Another 4wd conversion question

[stenbrin]

Now I have searched this and come up with nothing so bear with me if the topic has been beaten to death and I just couldn't find it.

I came across a 1974 chevy suburban 4x4 with a 454/th400/np205 and a dana 44 front with a 12 bolt rear for $500. Now it is rusty as all get out but $500. that's a good deal! I also have a 1968 chevy c20 long bed 2wd that has been about to be converted to 4wd for the past 20 years.

The wheelbase on the suburban is 129.5 and wheelbase on my 68 is 127. this is quite a bit closer than the 74-87 trucks and the suburban frame and my 68's look more similar. (they both stay flat between the front and rear wheels if that makes any since)

Has anyone put a 67-72 body on a 73-91 suburban frame? Could you use any of the suburban's body mounts? How many body mounts need to be fabricated? Ex........

[cableguy0]

If you have some fab skills and a good welder its not a bad job. Easier to swap the body than try to convert the 2wd frame to a 4wd frame. You will have to move/make new body mounts. You could also cut the frame at the rear where its flat to shorten the wheel base so it matches. At that point you would probably only have to worry about shortening the rear driveshaft.

[stenbrin]

So a few years ago I bought a 1978 Chevy long bed with the same intensions but it had a 135.5" wheelbase and I didn't want to cut and weld the frame to make it work but I think I could fudge 2.5" with the suburban frame. I was hoping that the front 4 body mounts would be the same. Then I would have to make the mounts that are in the rear cad and the bed mounts.

[franken]

As far as I know, the front is pretty easy.
In the rear, the frame width is the same, the springs are longer, and the spring perches are further apart. If you remove the rivets holding the spring brackets to the frame, you can then bolt the newer diff and brackets to the frame after centering and drilling new holes.

The 454 and trans should bolt in pretty easy, and using the NP205 crossmember will probably not be difficult.

Most of the above is torching off rivets (from the inside so as not to ruin brackets), measuring, drilling holes, and bolting parts on. Count the body mounts on the old truck. Swapping frames will involve moving/fabricating all new. Take pics of the bends in the frame with a tape measure to give rough estimates of how different they are. Do the math.

Note that you're going from 3/4 to 1/2 ton, which to me is a step down. Personal preference.

Either way, this is a big project.

[stenbrin]

Swapping out the half ton axles should be pretty easy. I took my tons out of my k5 and put the in a j10 back in 2008 so if I decide to run a large tire on the 68 I can swap those in. I really just want to run like a 9.5/16 on it and use it for a ranch/hunting rig.

Do the front 4 body mounts line up?

[trukman1]

Been there and done that. Frame on the newer vehicle is 4 1/2" longer plus you have to remember the '74 frame steps up to acommodate the saddle gas tanks,. That "hump" is a pain. If your truck is already converted why not just swap in the drive train parts you want? BTW, body mounts need to be relocated. I did it once but never again. Just my opinion but if your not into a major fabrication project with some skill then I'd think real hard about it. Get dimensions of the frames out of a Chevrolet Service manual for both years and compare. That way you'll know what you need to do going in...well, almost.

[stenbrin]

The 74 Chevy suburban is only 2.5 inches longer and the frame doesn't step up like a pickup frame

[americanmusc1e]

67-72 4x4 frames are still out there!

I bought a K20 frame and cab two years ago in Austin for $500 been a project ever since lol

[stenbrin]

I found this beauty not too long ago with a new pickup bed trailer sitting not too far away

[O'l Buck]

Well that's depressing!

[chaff]

Learn something new every day and possibly useful. I have a 4x4 76 suburban and a 2 wheel dr 71 1/2 ton. I see a marriage and a flat bed.