55 first series 4x4 on yukon drivetrain

[windyhill1910]

Well time to share this project, this website has been great for inspiration and help on lots of projects so might as well share one. Basically I'm making a daily driver 4x4 out of this thing is the plan. Drivetrain is a 97 yukon with a 5.7 vortec. First pic is what the 55 looked like to begin with. Second is body stripped off truck and Yukon. 3rd is of truck itself, have cab mounts built, working on box and fenders at moment. 4th is the instrument panel I am building - it is made out of the Yukon instruments, but made to match the curve of the dash, lens is actually from it as well, just chopped up and switched so its convex instead of concave. More to follow.

[JML55]

Cool project.

[OrrieG]

Are the gauges electronic (circuit board) or mechanical? Next time you have your camera out could you shot a photo of the back of the guages? I like the idea. I am curious if you could "cut and paste" them to fit in a TF "V" bezel...

How are you handling the wider frame?

[windyhill1910]

The gauges are electronic. Basically the stock ones out of the 97 yukon. I took the lens and backing off it and built my own backing and aluminum faceplate to fit the truck ( i cut away the stock gauge holders in the dash to make this fit - which some guys may not like but I want it kinda modernized a little in a sense and then everything just plugs into the yukon harness easy, plus its what I had - on a budget). I'm going to get a few more pics of everything in next few days.

The frame width isn't too much of an issue being its getting a fair amount of body lift - if I was tucking it down more flush it would be impossible, I can really see why guys use s10's for street trucks, but i want a 4x4 with a bit heavier drive train than a s10. One of the sets of rims I have just fits under fenders, they are not the ones in pics I have posted yet.

[OrrieG]

Thanks, brain fart on the chassis width, 4wd will allow the body to be high enough.