1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes

[CIVIL]

Very cool build! Subscribing...

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I just actually thought about putting this body on a 89 F-350 chassis. It already has a 5.9 cummins with a ZF 5 speed, a lift with 36's, but IDK yet. The ford frame might be tooo wide to try to get the chevy body on it without it being ugly looking on the body mounts.

I think you are better off with what you have.Engine/trans awaps are easier than body swaps the biggist problem with these trucks when swapping bodys is the front ends are kind of short and getting tha coer support and front wheels right can be a pain. also the frame width like you said, there isnt much room to move outwards on the rear cab mounts.

You are almost there why make more work for yourself?
I know I can't stop myself either!

I had a hell of a brain fart the other day. We have a couple mid 40s 1 1/2 ton GMC trucks and not enough good front sheet metal.
I was thinking It wouldnt be that hard to make a shorter version of a ww2 duece and a half using dodge 1ton parts. Call it a half duece.
It would match my 42 jeep. Now all i need is a 4 bamger perkins for the jeep

[SS Tim]

Something like this Chevy 7107 / G506 ?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Something like this Chevy 7107 / G506 ?

yeah, only scaled to fit the smaller frame and running gear.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by mknittle

I think you are better off with what you have.Engine/trans awaps are easier than body swaps the biggist problem with these trucks when swapping bodys is the front ends are kind of short and getting tha coer support and front wheels right can be a pain. also the frame width like you said, there isnt much room to move outwards on the rear cab mounts.

You are almost there why make more work for yourself?
I know I can't stop myself either!

I had a hell of a brain fart the other day. We have a couple mid 40s 1 1/2 ton GMC trucks and not enough good front sheet metal.
I was thinking It wouldnt be that hard to make a shorter version of a ww2 duece and a half using dodge 1ton parts. Call it a half duece.
It would match my 42 jeep. Now all i need is a 4 bamger perkins for the jeep

How far back did you find that post? That had to be atleast 2-3 years back I posted that.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

How far back did you find that post? That had to be atleast 2-3 years back I posted that.

It came up when I clicked on the last page. I didn't look at the date
And I thought the computer was smarter than I am! Looks like it's a tie

[watahyahknow]

you might be able to adapt the engine and trannymount on the chevy chassis though

dunno if you will do a bodylift on the truck but if you do you could make new crossmembers above the ford chassis and mount the cab on that
it would look a little better

[Dieselwrencher]

This truck more than likely won't have any gas engine. LOL I plan on installing a 5.9 cummins in it.

[stllookn]

Dieselwrencher, I was just checking my 4x4 frame against my Longhorn frame the front is exactly the same width. It looks like an easy swap on front spring hangers and frontend. The transfer case mount looks to the be the same sort of easy switch. If the rearend remains the same you would only have to lengthen the driveline by about 8". What did I miss?

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by stllookn

Dieselwrencher, I was just checking my 4x4 frame against my Longhorn frame the front is exactly the same width. It looks like an easy swap on front spring hangers and frontend. The transfer case mount looks to the be the same sort of easy switch. If the rearend remains the same you would only have to lengthen the driveline by about 8". What did I miss?

I was thinking of putting the longhorn body on a 89 F-350 frame, but that idea has went into the trash.

[kjones72]

A buddy told me about your build. I've just finished my p pump 24v swap. But I'm having trouble with the engine had a couple questions if ya don't mind
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[Dieselwrencher]

Well this morning I moved the old truck out of the weeds and got it back on some stands. I dug out my donor frame and started cutting hucks or rivets to get my 4wd brackets off. I got the RH side off and tomorrow I plan on getting the LH done and try to get the shackle hangers installed. Here are a few pictures of tear down.

[Dieselwrencher]

I'll post some pictires of the front frame section from the donor and of the cleaned up bracketry later. I just realized today that since I am installing the steering box brace in the longhorn frame, I have to cut the rivets out of the front cross member on the Longhorn frame and remove the front cross member to get the brace in there.

[watahyahknow]

http://chuckschevytruckpages.com/ this one hold a lot of tips and dimentions on the frame you might get some use out of it during the conversion

[Dieselwrencher]

This morning I got the front bumper off, the front clip is off, the radiator support mounts are off, and I started removing the manual transmission cross member. I put a brace in the middle of the frame to help keep it together so I can remove the front cross member to install the steering box brace later.

[Dazn9796]

Subscription done. Looks good I will be doing the same thing shortly. Just a quick questions, did the 3/4 ton trucks have or use more than one axle. Did they use d44 or d60 or both? just curios so i can start looking at what i need to find here at the junk yard.

Dave

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Dazn9796

Subscription done. Looks good I will be doing the same thing shortly. Just a quick questions, did the 3/4 ton trucks have or use more than one axle. Did they use d44 or d60 or both? just curios so i can start looking at what i need to find here at the junk yard.

Dave

They only used D44's until 75 or 76 then they had D60's in the K30's. And I think 78 or 79 is when the switch started for the corporate 10 bolt front. Just try to find a big hub D44. I have a closed knuckle D44 from my 69 K10 I would sell cheap if you want.

[dammitmitchell]

seriously MITCHELLville iowa...
i would give you money to buy me mitchell ville memorabilia and send it to me..

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by dammitmitchell

seriously MITCHELLville iowa...
i would give you money to buy me mitchell ville memorabilia and send it to me..

Yep, Mitchellville, Iowa. The town has less people in it than the prison has inmates. LOL What kind of memorabilia are you looking for?

[Dieselwrencher]

Here are the fromt spring mounts cleaned up a little bit and painted.


Here is a shackle mount in case you don't have one. And the 73 ups aren't the same as the 67-72 ones just an FYI.

[Dieselwrencher]

Well I got the shackle bushings replaced with energy suspension polyurethanes, also installed the rear bushings in my 6" lift springs, got the front cross member reinstalled, got the steering brace installed and found out the 4x4 frames and 2x4 frames aren't exactly the same in the steering box location. I also cut the e-brake mount out of the frame and installed a flat piece of steel there, and removed the original manual trans cross member. Next week I will install the shackle mount and then move to the RH side.

[Dieselwrencher]

Check out the steering box holes. They don't exactly line up. I guess that just means more work for me.

[Mr Pops]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Check out the steering box holes. They don't exactly line up.

What was the issue? Was the steering box going to interfere with the spring hanger? I took the steering box out of my 73+ donor truck yesterday and it was a direct bolt in to my 68 Suburban 2wd frame.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Mr Pops

What was the issue? Was the steering box going to interfere with the spring hanger? I took the steering box out of my 73+ donor truck yesterday and it was a direct bolt in to my 68 Suburban 2wd frame.

I used a steering box brace from a 73 up 4wd frame. The holes did not line up perfect on my frame. I don't know why for sure, but I took care of it.

[Dieselwrencher]

Some more progress, but not much. I have been working on putting a shop up on the weekends and using this as fill since I can't work on the building alone.

Here is the RH frame after I cut out the ebrake mount.

Cleaned up, ground and beveled, with plate in place getting ready to weld.

Partially welded. I couldn't finish because the wind was blowing 30-50mph and it kept blowing my gas off the weld.