frame swap from 67 to 72??

[daffydork]

Does anybody know for sure if a 2WD '67 C10 frame would swap straight across under a 2WD '72 C20?? A buddy of mine didn't want the '72 3/4 ton b/c he thought there would be too much extra frame weight to make a street rod out of it. From what I've read it probably wouldn't be enough weight to worry about (especially since he was planning on dropping a 454 in it). But I thought I might be able to talk him into it again if I took the 3/4 ton frame from the '72 for my '67 1/2 ton and give him my 1/2 ton frame. Would this be a fairly simple swap??

[Longhorn Man]

1/2 ton frames are 99% the same as 3/4 ton frames.
A little added braceing, and lower cab mounts needing taller mount bushings, that's it.
The 67 frame is an odd ball in this run, no provisions for normal power steering (at least, not to properly mount it anyways) and slightly narrower since there was no big block offered in 67.
The frames got stronger in 69 too. Not sure if they weigh more or not, but they are stonger.
Tell your buddy not to bother.

welcome to the forums from Central Ohio. Do you have a truck too, or is it just your buddy?

[daffydork]

Thanks, Longhorn~

I sorta kinda have a truck! My uncle had a '67 2WD long box sitting on his ranch that I wanted to buy from him and he threw in a 2WD '72 C20; all for $500! The C20 is probably 80-90% complete so I brought it home hoping to trade a friend for an old honda chopper. I have yet to go back for the '67, tho. Maybe in a couple weeks.

So you were saying that it's not gonna be worth the time to swap frames? By the sounds of it he would be better off with the C20 frame anyway? Is that '67 frame gonna be obnoxious when I go to fix it up (ie power steering, 350, etc)? I'm fairly new to all this (mostly pipe dreams right now), so I sure appreciate your help!

[Longhorn Man]

the 350 would be no problem at all, they did come with small blocks. And there's ways aroun d the power steering problem. Most just use spacers, although, there's a few reasons not to do that. All you'd really have to do is heat up the frame rail and put a dent in it where the power steering gear box will hit. (you'll see what's up when you try to put it on)

I was thinking about this thread today at work, and a slightly smart @ss comment that kinda drives it home came to mind.
The frame is probably the last place you wanna try top reduce weight on a drag truck.

On a car, the body will support the frame, but on a truck, there's no single shel that spans the frame front to back, so the frame is literally the back bone of the vehicle.

[daffydork]

Do you think that I should just keep the 3/4 ton frame and drop the '67 on it? I don't plan on putting a big block in it, but someday someone might. I'm also considering keeping the '72 cab b/c of the full rear window. How much of the body lines will match right up. At a glance all I see different are of course the grille and the '67 is absent of any side markers (all the features that make me want a '67). Would it make sense to drop the box and front fenders/hood/grille on that already existing '72 cab and frame?

[dan42]

Why not keep the '67 with the '67 frame? Unless you're gonna put in a BB there's really no reason to switch - like Longhorn man says, PS is the only real thing that is a little bit of an issue - I'm going to be shortly converting my '67 to PS. IMO, keep the frames the way they are, unless one is really rotted or tweaked.

[daffydork]

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping to go get the '67 this weekend and I'll post some pix then. But I'm sure it will be some time yet before I can get started on the remodel. But I guarantee I'll be on this site ALOT when I do get going on it!