1947 Panel Truck Frame swap with ’88 k2500

[mongocanfly]

thats gonna be a ambitious project...as you can tell from your drawing ,the panel will have to sit really high above the frame...unless you cut the floor out...also the width will be a issue....k20 is considerably wider than a AD..

[MiraclePieCo]

Cool background story, cool truck. You're not the guy who bought my 1-ton panel rear bumper and brackets, are you?

Your chassis swap sounds like one of those projects that will never be finished. Better idea: completely rebuild the original front and rear suspension, disc brakes up front, all new drums in the rear. New carburetor and ignition system. Overdrive transmission to run at modern freeway speeds. Electric wipers, interior sound deadening, new window channels and weatherstrip all around. It will be like a new vehicle.

[Second Series]

“thats gonna be a ambitious project...” - Mongo...aka Greg
Agreed. Since I have both trucks, I took a tape measure to them.

“Cool background story, cool truck. You're not the guy who bought my 1-ton panel rear bumper and brackets, are you? “ -MiraclePieCo
Thanks! This truck was near complete when I got it, minus engine and transmission. I did install an electric wiper, but it is just as slow as the vacuum was. I am able to use the later wiper arms with springs to hold the blades on the glass, but it’s not fast enough for a torrentioal downpour.

The wheelbase is the first thing I considered when determining a donor frame. The 1947.2 wheelbase is 137". The 1988 K2500 single cab long bed wheelbase is 131.5".
The frame width is going to have to work. ’47 1 ton is about 35", the ’88 K2500 is 45". There needs to be 5" of clearance outside of the ’47 frame for this to work.

[Second Series]

There is about 10" between the frame and running board.

[Second Series]

The ’88 frame drops 8" under the cab. The ’47 battery tray will need to be trimmed. I’ll replace the battery tray with a box for storage or electronics.

[Second Series]

I was concerned with ride height, so I measured from the top of the frame to the bottom of the springs. The ’47 is 10", the ’88 is 13". If I place the ’47 body on the ’88 frame, the relative position of the wheel to the wheel well will be 3" greater than the stock ’47.

[Second Series]

The ’47 has 2" wood mounting blocks. There are rails across the bed underside. The bed can be mounted closer to the frame by removing the wood blocks and modifying the rails. It looks like I can set the ’47 body on the ’88 frame and maintain the stock ’47 stance.