1961 Crew Max

[CHIZZLER]

Well here it goes. Found this beat down 2003 d-max on craigslist for a good price and decided to try and put it in a 61 crew cab. The crew cab has been for sale for a long time. It should be here around the first of january. Will post more pics once it gets here. Thanks CHIZZLER

[jonzcustomshop]

wow! that blue crew has been for sale for a long time, it is one of the first ones I found pics of on internet searches for crews.

looks to be a neat build!

[Blue666(2)]

Will you try to reuse the 61 body on the 2003 frame or move the DMAX to the 61 frame?

[duallyjams]

LB7 / 5speed

[CHIZZLER]

I think what im gonna do is find a 64 and up frame and ditch the factory torsion/x frame. i know we will have to stretch the new one. I figured it would be better to find a complete running d-max truck as a donor. This truck i found has 200k and the owner seems to remember spending around $4k at about 130k. Im hoping injectors but until i get it cleaned and plug it in i cant tell.The transfer case is shot but im going to convert to 2wd so that dosn't matter. There is lots of details to work out so im going to work on getting the chassie mocked up first then test fit motor and trans. Probably talk to the crew at porterbuilt and see what we can do.chizzler

[64chevycrewcab]

watching this build

[Ratpin]

Should be an interesting project.

[HemiChallenger71]

I'd try to put the 61 body on the new frame if at all possible, even if it requires stretching the frame and channeling the body over it.

[Cooper197]

Originally Posted by HemiChallenger71

I'd try to put the 61 body on the new frame if at all possible, even if it requires stretching the frame and channeling the body over it.

Pretty sure the new frame is much wider than the 60's frames.

[1971 GMC SHORTY]

I'm In Can't Wait.,,

[Lokin4AReason]

this should be an interesting combination and end result ....

what is the late rated for mpg's ....???

[CHIZZLER]

this truck had 14.4 estimated mpg on the dash computer.

[cooperhw]

Cool project. I daily drive a 2006 Duramax and have since new. Would love to put a complete drivetrain in one of these.
I have a longggggggggg step side 3/4 (or 1 ton) GMC I just bought and hauled home last week. Hummmmm?

[66farmer]

Sounds like a great project, I will be watching

[Mathew21]

Cool project. I'm looking forward to the build thread.

[Dieselwrencher]

Great project! I personally don't like body swaps on newer frames, but that's just me. If you plan to drop the truck, that newer frame will be hard to do any way I think because the frame drops so far down under the cab it would kill your lowered stance without the floors getting raised to compensate for it..

[CHIZZLER]

I plan on using a 64-66 long bed frame and ditch everything else. The frames on the Hd's hang way low for that big old allison. thanks all for checkin in. CHIZZLER

[Captainfab]

That's what I would do as well. Those '88 and up frame swaps just do not work out well IMO. Just a FYI, a '63 frame is the same as the '64-'66 frame.

Originally Posted by CHIZZLER

I plan on using a 64-66 long bed frame and ditch everything else. The frames on the Hd's hang way low for that big old allison. thanks all for checkin in. CHIZZLER

[jonzcustomshop]

I found a frame for one I was going to build that is probably the perfect style to look for.
it was a 66 c/30 factory flatbed, it has a 133 inch wheelbase, the frame rails are about 3 inches taller through the center because it is a 1 ton, and it has a leaf spring rear.
the extra 5 inches would work nice between the rear wheel and the cab, not so short looking like the 127" wb. I am pretty sure your current crew is like mine , which is a 141" wheelbase

[CHIZZLER]

Thanks for the info. There is a 1 ton dually i got my eye on right now local. Not sure what he wants for it.

[CHIZZLER]

I also have my eye on this truck. It looks like it has pretty good sheet metal and bed. It's also a half ton.


http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/4789822543.html

[1968vetL-71]

Cool Crew! Its crazy, I found this crew cab in Saratoga, Wyoming back in the 90's when I was doing construction there. The guy also had another 64-66 cab. I called back a couple years later and he said it all sold and went to the west coast somewhere. Glad too see it is finally getting some love.

[CHIZZLER]

Update. Yesterday i got the d-max all cleaned up any everything i could pull apart and keep it running. Im looking at stand alone wiring kits and have no intention to spend $1000 plus dollars. anyone build there own?

[HemiChallenger71]

The Ls engines are pretty straight forward.

The duramaxes have 2x the wiring.

I think you'd start the same way you do with an LS swap. Get the computer flashed to turn off all the stuff thats not required for your swap. Then take the entire harness out and remove whats not needed and re-loom it all.

[Captainfab]

You might post that question in the 'Diesel Conversions' section of this forum.