60-66 frame swap on a 57 chevy pickup?

[OldJimmy57]

I have a chance to get a running and driving 61 chevy pickup short bed for little of nothing. I am wanting to swap my 57 front end and cab to the 61 frame. Anyone think this is a bad idea for 500 bucks? Also if you have done this before Pros? Cons? Instead of having to cut and shorten my frame I think this will be a much better suspension to start with. Don't you guys think so?

[bigblockguy]

Does it have leafs or trailing arms with coils? I have a '62 short frame that I'm going to transplant my '55 onto. I plan to set the cab directly on the frame, then lower the bed and front clip to match it. Let me know what you find out and I'll try to keep my progress posted here as well.
81vette4speed@cox.net
Later,
Gary

[OldJimmy57]

it has trailing arms with coil springs.

[bigblockguy]

It will be just about all you need if you decide to go performance. I have a friend who races a '62 with a 555 in it. Runs low 10's with no tire spin, launches and hooks as well as any truck at the track with ladder bars. All he did to his was swapped the coil springs for racing coilovers and tuned the chassis a little bit, nothing major. When I looked at my chassis this evening, it looks like that the flat section of the frame where the cab sits is almost exactly the same height as the flat part up front where the core support mounts as well as the flat section behind the wheel hump. This may be easier than I first thought. One other thing to think about - I took the front crossmember assembly off of an '86 and bolted it to the '62 frame. Most of the bolts lined up, I'll have to drill a couple and re-mount the steering box, but for the most part it was a straight swap. I'll have to do something about the braces that connect the frame to the crossmember and have motor mounts on them, but that shouldn't be a problem at all. Now I have 5-lug wheels, front discs and a modern steering system. I already snagged a column shift tilt steering column from an early '70's Chevy van. It has no molding or special stuff on it, set up for dash ignition key, so all I need is adapters to fit that in place and I have the steering set up with turn signals on the column. I'll probably do a power brake conversion with an assembly that rests below the floorboard. I have a 9" Ford rearend that's 1/4" narrower than the factory unit, so all I 'll need on it is mounts for the trailing arms, have the axles redrilled for Chevy bolt pattern, and I'll get some of the coilovers while I'm at it. Dang, I sure wish my sheetmetal work was finished - I'm itching to get this thing moving!

[OldJimmy57]

so will the stock 2 link work just as well as the 4 link? Also anything else you recommend do to the suspension?

[bigblockguy]

Stock 2-link works a lot like 4-link since there's no pivot point on the back. If you're going with huge power, I'd box the links on the outsides, but anything streetable will be fine with them as-is. I like the idea of coilovers, particularly adjustables so I can set ride stiffness depending on road conditions, etc. If you want to keep your factory rearend, late 60's - early 70's axles may swap out to give you 5 lug wheels - check on their board. If you're keeping the 6-lug wheels, there are some of the same time frame with discs and that would be a bolt-up swap. Mine will start with a vortec v-6 and will more likely than not end up with over 500 cubes under the hood, which is why I'm going with the 9".
After I read the other thread about this swap and the comment was made that the guy only had to raise his cab about 4", I'm convinced that dropping the front and rear are the way I want to go. That would put ride height exactly where I want it without a flip kit, dropped spindles, etc.

[OldJimmy57]

What other thread are you reading from?

[DennyB]

OldJimmy,
Instead of spending 5 bills for a 67 chassis, why not get a 71-72 chassis.
Its the same setup as the 67 only you get disc brakes without having to convert them.
Just a thought.

[OldJimmy57]

Havent found a frame that year model and i also need the bed and front bumber. All I have is a super clean 57 cab and front fenders. But I dont have a bed or front or rear bumpers.

[ShamrockCustoms]

so are you really wanting to switch frames or you just don't have a 55-59 frame?

[Seon]

I think that the front end is a torsion set up, not coils. Parts to rebuild it is very costly. I'd look for a later year or the '55-'59 frame.

[Kabwe]

If you are looking for a frame they are out there. I found a 55-59 frame for a hundred bucks. The guy I bought it from had it because he was doing a clip and wanted two frames just in case he messed up.lol I wanted a clean frame to do a MII and sold my old one (it had a volare clip). I wanted to air bag my truck and you can't air bag a volare, but they ride nice, the guy I sold it to will be very happy I have to admit I done a good job on that clip.lol

[OldJimmy57]

I have a long bed frame and I am weighing the costs shamrock. Seems that I have to weld the front subframe or MII or maritz or whatever it is to the 55-59 frame plus I will have to shorten it. Plus I will have to get a 4 link setup for the rear. If I can find a 60-66 or 67-72 frame they have the bolt on front crossmember and can be unbolted and just bolt in a 73-87 front suspension on. And the rear already has a factory 2 link with coils under it rather than the leaf spring rears like our trucks have. So i guess in short I can get a 85-87 front suspension from a truck at the junkyard for 100 bucks. And get disk brakes while I am at it. Rebuild it for 200-300 with polygraphite impregnated bushings and sways bars, rotors, calipers, etc..... And still have money to get coilover springs to go all around the truck and still come out alot cheaper with out having to cut up a frame. I started out kind of backwards. I got a set of billet specialties rims and tires from my neighbor for 300 bucks. 17x11 with brand new BF Goodrich tires on the rear and 17x8 rims on the front with brand new BF Goodrich tires there too. I have a ford 9 inch with disk brakes I will be using and I am currently looking for a 98-2002 LS1 motor and tranny to go in the truck. So now I am looking for what I think would be a good alternative to cutting and welding the frame and still saving some money but doing it correctly.

[bigblockguy]

One other thing to keep in mind, particularly if you plan to drive hard or put a big inch engine in one, the GMC frame is MUCH beefier than the Chevy. The GMC has cross braces, stiffeners, etc. where the Chevy is pretty much frame rails plus a place to hook the trailing arms.

[OldJimmy57]

Did not know that will keep that in mind.