pros and cons of a frame swap on 57 gmc 100

[DEK5]

As the title says I'm trying to do some homework on the pros and cons of a frame swap for the resto of a 1957 GMC stepside. I did a quick search but may have missed a prior post so please forgive if this has been addressed before.

Little background to the question....my dad and I have been looking for a project that we could both agree on for sometime now and this summer finally found it in the form of an all original 1957 GMC 100 with an inline 270 and 3sp on the column. Truck is in fair condition but there is no plan to leave any of it stock, the whole goal is to build something eye catching the is comfortable to drive and reliable enough for my dad, mom or even my wife to hop in and cruise.

truck will be getting a complete redo with new suspension, motor, tranny, rears and on and on. My first question revolves around the suspension; since it's getting disc brakes and independent front end anyway, would it just be easier to swap over to an S10 frame with the new mounting kit versus a new front clip and brake conversion...again, original does not matter on this one!! Seems like if you go with a new frame you can work on two aspects of the project for the frame, motor mounts, etc and still have the body of on a rolling chassis for some body work??

This will be my first start to finish project and fortunately I've got a lot of friends that are more than happy to help on my project as long as I donate labor to theirs. With that being said, I'm pretty certain that I'll be back for more info as the build goes on. Hopefully I'll even remember to take pictures and put up a build thread once it gets underway.

Thanks in advance for any insight and information and here's picture just for reference to what I'm working with.

[dwcsr]

Given your goals and if it were my truck.

1. find a later model chassis up to 87 and mount the cab and bed on it. That way you get old look and relatively new underside. You don't have all the emissions controls to work around and depending on how your taxed its still vintage in 87.

2. The 270 is worth some bucks as parts and a little more if it runs good. So I would list it on craigslist and ebay as a engine trans combo or separate. I would not part out the engine unless it is bad. Don't dismantle the engine, leave it as it looks in the truck, manifolds and all.
Cylinder heads for those are $400 - 500. Blocks $400. everything on a 270 is worth money. Complete runner $1200- 1500.

3. The front end is worth about $300. The rear $150-200. Trans $250. Radiator if you don't use it $300. Front engine cross member $200 and another $300 for misc brackets and pieces. Ebay is your friend in this deal.

With your particular truck you can pay for the upgrades selling the old parts.

If re-framing isn't in your skill set I would try a Kimbrige clip that uses S10 or Monte Carlo suspension parts or use the kit from Porterbuilt. I think his uses C10 parts. I don't like MII or variant of it, I know to many guy that can't keep them aligned.

You could use a stock 4.8 or 5.3 LSx motor with a 4l60e and have good drivabilty and mileage.

[DEK5]

thanks for the help.

truck is currently tagged as antique so no inspection is required and we made sure to have it registered/tagged prior to any work beginning so the DMV couldn't change the status.

What year frame to look for was my biggest question...as I said before this will be my first major project but I'm fortunate to have great friends who have done similar projects for when I get stuck (55 chevy on an S10 frame with a 502 and 48 ford on a ranger frame both completed within the past 2 yrs). Knew the 270 was worth some $$ and at one point I had someone interested in it but they seem to have dissappeared for at least time being but I didn't really think about the other parts being worth much.

Drivetrain is still up for debate, there is talk of anything from a 5.3 to 383 stroker but the frame, suspension and paint are whats being decided right now. Most on here already know what I'm about to learn but its easy to see early on that if you don't make a plan you'll get overwhelmed and lost in the details pretty quick!

Thanks again for the advice...

[dwcsr]

This is on an 87 and looks right. S10 may be to narrow
You can get parts for 73-87's at the local auto parts house

[_Ogre]

pros: none
cons: it's the hardest way to update the suspension on a 55-59 truck
look at some of the task force frame swaps on here and you will see the work involved

in my opinion... the best frame for your truck is the one it was manufactured on
depending on how low you want it would determine the method of updating your suspension

[OrrieG]

I am for using the stock frame and hanging a new suspension on it. Gets rid of the body alignment radiator support issues. I went thru the same analysis in the 80's before the internet and saw the gyrations guys were going thru to mount these truck on Jeep, K series and even GM auto frames and decided to stick with my stock frame.

[Amorget]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

If re-framing isn't in your skill set I would try a Kimbrige clip that uses S10 or Monte Carlo suspension parts or use the kit from Porterbuilt. I think his uses C10 parts. I don't like MII or variant of it, I know to many guy that can't keep them aligned.

Where can you buy a Kimbridge clip for a 55-59?

[meter swinger]

Originally Posted by Amorget

Where can you buy a Kimbridge clip for a 55-59?

Kimbridge Enterprises is in Snohomish. Google them and thier contact info will come up. I talked to them this summer. Very helpful over the phone. A guy here in kennewick has one on a 56. Drives it daily in the summer, and seems really pleased with it.
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[Amorget]

Nice, thanks!

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I am for using the stock frame and hanging a new suspension on it. Gets rid of the body alignment radiator support issues. I went thru the same analysis in the 80's before the internet and saw the gyrations guys were going thru to mount these truck on Jeep, K series and even GM auto frames and decided to stick with my stock frame.

Yep, I couldn't have said it better.

There is one plus for using a later frame and that is that they are usually cheap to obtain. Ten years ago I could usually come up with a mid 70's truck that someone would give me to haul off. A lot of frame swaps were done during that period because they were exceptionally inexpensive to do. 100.00 Task force truck and a free or cheap mid 70's C-10 or K-10 and you had a pretty good driving and presentable truck for under 1000 with a fresh engine in it. By fresh I mean rings, rod and main bearings and a basic valve job.

Now days that same "free then" mid 70's truck will cost you 500+ and you still have to haul it home yourself. Add to that a few hundred $$ to rebuild a worn out suspension and a few hundred more for dropped spindles and springs and you have a real good down payment on one of the suggested aftermarket suspension setups and no worries about spending hours on end trying to get the nose, cab and bed lined up right and loosing six inches or more of bed depth due to the design of the later frames.

There are great reasons for a frame swap: your stock frame is too rusted, bent or hacked up to use. You don't have a pickup frame because your cab came on a 1-1/2 ton that you got dirt cheap and then scrapped the 25 ft long 5000 lb chassis and ended up with a free cab and cash in your pocket along with a title for a 1-1/2 ton that you can get reduced tonnage on when you tag the truck.

[G&R's57GMC]

So this is what I did got another chassis and installed No Limit's Wide Ride front suspension with air bags (also available with coilovers) and their Fat Bar rear suspension with air bags and a Currie 9". Note the No Limit fuel tank.

I'm running a 5.3L 4L60E with Gear Vendors under over drive unit and 4.10 gears in the rear with 28" tall tires.

I also found that U-Haul has a receiver that with a few new holes bolts right up and tucks in tight to the bumper. Part # 75133