66 Chassis swap with newer

[Orangeuscrd]

Hello All,

I'm to swap my 66 chassis out with one that has disc,power steering and leafs.

I know a 71-87 chassis is good, but will the body fit on say an 01-06 chevy chassis?

[chevy_mike]

This comes up fairly frequently and the same answers still apply. With enough, time, money and skills, anything can be done. Are you a very skilled fabricator and welder? If not, you're likely going to ruin a body and chassis. This is by no means remotely a bolt on affair. Frames are much wider on late model trucks so you're going to have seriously modify the floor and mounts. Even putting the body onto a '73-'87 is a big challenge.

You would be time, effort and money ahead to swap in PS, PB onto your existing frame. Why leafs? If you have a trailing arm setup in the rear now, it by far will ride and handle much better than anything with leafs.

[Raked 64]

Is your current chassis bent or damaged in some way?

if not, IMO with the amount of bolt on parts available now, you would be creating a ton of work swapping frames and really not get a huge gain. Disc brake kits and even control arms if you want to go really high end are available for your current chassis.
Same as above, the trailing arm rear suspension is very similar to what NASCAR runs. It is a solid platform.
What is you end goal? Bagged? lowered? pro-touring?

[Orangeuscrd]

Think I'm going to pick this '83 frame up and swap out front cradle.

[padresag]

much simpler to do this
ron

[Orangeuscrd]

Yeah and for $200 how can I pass this up

[padresag]

well I have a 87 3/4 t complete frt w/xmember and strg box and complete rear axle with springs and on the ground that I would sell for that but it will be going for scrap as no one around here wants it. I got an 87 for my 65 1t but I think that I am going to sell that too
ron

[Orangeuscrd]

So I went out and picked up the Chassis today and it's even cleaner than it looked. super excited!

[LostMy65]

Just making sure you understood the recommendation is to use your original frame.

[Orangeuscrd]

Yep, will probably find a long bed and cut chassis to make a trailer after taking cradle off

[cooperhw]

I would swap out the rear end too. Otherwise you will have 6 lug rear, and 5 lug front. Not to mention there's a better chance of having a better gear in the newer rearend. Get away from the 411 original gearing. More than likely. Real easy swap.

[Orangeuscrd]

Well that what my thoughts were, but a lot of people say it's not easy to swap the whole chassis.

[Orangeuscrd]

ok nvm you said swap the rear end as well not whole chassis..

[padresag]

Originally Posted by cooperhw

I would swap out the rear end too. Otherwise you will have 6 lug rear, and 5 lug front. Not to mention there's a better chance of having a better gear in the newer rearend. Get away from the 411 original gearing. More than likely. Real easy swap.

1/2t usually have 3.73 or higher based on trans and or eng
ron

[LostMy65]

You can get 6 lug discs for up front.
Or 5-lug axles for the back.
Don't make your decision off the number of lugs.
I'd start with just getting the front done. Don't bite off too much all at once.

[freemoto_xxx]

Check out my build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=688570
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[scoot_mcgrute]

This truck is sitting on a 97 Tahoe frame. They said things seemed to line up quite well and the swap took em 6 weeks start to finish. If it's something you want to do and have the tools you need, I say go for it

[karlbenz]

I put my 64 gmc cab on an 84 k10 chassis. wasn't too bad. I now have a 3" body lift. I would never do it on a 2wd, way too much work

[padresag]

Originally Posted by karlbenz

I put my 64 gmc cab on an 84 k10 chassis. wasn't too bad. I now have a 3" body lift. I would never do it on a 2wd, way too much work

did you shorten the w/base on the 84 frame to 115".

ron

[karlbenz]

Originally Posted by padresag

did you shorten the w/base on the 84 frame to 115".

ron

nah, It's a cab only. has a flatbed on it

[Lowl!f3]

Hello, I'm well past what you are about to do.
86 front suspension swapped onto my 65 frame. However, I kept my original rear axle and totally rebuilt it and installed 5 lug axels. Using a kit from CCP. It uses 74 5 lug drums. Hind sight, I should of found a newer rearend with disc brakes. To run that all the way round. But I'm ok with what I have. And if it ever craps out. I will swap it out for one.


My build thread was messed up somehow and all my images are not working except the newest ones.


If you wanted to use that entire frame. It can be done as well. Shorten the frame and build mounts for the cab and bed. Either way you choose. It is a lot of work. Tinnman on youtube used and entire frame to do his.