1969 Chevy C10 4x4:Frame Repair

[jgerih]

Hey Guys,
Ok so I got a 1969 Chevy C10 Short bed step side 4x4 and I noticed that the frame is cracked in a few spots near the rear axle. I noticed that this must have been an issue before and someone attempted to fish plate it. However, the inside of the frame channel, where the fish plate was installed, is rusting out and cracking. There are also a couple other cracks on the rear half of the frame. So I know you can repair frame rails but I thought maybe it would be easier to find another frame and cut it right behind the cab and transfer it to my existing frame. Then I found out how hard it is to find another short bed frame. I found that a company called No Limits had a rear rail frame kit but it is only for shortening a long bed and raise the bed floor 4 inches. So normally I would just scrap the pickup and move on but I put a couple thousand dollars into it before I found the cracks and there is quite a bit of sentimental value in this pickup. I know I should have looked harder before starting the project but lesson learned I guess. So my question is... What can I do that's fairly easy and budget conscious? Any advice would be extremely appreciated. I live in Nebraska and would like to have this done before the snow hits.
I tried to attach pictures but the site wants url pics and my pics are not on the net. Any advice on how to attach pictures would be great also.

[andrewmp6]

For photos photobucket.com its free sign up to it,On there once you log in click up load and you can just drag and drop the photos.To show them on here once you uploaded them you click the img link it will say copied now come to this forum and right click and paste,It will paste a long link but will show your picture once you hit reply on here.What should you do depends how rusty and cracked the frame is and can you weld or not.

[jgerih]

Thanks for your help. Here are a couple pics.

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jgerih/media
/69%20chevy1_zpsobl1svk1.jpg.html

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/...psobl1svk1.jpg

[jgerih]

Lets try this....

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jg...tml?sort=3&o=1

http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/jg...tml?sort=3&o=0

[Dave in Ozark]

There you go buddy

[jgerih]

Thanks. What am I doing wrong? I'm trying to get the picture of the frame to show up. Only the link will copy.

[jeffahart]

What was that truck used for before you got it? From what I see from the limited visibility is maybe a hole repair. I can only guess something was mounted there and the frame channel was tweaked out of the way for whatever was there. Looks like whatever contraption was removed, and different bed was bolted on. As I'm noticing the bed doesn't match. Twenty thousand foot view with bed off would be nice to see the whole thing. My first impression would be to try an fix the frame. The bed comes off easy enough for lots of access. Then find a different frame as last resort for sure.

[andrewmp6]

If that picture is the only problem that is fixable.Cut out the bad patch it plate it and maybe even box it.

[jgerih]

I don't know what it was used for previously. I found 3 different spots that are cracked or rusted out

passenger side

driver side inside

[GSP7]

That can all be fixed

[andrewmp6]

It might look ugly but all that can be fixed,As long as the rest of the frame is good and straight i would fix it or have someone do it if i can't.Replacing half or even the whole frame for that is overkill to me.

[jjzepplin]

Roll a new frame under there and sleep easy. Same amount of work or less. Think about this for a second. Take off the bed-Half done already. Now grind and weld all the bad spots. Bet you could have had the cab off by now. Did you see all the spots you missed that are cracked? Nope not til you got this far and now your upside down in funds to the welder guy and countless hours into something that needs a new frame now. You've spent too much and now need to find a good frame. Which btw can be inspected in depth before install. Unbolt this and that and go. NO welding. Sleep easy.

[B. W.]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Roll a new frame under there and sleep easy. Same amount of work or less. Think about this for a second. Take off the bed-Half done already. Now grind and weld all the bad spots. Bet you could have had the cab off by now. Did you see all the spots you missed that are cracked? Nope not til you got this far and now your upside down in funds to the welder guy and countless hours into something that needs a new frame now. You've spent too much and now need to find a good frame. Which btw can be inspected in depth before install. Unbolt this and that and go. NO welding. Sleep easy.

I agree with zep but there's still a lot of work in a frame swap & when you have the bare frame you're going to want to paint it, if you're going to paint it you may as well sand blast it first, then you may as well replace all the bushings. At this point, change the cab mounts, Well if you going to do that put rockers in, rebuild T-case, replace engine, paint, etc.
Long way of saying it always gets deeper.

Several options:
1. replace frame - best but most $
2. repair frame - recommend sandblasting rear half & inspecting. you don't have to go crazy like mag particle checking (that would be nice) but a close visual inspection. On a bare metal frame you can spray it with Brake Clean, the liquid will "wick" into any cracks & remain slightly longer than the rest of the cleaner - propably the cheapest option, depends on how much damage
3. section the back half - requires at least part of a frame (then just replace the whole thing) you will still want to inspect the donor frame closely & any old frame may/will require some repair. You can section the back half with a long bed frame, the are basically the same, you'll need to cut 6" (I think?) off the rear of the frame rails.
I had a fair amount of frame damage on mine, I chose to repair it but mine was completely apart.

Bobby

[jjzepplin]

A frame can be had for a couple hundred bucks. Then it's just sweat. You don't have to all crazy if your not building a show truck. I got lots of things I want to do to my truck but don't have the time or money. I opted to just fix safely and drive them. Someone else can buy them from me and sandblast and paint and replace bushings etc. I will just replace when they go bad.

[jgerih]

If I could find a short box frame near central Nebraska for a couple hundred dollars then that changes the game completely. I can find a longbox frame for a couple hundred and then still have a bunch of work to do to make it work. And yes I would like to frame up restore at some point but at this moment I want a pickup i can play with. Not saying there aren't shortbox frames out there but if you have to drive halfway across the country it turns a couple hundred dollar frame into another $1000 into your investment. Does anyone know which other frames would work? Just seems like 67-72 shortbox frames are had to come by. Square body frames are a dime a dozen. I once heard an s-10 frame would work but that seems really light duty for this pickup.

[jjzepplin]

S10 NO way it will work. Hang in there. Keep looking and you will find one. Keep in mind that a fellow that has a frame and not the rest of the truck really has no need for the frame. I almost gave up when I found one on CL and the guy delivered it that same day for less than two hundred. A rolling chassis. I cut out all the cross members and such from my old frame and sold them on here for way more than that....