'55 Body onto a 1999+ 4x4 Frame

[Alberta_55]

So I picked up a nice solid cab and front clip for a '55 Series 2 pickup.

Now I am curious, I've looked around for info on fitting the body of the 55 onto a later model Chevy frame.

The reason for this is obvious; I want the 4x4, the 4 wheel disks, the durable drivetrain, the fuel injection, etc.

Ideally I'd like to use a 2500 platform because I'm planning on engine upgrades that will make a lot of power, so the stronger drive train is desirable.

However, if it would be easier to use a 1500 frame, I could go that route and just see about getting the heavier duty drive train into the 1500 frame.

I'm having a hell of a time finding any info on frame measurements and what it's going to take to make this swap work.

So if you have links to similar builds, info that would help me or anything else, please feel free to share it.

If you're just going to tell me to keep the original frame, please just refrain from posting such comments. I'm looking for constructive input.

Thanks again!

[OrrieG]

The link in my signature will take you to a site that has technical information on AD and TF trucks. When you click the link on the page towards the bottom is a "go to year index" link, click on that, then find your year truck and start looking.

The 55-59 Factory Assembly Manual has very detailed dimensioned diagrams of the frame, brackets, mounting points, relationship of cab to wheel centerlines, etc.

I do not know if the same type of information is available for your donor truck but it would not be hard to measure wheel base and relationship to firewall, cab seating position, bed to rear wheel center line etc. You did not say if you are trying to put a short bed TF on a longer wheelbase donor. That will just make the calcs more complicated. You will also need to consider how to hang the radiator support, bumpers etc.

From what I have seen here and in the 4x4 forum it appears like the newer truck frames require the cab and bed to be mounted higher. They also have a wider track. While it is not the same there are plenty of S-10 and TF on 70's truck frames in the build sections. They would give you an ideal of what you are up against. You might also check out BBEEP's thread on his AD to Envoy conversion, it will give you insight into some of the electronic and other issues you might encounter.

Good luck, it is doable, but the devil is in the details and your fabriction skills.

[Alberta_55]

As it sits right now I have only the cab and front clip.

I don't have a donor late model truck yet.

Just trying to get as much info as I can about doing the 99+ 4x4 swap vs. going with an S-10 frame. Which I might just end up doing anyway.

[waybad]

I have done a lot of searching,,I also want to make mine a 4x4,
without the front wheels sticking past the front fenders, with a decent size tire..
I have a 91 s10 blazer that I will clip the front end(frame) off, then install a v8 efi
with 15x8 wheels and 265x75x15 tires, the front outside wheel/tire combo is 71 1/2"
my outside fender width is 74" that leaves about 1 1/4 inches inside tire clearance per side..
looks right for me without the hard ride of a strait front axle 4x4..
my 2 cents
TC

[rgunlock]

I don't know how similar a 92 is to a 99+, but I have a 92 2500, 4wd chassis that I considered using under my 59. If that is close enough, I can get you info.

[OrrieG]

I saw this on cl last night and grabbed the photo. It is a 57 on 76 frame 38x15.50 gumbo mudders 15x12 alcoa wheels. You can see even with 10" wide tires they will stick out. I run 8" wide tires on stock 16" rims with 74 axles and they are just tucked under the fenders, look at my avatar.

[Berg]

I haven't done it with a 55 2nd onto a 99-up but I did do it with a 47-55 1st onto a 73-87 GM 4x4 frame. I had a 1979 K10 that had some serious rot issues but had a 4 speed, cast iron transfer case, Dana 44 front axle and I swapped in a GM Corporate 14 bolt. It had power steering, power brakes with front disc/rear drum but there are conversions using mostly off the shelf GM parts. The only thing custom is the $60 caliper brackets! I had a rough 1947 cab and the floor was swiss-cheesed. I rebuilt it with sheet metal and some angle iron, moved the cab mounts and used the later model steering column. I think the hardest part of the whole thing besides having to engineer a floor was to get the cab to sit where I wanted it- having the front wheel opening in the right place and getting the steering column where I wanted it. I also made triangulated brackets to put the power brake booster on the firewall and used one out of a camaro so it fit in on the smaller firewall. I never did get to finish the project and had to sell it off when I hurt myself at work, lost my second job and had to move with a months notice.
I know the newer frames are a little wider so keep this in mind when you are going to be making your frame mounts and modifying your current cab floor mounts if you choose to go that route. If you wanted to make it more conventional there are companies that make frame mount kits to mount the cab and bed onto an S10 frame. I think that seems to be the way to go for a driver but I wanted something a little more rugged, truck-like if you will- complete with 8 lug wheel conversion.
http://www.ad-engineering.com/
here is a link to their website with the kits listed. They tell you which axle bolts in and fits better and which wheelbase/cab configuration frames are best for what you want to build.

[Berg]

On a sad note, I cannot find a kit for the 55-59 cabs to make it a less complicated swap however there is a guy on another forum I saw a while back who used a Trailblazer SS with a 6.0 LS engine and I believe it was airbagged with AWD. It put out a good amount of power and he used spare wheels off a Dodge pickup that were like 18" or 20" diameter with a set of center caps he found for it. For the life of me I can't find it but he went through a lot of the same stuff you'd be in for. I vote for a 2500 platform but you'd probably have to shorten the frame up a good amount and move the axle where you wanted it but I couldn't see why you couldn't use the stock spring perches and re fasten them to the frame and get the driveshaft shortened. I know in most swaps the LS engines seem to sit a lot closer to the firewall so that is something else to take into consideration.

