looking for wisdom 1960 GMC build

[animals speed shop]

We are getting ready to start a 1960 GMC long box fleetside and am putting a build plan together . Wondering if some of you have blazed down this path before and can help me out I havent built alot of the 60-62's .

- Planning on a crossmember swap to a 73-87 which i think i need to lift the engine mounts ?

-Power steering upgrade

- Change bolt pattern to 5x5 bolt front and rear

- I want to use a narrower rear end with posi and rear disc brakes to give me a deeper dish rim look. Anyone have any ideas what to use ?

- Its getting a 600hp 383 stroker thats built and dynoed already with a 700R to take the hp

- 4 wheel disc brakes

- Static drop 5" front and back

This is what we want to get into the build with a few trick things added in ...So anyone who has any information that can help us out and help me out with cutting down my research time that woukld be awesome ......Thanks in advance

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

I'm not sure what you mean by "lift the engine mounts"? The shorter height of the '60-'62 frames does not accept most engine mount brackets without some sort of a spacer on top of the frame. The ones that are closest to fitting are the '67-'72 small block brackets. However with that much hp/tq, I would go with a much better engine mount, such as the '73-'87 mounts. I would just shorten the factory engine mount brackets to fit the frame rather than add an ugly spacer on top of the frame.

I can help with a power steering adapter plate kit if you like. Power brakes as well.

The '73-'87 front suspension will already be 5 x 5.

For a narrower rear end, I would just have one narrowed to fit your tire and wheel choice. That is the correct way to do it. Any later model rear end with disc brakes will be much wider than the original Eaton HO32/33. Most everyone will tell you to go with a 9 inch. I like to be different and would go with a truck 12 bolt or a Dana 60. I do offer 3 different rear disc brake conversion brackets for the truck backing plate flange.

The standard dropped spindles and springs will get you the drop you are looking for. Might need a block in the rear.

[namloc]

Been down that path.The x frame truck's are bit of slight challenge.

[markeb01]

These threads may offer some help:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=366828

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=369663

[animals speed shop]

Hey everyone thanks for the help.....I ripped out the torsion front end and am going to do a cross member swap . Still trying to figure out the engine mounts and the transmission mounts . The 700R just arrived and i have a spare small block to use for mock up....So i will get to that in the next day of so but i might be abl to use the stock transmission mount and build a tab off the backside ( havent done the math yet more of a wing it on the fly thought lol )

[animals speed shop]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Welcome to the forum

I'm not sure what you mean by "lift the engine mounts"? The shorter height of the '60-'62 frames does not accept most engine mount brackets without some sort of a spacer on top of the frame. The ones that are closest to fitting are the '67-'72 small block brackets. However with that much hp/tq, I would go with a much better engine mount, such as the '73-'87 mounts. I would just shorten the factory engine mount brackets to fit the frame rather than add an ugly spacer on top of the frame.

I can help with a power steering adapter plate kit if you like. Power brakes as well.

The '73-'87 front suspension will already be 5 x 5.

For a narrower rear end, I would just have one narrowed to fit your tire and wheel choice. That is the correct way to do it. Any later model rear end with disc brakes will be much wider than the original Eaton HO32/33. Most everyone will tell you to go with a 9 inch. I like to be different and would go with a truck 12 bolt or a Dana 60. I do offer 3 different rear disc brake conversion brackets for the truck backing plate flange.

The standard dropped spindles and springs will get you the drop you are looking for. Might need a block in the rear.

Ya I will be using a grand slam kit it's on it's way ...static drop leveled out
I like to use 12 bolts but your right everyone says to use a 9" because they are cheaper. I will probably be ordering a couple of the power steering plates you have( used your 63-66 kits). I havent tried your rear disc brake kits yet so i might look at that this time around