47-59 54, 6400 cab switch

[Bowtie348]

Was thinking about trying to put the cab of my 1954, 6400 on my 1985 chevy 1 ton chassis. Ii have not done much research yet, just thought I would check on here, there's some with alot more experience on these trucks. Will it be a straight up headache to try this ?

[mr48chev]

It should be fairly simple as far as frame swaps go. The main issue you will have is setting the inner fenders down over the rise in the frame over the front suspension and the upper A arms. That will take some trimming. For that I'd setting the cab with nose on the 85 frame and center the wheel opening on what would be the wheel center and trim the inner fenders where they need to be trimmed as you go. That and building mounts for the cab on the frame and figuring out a cross bar mount for the radiator support and you should be in pretty good shape.

I'd run the pedal and hydrovac off the 85 and mount it on the firewall and put a reinforcement plate on the inside of the firewall. That brake setup is too good to try to do anything else with even though I think firewall mounted brakes are ugly but works great and practical and matches the chassis wins this time.

I can't find the photo of the 77 1 ton chassis sitting on the bed of my 77 1 ton flatbed to show how the frame rises over the front suspension but you may already have that figured out. Width wise the frames are within a half inch in width the whole length.

[leegreen]

check the front wheel width, the 85 wheels will probably stick out past fender lip a couple inches. Ok if you want a big truck look, but not if you want a low look.

Mr48chev is the expert, but I think the overall length of the 6400 fenders is the same as the 1/2ton. So check the dimension of 85 from center of front tires to front of steering box, you are going to end up cutting the frame back to near the steering box and depending on height you set the cab and front sheetmetal above frame the steering box is into the grill.

Also using center of tires as reference point check where the front and back of engine will fall within the '54 engine bay, see if you have to remount the engine and trans and make a new driveshaft and if there is room for a radiator.

[Second Series]

'85 I believe had the gas tank outside the frame rail, 2nd gas tank was on the other side. You won't have room for the stock tank. Later years had the gas tank inside the frame rail/ wider frame, 2nd tank was under bed in the rear. I used an '88 GMC for my 3800 swap. line up the front fenders with the front wheels to determine cab location, everything fits and the stock height was maintained.