Rear Frame Swap

[USSkoval]

I've recently discovered some extensive rot in the rear half of the frame under my C10. I think I'm going to just whack the rear of the frame off and start with something else. My first thought was a '67-'72 rear section with the coil and truck arm setup. Judging from pictures I've found, it won't be a simple frame splice and the cab would have to come off. Which isn't a bad thing I guess, but I sort of wanted to avoid that. Has this kind of swap been done before and possibly documented too?

The goal would be a stockish looking frame and getting away from the leaf springs. Hopefully something that has the potential to hook a little better without having to run drag radials or something.

[jbristo67]

Why not
just change the whole frame

[USSkoval]

Everything from the rear cab mounts forward is good and solid. Full frame swap would also require relocating/fabricating cab mounts and core support mounts. Also, not too long ago I dropped a new motor and trans between the rails... didn't like the idea of yanking it back out again.

Besides that, if I did a full frame swap, the ONLY part left original to the truck would be the cab itself. From a sentimental standpoint, I feel I need to save what I can of the frame. Otherwise I should have just left my trusty truck alone and built another one from scratch.

[bbbc10]

Swap it wth the same year truck an buy the porterbuilt trailing arm coversion

[andrewmp6]

Yeah your kinda putting the cart in front of the horse.Like said get a new frame if yours is that bad.And the poterbuilt trailing arm kit is designed a lot better over the oem stuff its based off.

[USSkoval]

I suppose ya'll are right. I just figured I'd section the frame since I have the ability. The truck arm thing is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but I did not realize there is a conversion kit available these days.

[andrewmp6]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=723539

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by USSkoval

I suppose ya'll are right. I just figured I'd section the frame since I have the ability. The truck arm thing is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but I did not realize there is a conversion kit available these days.

CPP offered a conversion kit years before PB.

If you were to splice a T/A frame to yours seamlessly, you would most likely need to do the splicing in the straight run of the main rails. That would require you to re-work the rear cab & bed mounts since they're in different locations on 63-72's vs 73-87's.

[USSkoval]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

CPP offered a conversion kit years before PB.

If you were to splice a T/A frame to yours seamlessly, you would most likely need to do the splicing in the straight run of the main rails. That would require you to re-work the rear cab & bed mounts since they're in different locations on 63-72's vs 73-87's.

Yes, I had noticed the mid section frame differences while comparing pictures. It would be more involved than I thought, but still possible.

And I was unaware of the different kits offered, I've always been more of a 4x4 type of fella. It looks like the CPP kit is for me. I like that it is less "flashy" of a kit and the truck can still stay close to stock ride height. I'd remove the frame notch from the brackets though.

Looks like a '73-'80 frame is in my future (to match the front clip installed). It will be a real mutt of a truck.