[rgunlock]

When I looked into mounting my 59 on a 92 2500 4wd frame, I had these challenges. The 2500 was ext. cab longbed so I'd have to cut several feet out of the frame. There was about 8.5 inch kickup behind cab so I'd have to do body lift and/or lose a lot of bed depth. Frame was wider so my stepside bed would not fit over it. Front wheel track is wider than the rear so front tires (on stock 92 wheels) would stick out while rear would fit reasonably well. To get front fender opening centered over front tire, I had to move cab back to where there was over 2 inches between firewall and valve covers and looked very tight for radiator and fan. Would also have to fabricate new cab and core support mounts.

I decided to go back to plan "a" and use my extended 76 4wd Blazer chassis. Still had to fab mounts for everything, but the 59 fits on it MUCH better.

[Berg]

AHH FOUND THE KIT!!! sorry for all the long-winded posts but I figured if I offered anything you could possibly use you wouldn't mind )

http://www.e-zchassisswaps.com/1955.htm

1955 thru 1959 Chevy / GMC
"Full Size Pickup" Kit

Uses the'73 thru '87 Chevy/GMC pickup chassis or
the'73 thru '91 Chevy/GMC Blazer or Suburban for donors.
Note: The '87 & newer trucks are equipped with Fuel Injection.

This kit is currently in production.

BASIC KIT INFORMATION
Mounts for installing the cab & front sheet metal are all BOLT-ON units.
Short Box bodies can use the newer 118" WB chassis by using the 3" W.B. Correctors.
Longer "donor" frames can be used if shortened to 115" W.B. for Short Boxes or
124" W.B. for Long Box versions.
Note: These kits place the wheels 1" ahead of the stock location in front wheel wells.

Other donor parts required:
'90 or older Caprice column, brake pedal assembly, & booster. (S10 column will work also)
The steering shaft assembly from an older full-sized Chevy van. (Or aftermarket joints)

The complete conversion kit includes:
Front Bumper Mount Brackets (adapts original bumper mounts to frame)
Radiator Support Brackets (mounts radiator support, includes rubber shims)
Front Cab Mounts (bolts to existing holes in frame, includes polyurethane bushings)
Rear Cab Mounts (bolts to existing holes in frame, includes polyurethane bushings)
Wheel Base Correctors (2) (for 118" donors only)
Firewall Insert (for mounting brake booster, fuse box, throttle cable, etc.)
Upper Steering Column bracket (mounts column under dash)
Lower Steering Column bracket (mounts column & fills Toe Board holes)
Steering Shaft Extension (for modifying van steering shaft assembly to proper length)
Bed Risers & and Rubber Washers (Raise bed to proper height)
Bed Floor Supports (Replaces center supports for clearance)
All Mounting Hardware Included
All Bolt-on Parts are Powder-Coated in Black

Kit price is $795.00 + S&H*

[sgtusmc]

I'm in the middle of a 59 to an 88 if it helps.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

I'm in the middle of a 59 to an 88 if it helps.

Also keep in mind that 2wd like sgtusmc is several inches narrower than 4wd of the same vintage.

[Alberta_55]

Thanks for all the info!

Especially the kit available for the 80-90's frames. I'll certainly have to consider that option. Prefer it over the S10 route.

So I was digging around on the intetnet and came across specs for the 2000+ Tahoe and Yukon.

The they have a 116" wheel base, which is very close to the 114" wheel base of the short bed '55.

The track width of the Tahoe/Yukon is 68.2" Front and 67.0" Rear.

Where as the '55 Track width is 60.5" Front and 61" Rear.

Then from what I've been able to find the 2000+ Tahoe is 78.9" wide (Body)
and the '55 is 74.52" wide (Body) at the front fenders.

So I think the hardest part in making it work with those dimensions would be the track widths.

I don't mind a little tire sticking out, it'll make the truck pretty aggressive looking.

But the hardest part would be mounting it all up. Even then, as long as the cab fits over the frame, mounts can be moved and or fabricated.

I would have to modify or even create my own Rad support as well as bumper mounts.

Rgunlock, could you possibly get me track widths from the center of the wheels on both the front and the rear?

Thanks,

James

[rgunlock]

I assume you are interested in the 92 2500 rather than the 76 Blazer. I'll see if I can get them this evening after work.

[Berg]

I had a 99 Yukon parts truck a few years back. Bought it out of the Bronx for $900 and stuck the engine in my 96 Sub. Sold the tranny for $600, got another $300 for the front seats, sold the dash carrier out of it for $100 and still have the air bags and steering column for my other trucks. I sold the 3.73 gov-loc rearend for $500 so I'd think you could find a decent truck and part it out enough to recoup your money if you had the time to sell the small stuff and the place to keep it without any family or neighbors complaining about it. I guess if you were really daring you could use the wire harness and modify it for a stand-alone. The truck I got was mechanically sound but had dents on every panel but the nose which was all new GM (I'm guessing it took a good hit) and I didn't care about the salvage title because I wasn't going to use it. I know those frames get a lot wider under the cab area and this may interfere with your foot steps inside the cab and may also create problems with the running boards on the bed. I'd measure the bed width too just to make sure the rails won't be sticking out past the ends. I don't think they are THAT wide where you'd have a problem like that but it is better to be safe than sorry.

[rgunlock]

Couldn't get exact measurements on the 92 because I don't have slots in the wheels to be able to stretch a tape through. Best I can tell though, the rear track is about 64" and the front track is about 67" between the mounting surface of the wheels.