72 GMC SWB Frame Swap With 71 C10 SWB Frame

[silver7]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to swap a 71 C10 SWB frame onto a 72 GMC SWB truck? I am considering the swap because I think they use the same size frame and the donor GMC is in a lot better shape than my C10 body.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Shawn

[Nitis]

Only thing that jumps out at me is one may have coils and the other leafs in the rear other than that should be good to go

[71swb4x4]

As long as you stay with a 4x4 frame they will swap fine, no differences. Even though you say C10 I assume you are talking 4x4 frames since your sig has a 4x4 in it, so you won't run into an issue with the back having coil springs.
Keep documentation for your donor truck as that frame will have the VIN from the donor truck on it. So keep the title and bill of sale from the donor truck if you can.

[silver7]

My 71 SWB frame was converted to 4x4 (before I bought it) so it does have leaf springs. Are one or both saying you think the 72 GMC has leaf springs? My main concern is the wheelbase length is the same and the cab mounts will match. Thanks.

[Nitis]

My bad missed the fact that it was a k10 4x4. Coils were on 2wd sometimes

[71swb4x4]

Short wheel base in 1/2 ton GMC's and Chevy's is 115". Cab mounts and everything else are in the same place.
So your 4x4 truck has a 2wd frame with the front converted to 4wd correct?
What is the new frame, 2wd or 4wd?
And yes, some Chevy and GMC 2wd's had coil springs in the rear and some had leaf springs in the rear.

[silver7]

The frame I want to keep is from my 71 SWB C10 converted to 4x4. The 72 GMC I am considering is 2wd so I would like to use that body with my frame. Thanks.

[hugger6933]

Both of the trucks do carry the same mounts and frames[all else being the same[C series to C series and K series to K series]. The deal on the springs is[the best I can tell] that the coil springs were standard on Chevrolet's and a option on GMC's and the leaf springs were standard on the GMC's and optional on the Chevrolet. So while having a 2 wheel drive GMC with coils may look out of the normal it could happen just as leaf sprung Chevrolet's did and be just another option to add to a list. So that aspect of the frame change should not affect the decision on weather or not witch frame to use when changing frames. Jim

[silver7]

That was what I was hoping. Thank you for the information.