64 on a 68 Frame?

[protrash64]

Was there any sign of what happened to the 65 frame that you could tell?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by protrash64

Was there any sign of what happened to the 65 frame that you could tell?

No, it was purchased bare. It was 7/8" off from the front bed panel rearward. We measured the front & it was good; we were pressed for time, the frame 'looked' straight so we loaded & left. After tweaking @ the frame shop it's .500" off. Some say it's not a big deal but I'm one of those guys that it must be square (I consider 1/16" or less to be square).

The 68lwb frame was picked up @ the same time the 65swb frame was (they were scrapping it). I wanted to try some ideas out & figured a free frame would be the ticket. The mods worked so I figured..... I've never done a lwb to swb chop & did that as well. After the mods, it's still within a 1/16".

As far as the comparison goes . . ...

As indicated, from the front bed panel back, the frames are very similar. The Panhard bar reinforcement plates are dimensionally larger on the 68's frame vs. the 65's. The frame mount is slightly different but similar in size.

The cab mounts are different w/the rears being just shy of 1" off the top of the 65's frame while the 68's are about ~1/8" off the top of the frame. The C/L's of the mounts vs. the trailing arm c.member & the standard trans c.member is about the same (I used those holes within both frames as reference points).

The front radiator core support areas are different. The 68 frame would need to have the holes for the mounts on the frame re-located/drilled. The height of the mounts are different as well w/the 65's being slightly above the frame rail (1/4") while the 68's were flush w/the frame rail. The overall height from the bottom of the frame rail to the top of the core support 'pad' was about the same on each so I'd have to see the bottom of a 64-66 core support to see what if any impact there might be (the obvious difference is how the bottom of the radiator is secured/located).

The frame horns are obviously different. The spacing from the C/L of the front c.member center bolt hole to the ends of the rails was very close but as we all know the shape was very different.

The swap is definitely do-able. The problem w/the truck I saw @ the frame repair shop (62/63 cab, short fleet bed, 71-72 swb frame) was the location of the mounts were ' off ' (dimensionally & height wise) causing alignment issues that required odd sized shims or hardware that was in a bind.

I ended the night just brainstorming..... I'm going to plan some type of jig that can attach to both frames & accurately locate the cab mounts vs. the front bed mounts & trailing arm c.member. With those locations set, the front core support mounts should be easy enough to determine. I'm going to look into it more this weekend. If my test jigs can be placed accurately (multiple times), I just might give it a try.

[aggie91]

Scot

Sound like this is a very doable swap. Seems the cab mounts would be the easiest to do, just cut the rivets off of each mount and swap them. A simple wooded jig would get them placed correctly off of the front mount.

The front horns/core support would be the more time comsuming job. You could even take this opportunity to move the bumper in closer to the body for a smoother fit...

Pictures would be nice....

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by aggie91

The front horns/core support would be the more time comsuming job. You could even take this opportunity to move the bumper in closer to the body for a smoother fit...

[padresag]

I just put a set of frame horns on my 64. I had a winch bumper on from the po. it does take some fiddling around to get them back on there right
ron