'70 frame question

[ben1980]

How close is it for a 1970 long bed to fit onto a 2001 2500 frame

[Square_78]

If you can weld and fabricate all the body mounts and cut and shorten / lengthen the frame to match the wheel well openings... Would be much easier to find a 1970 frame and use that.
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[ben1980]

Do you happen how close the fames were.
I was hoping to do this for a nicer ride and it has the motor and whole drivetrain in it yet. It's 4wd

[ben1980]

Anybody

[Dano69c10]

Wheelbases for 2001:
119 in
133 in
143 in

Wheelbases for 1970:
115 in
127 in
133 in

As said before it could probably be made to work...but...

[Square_78]

The 127" on the 1970 truck would be a normal long bed and the 133" would be the long horn with the extra long 8.5 foot bed. If yours is a regular long bed 127" then you can compare from there.

Good info Dano.
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[Mr Handy]

I saw a guy last weekend that put a 69? charger on a 4x4 Durango. Don't remember the exact year. Anything can be done, though I still don't know why you would want to put a charger on a Durango.

[Square_78]

Lol I don't know either.
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[72 K20]

I believe the frame width changed in 88 with the new body style,, IIRC the 73 - 87 trucks were pretty much the same width as the 67 - 72. I have a 71 frame that I am thinking about swapping in 84 4x4 components. I figured it would be easier to swap the drive train than making different mounts for the cab and box from a 67 - 72.

Just a thought ! Anything can be done with a little thought and fabrication !!

[ben1980]

I was hoping the frames were close the bed i have is shot so i could go either way and find a bed then. I was hoping they where close I think it would be a nice ride with the newer suspension and wouldn't have to try to fab up everything for the newer engine

[Hawssie]

I did it with a late model Super Duty frame(mainly because it had leaf springs not IFS I don't like the look of IFS on an older 4wd truck, but I wanted it to ride like a modern truck) the Super duty is 37 or so inches wide, 1970 frame is 34 inches wide a 2001 chevy is around 42 or 43 inches wide,( I am going by memory. Your body mounts will end being mounted from the inside of the 2001 frame rail instead of the outside as on the 70 or stock body on the 2001. Another issue you may run into is the curvature height of the 2001 frame. What I mean is the difference in inches from the body mounting height and the bed mounting height. If the distance is significantly more then the original frame you will have to raise body up more to allow the bed to sit level with the body lines, this can make it look funny or as if it has a body lift. Also the curvature has to be in the right place so that the back of the cab isn't sitting on the part of the frame that is raised. Its hard to describe but when I shortened my Ford frame I actually had to cut out 2 different sections so that the body would sit right and so it was the right wheel base. If I had just took the frame section out at one spot, the body would have been sitting above where the frame was raising for the bed height and frame would have hit the back of the cab. You also may need to adjust the frame rail length in the rear so that its long or short enough but thats not a big deal after considering the rest.

[ben1980]

Anyone else!!!!!!

[Hawssie]

What exactly do you want answered? I have a 2001 2500 HD as well as a few 1970s. If you want specific measurements I can probably help you. It will also depend on what the 2001 frame you want to use is from; regular cab, ext. cab, crew cab long bed short bed etc. ALso is this to be a 4wd or a 2wd? Also 2500 HD or 2500. With the 2500HD both 2wd and 4wd basically use the same frame as I have converted 2wd to 4wd with just a few bracket changes. These will have torsion bar suspensions, as will the 2500 non HD if its a 4wd. I think but not pos. that a non 2500 2wd would have coil springs. Is your plan to use the complete drivetrain from 2001 and just use the body of 1970? If so what type of engine and trans does the 2001 your sourcing have?