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[jyeager]

Been reading this message board for a while searching for answers, so please don't flame me. I have a 2005 Yukon Denali AWD that was totaled due to hail damage. I was looking to do a body swap to a 1955-57 Chevy 3200. Wheel base is right on, but I keep finding inconsistent track width numbers. I can't find the definitive way to measure the vehicles and take into account the gap between the tires and fender wells. I do not want the 4wd look when I am done and I don't know anyone who owns one or is selling one in my area. The Denali frame is as close to being "flat" as a modern truck could be. I don't expect anyone here to do my research for me, but can it be done without extensive frame modifications. I don't want to destroy the ride or suspension geometry, as I love driving this truck. After the last car i have decided that the next vehicle will be about comfort and driveability. EFI, ac and an automatic trans are a must? I have never done a classic truck before, but I have done frame off restoration on 2 muscle cars and helped on many others. I do have the tools and experience to complete a project of this size.
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[mr48chev]

If you are thinking close to stock 55/57 ride height, rather stock spec wheels and tires rather than big tires or wide wheels it should work but a good tape measure might be your best friend right now.

From what I am finding the front tread width center of tire to center of tire was 60-1/2 inches and the rear was 61 inches. The "track" on the Yukon is listed as 65 in the front and 66 in the rear but I don't know if they measured them the same way or if "track" is outside to outside. Your tape measure can make fast work of that question though.

That difference might be the same as running rims with a 3 inch negative offset "deep reverse" on the truck with stock width wheels and may not be a huge issue. Stock height rather than lowered down in the weeds may help too.

It sounds like an interesting project. I don't usually go along with the frame swaps but in this case you already have the whole running rolling chassis and it sounds like you have the skills to carry it through to the finish. My reasoning behind not caring for most frame swaps is that a lot of guys with no skills and no experience are coming into the hobby thinking that the only way you can build a truck these days is swapping an S-10 frame or frame from a donor truck under the early truck rather than doing a crossmember installation and rear end swap.

If you don't have the Taskforce truck yet I would look for one with a really good cab and box and a dead engine or no engine. Maybe even one with a hacked up frame as long as the sheet metal is good so you can negotiate a bit more on the price. That otherwise really nice truck with the botched up subframe installation would be right up your ally this time around. The old "no dude, that whole frame is going to have to be redone to be right so the price is going to have to come down accordingly" thing.

[jyeager]

Thank you taking the time to answer my question. I have all the measurements of the Denali at home ie outside to outside middle to middle and inside to inside tire measurements. I was planning to change the wheels to something that looks older, just keeping as close to the same diameter as the originals. I have noticed no on on here seems to advocate for frame swaps, so I was worried about getting flamed. A subframe swap was on the table to keep the EFI, but I really wanted to keep the AWD, fuel lines, etc to keep the fabrication time down on the swap. Bed floor height is not a concern. The game plan is to fabricate as many Denali interior parts and dash components into the new truck, trying to keep the Denali look and feel to the completed parts. My interior guy is working on concept drawings now. The end goal is to have a 1957 "Denali" truck, not a radical street rod. Also trying to keep as much functionality as possible to original parts. No extra chrome or go fast goodies. Just looking to have the reliability to where it could be a daily driver, even though it won't be. I will post the interior concept pics once I get them back. Thank you again
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[nvrdone]

GM put a 50's Suburban on a late model chassis I think was a Denali. It was in HOT ROD a few months ago. They widened the front fenders by 2" to make it fit the track width.

[PurdueSD]

Your probably going to have to run negative offset wheels which look the opposite of classic and not sit too low. I personally think it will still look goofy. What about swapping over just the drivetrain. Frame swaps are a ton of work. You can easily have more time invested than it would take to modernize the oe frame. good luck to ya whichever route you choose. Let us know!
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[meter swinger]

Your wheel choices will likely be affected by the disc brakes. My wifes burb came with 16" wheels factory and has the rear discs. I can't remember when gm when back to rear drums, 05 maybe? And you need the wheel mount to wheel mount distance of the denali to get an accurate assesment of what you will be dealing with.
Custom suspension fabrication shops like michigan metal works may be able to help as they deal with guys who do extreme drops on the 01-06 trucks and suv's, so it may me worthwile to pick thier brain a bit.
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[jyeager]

Nvrdone: Thanks for that input. I am searching for that article now


Purdue: a straight drivetrain swap is not out of the question, but the general idea behind this is to keep as much of the drivability and functionality of the Yukon as possible. I am working towards keeping the AWD. most of my shop time is in body work, light fabrication and paint work.

