1960 cab & bed on to 1976 frame ??? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Bartcore · 12-21-2003, 07:08 AM

I think I may keep my truck now and im thinking of swaping it onto a 76 frame. Both trucks are shortbed. Im sure someone has done this before, how hard is it ? are the body mounts close enough ?

Yachtcare · 12-25-2003, 10:07 PM

Your 1960 swb is built on a 115" wheelbase. The 1976 swb is built on a 119" wheelbase. It can be done, but without some modification, the wheels will be in the wrong position inside the wheel wells. The easier fix is to swap the front crossmember from the '76 onto the '60 frame which will give you the front discs, power steering setup and all the other more modern goodies. With a little more (not to difficult) work you could then swap in the rear end as well to keep front and rear five lug and end up with better rear brakes as well.

Bartcore · 12-26-2003, 02:48 AM

Hmm, mabe I will just swap the front x member. Now I just gotta find the parts

Yachtcare · 12-26-2003, 03:09 AM

If you have a 1976 truck that you were going to swap the body onto, you already have ALL the parts to swap the crossmember OUT of. If you did not want to dismantle that truck, just find another donor truck at the local salvage yard from 1963 to 1970 if you want to retain the six lug drum brakes up front. If you want the luxury of adding front disc brakes, find a truck from 1971 to 1998, but you will probably want to get the rear end out of those trucks as well, because the front end will be five lug. If your 1960 has a small block V 8, that engine will bolt right onto the new crossmember with no troubles. The older "stovebolt" Inline 6 engine will require a little fiddling with the engine mounts but could be done. You can also swap the brake booster and master cylinder out of the newer into the older, and split the brake circuits, etc. and completly update the older truck using the parts already available to you now from the 1976, or what ever donor truck you should happen upon.

Yachtcare · 12-26-2003, 03:17 AM

One other thought, If you can find a swb chassis from a 1971, or 1972 truck, those trucks will have the disc brakes up front on a 115" wheel base. Then you could swap the body onto that with the only issue to work on being front bumper mounting.

Bartcore · 12-27-2003, 06:54 AM

Cool thanks for the info, Im going to the yard sunday to look for a front suspension package

12-21-2003, 07:08 AM	#1
Bartcore Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bennett Valley Ca. Posts: 205	1960 cab & bed on to 1976 frame ??? I think I may keep my truck now and im thinking of swaping it onto a 76 frame. Both trucks are shortbed. Im sure someone has done this before, how hard is it ? are the body mounts close enough ? __________________ 1970 1 ton K5 on 38.5's

12-25-2003, 10:07 PM	#2
Yachtcare Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 35	Your 1960 swb is built on a 115" wheelbase. The 1976 swb is built on a 119" wheelbase. It can be done, but without some modification, the wheels will be in the wrong position inside the wheel wells. The easier fix is to swap the front crossmember from the '76 onto the '60 frame which will give you the front discs, power steering setup and all the other more modern goodies. With a little more (not to difficult) work you could then swap in the rear end as well to keep front and rear five lug and end up with better rear brakes as well. __________________ 1961 Chevy Apache 10 SWB fleet, 1970 GMC 1500 SWB fleet(getting 6.2L Detroit turbo Diesel), 1994 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab Dually 4X4 6.5L turbo Diesel. 1990 Chevy class "C" RV on G van chassis. Pics at www.picturetrail.com/yachtcare

12-26-2003, 02:48 AM	#3
Bartcore Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bennett Valley Ca. Posts: 205	Hmm, mabe I will just swap the front x member. Now I just gotta find the parts __________________ 1970 1 ton K5 on 38.5's

12-26-2003, 03:09 AM	#4
Yachtcare Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 35	If you have a 1976 truck that you were going to swap the body onto, you already have ALL the parts to swap the crossmember OUT of. If you did not want to dismantle that truck, just find another donor truck at the local salvage yard from 1963 to 1970 if you want to retain the six lug drum brakes up front. If you want the luxury of adding front disc brakes, find a truck from 1971 to 1998, but you will probably want to get the rear end out of those trucks as well, because the front end will be five lug. If your 1960 has a small block V 8, that engine will bolt right onto the new crossmember with no troubles. The older "stovebolt" Inline 6 engine will require a little fiddling with the engine mounts but could be done. You can also swap the brake booster and master cylinder out of the newer into the older, and split the brake circuits, etc. and completly update the older truck using the parts already available to you now from the 1976, or what ever donor truck you should happen upon. __________________ 1961 Chevy Apache 10 SWB fleet, 1970 GMC 1500 SWB fleet(getting 6.2L Detroit turbo Diesel), 1994 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab Dually 4X4 6.5L turbo Diesel. 1990 Chevy class "C" RV on G van chassis. Pics at www.picturetrail.com/yachtcare

12-26-2003, 03:17 AM	#5
Yachtcare Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 35	One other thought, If you can find a swb chassis from a 1971, or 1972 truck, those trucks will have the disc brakes up front on a 115" wheel base. Then you could swap the body onto that with the only issue to work on being front bumper mounting. __________________ 1961 Chevy Apache 10 SWB fleet, 1970 GMC 1500 SWB fleet(getting 6.2L Detroit turbo Diesel), 1994 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab Dually 4X4 6.5L turbo Diesel. 1990 Chevy class "C" RV on G van chassis. Pics at www.picturetrail.com/yachtcare

12-27-2003, 06:54 AM	#6
Bartcore Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bennett Valley Ca. Posts: 205	Cool thanks for the info, Im going to the yard sunday to look for a front suspension package __________________ 1970 1 ton K5 on 38.5's



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