixed this problem by cutting 1" off of the left tie rod end. I put 75 components under my 65 which has the same cross member you have. If you use the later model ones you will have to drill one hole and oblong another. If you have a C 20 then you will have to swap out the cross member. This is an early picture of my 65 with the 75 parts. I have since removed the steering box and used the rez kit to mount it. This was before I knew about Capt Fab.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...isc+brake+swap This is what I did on my other truck.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

chevy Fleetside, Thanks for the information, at this point I think I am going to use the 83 cross member and hang the steering parts on the frame,, I have two other inline 6's to get on a run stand and see what condition they are in the 230 in it runs well,, your trucks look awesome !

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

That works too. You will still have to re drill for the idler arm and it will still steer more left then right. There are some threads here that show what some have done to correct the problem.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

botoepfer,
Did you save all the hard brake lines off your donor? If so you can use ALL of them on your C-10. I did have to make a bracket to mount the proportioning valve to the frame in the 73 location. My donor truck was a 73. You will also need the little tool to hold the proportioning valve cntered when you bleed your brakes.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

Here's a cutaway pic of a factory GM proportioning valve and the little tool to hold the valve centered. And if you really want to complete the look you can modify your brake pedal to mount a large Disc Brake pad from the donor truck along with the suspended gas pedal. My truck was built on a tight budget and most everything I did came from the junk yards. But ALL my specialty brackets came from captainfab. There's no comprise for quality or safety.

Re: first step of the cross member swap
 

I am not certain, but I think I did, I saved a good bit but since I had shelved this project I have to go back and check,, what I am stumbling with is removing the front clip or not and just supporting the motor from above