Meter swinger: wheel size is a big concern in this for the sake of clearance. I really don't care too much about flash, I just like clean smooth vehicles. I don't need flashy rims, just for them to not look like a half assed afterthought. I have used a local machine shop in the past to narrow a rear end a couple of inches on each side and fab custom caliper mounts for front and back on a 69 firebird before with great success. No tubbing involved, just wanted better braking and to open my wheel size options up some from stock. The biggest concern at this point is front track width. I really don't see many ways to widen the front end of a 55-57 truck up cleanly. WI want a nice truck to drive, but if it has to be too far altered, it would just look stupid

[meter swinger]

Heres the link on that burb. Its on a trailbazer chassis.

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicl...s_of_suburban/
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[OrrieG]

Here is BBeep's ad on an envoy frame thread, might help, might not. AD have a narrower track than TF so all the work he had to do to the fenders might not be necessary. If you go to the manual in my signature link you can get to all tf years except 57 (56 is same). there are detailed diagrams with track, clearance measurements, etc.

[nvrdone]

hey - found the article - Nov 2011 HOT ROD

[jyeager]

well compliments of your guys' input and help, here is what I found with the measuring tape. the denali front fender measures from outside tread to tread of about 79.5" the 56 comes in at 74.5" the wheels on the denali are only about 3.5" from the rotor to the outside edge so there is no room to play with there. the rear wheel depth is easily addresses with a narrowing of the rear end, but I am screwed with the front track with the AWD. I am racking my brain here, but with the way.the doors line up with the front fenders, I.just don't see any way the front end of this truck is going to look right widening the fenders over 2" on each side. has anyone seen a.55-57 with widened fenders before? google is not being kind to me
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[Coupeguy2001]

Why don't you think about a BIG truck set of front fenders that used the commercial split rims back in the 50's? that way, you could actually run 20 inchers and have the huge wheel openings right from the factory. You will have to use reverse offset wheels like the original factory wheels back then, and probably have them custom made for all 4 corners, but I think it might be do-able.
The rear might have to be narrowed, but try the wheel simulators first before you cut.

Also, have you looked at the Tahoe hubs? They are huge. I have a 2 wheel drive Tahoe, and compared them to my 57 wheels once, and the lugs are larger and farther spaced apart. So I think special wheels are in order.
Some frames came with recirculating ball, and some came with rack and pinion. whichever you have, the steering setup will have to be custom for your truck. To mount bumpers, you will have to fabricate bumper brackets.
Also, think about the cab being channeled over the frame to get the desired ride height. The problem here is that the front fenders will have to be messed with to get the cab to work. If you decide that this is the frame you just gotta have, the frame rails are wider than the original T/F rails, and you might have to shorten the cab corners to get the desired effect, such as filling in the cab corners so the inner skin is eliminated. Or, just widening the T/F cab by widening the opening the frame goes through. but then you might have to eliminate the cab step. Then the bed has to be worked to make it fit.

I also have toyed with widening the hood, cab, grille, bumper and bed roll pan and bed by 3 inches for tire clearance. but then the windshield and rear window will have to modified, and the windshield rubber as well.
Doable, but not fun.

[OrrieG]

Bbeep used big truck front fenders because of the same problem, required the whole front clip. I think he pancaked the hood too. Most people cannot tell the difference at a glance if the truck is on regular wheels.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=348244

[jyeager]

I have read bbeep's thread on the burb. The way his fenders were flared on that body style gave him more options. I found a relatively rust free 3200 series about an hour from me for 2500 I am going to take a measuring tape to it this weekend. I confirmed my measurements last night online. The Denali has a 116" wheelbase, body width of 80" and a front track center to center of 65". The stock denali rims only stick away from the rotor about 3.5 inches, so just running wheels with more back spacing won't be an option. I am going through the diameters of the bigger trucks right now looking for a few more inches. Story of my life, just a few inches too short....

Thanks for the suggestions guys, they are all helping the research. If there is a way to do this, I will keep everyone updated with a build thread. That and I will need your input. This is one of the friendliest forums I have ever read. You guys rock
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[av8tr33337]

You guys probably know more on the subject than I do, but it seems to me that the best way to measure the widths for an apples to apples oranges to oranges comparison is to measure from mounting surface to mounting surface (where the wheel contacts the hub on installation) All the other measurements talked about here, inside to inside, outside to outside middle, to middle do not take into consideration the wheel width or backspacing and could be misleading you in the process. Just my 2 cents and again I'm no expert. Maybe I'm ass backwards, but it seams to me that doing it any other way could mislead you by as much as 2-3 inches or more.