....So this dude puts an add in the local paper selling a 1950 Chevy pick up on an original drive train (no motor or trans)from the cab forward the truck has been disassembled. No glass, gauges seat doors nothin. Any way this man says that he was gonna swap the '50 body over to a 1975 full size Silverado frame complete with a SBC 327 and a 400 trans. Running but barely holding together. (rust bucket) He is selling both for 500 bux. Is this even remotely possible? I am no Hot Rod Genius, but even as a novice it seems to me that the '75 would be too wide and too long. Is this dude pulling my chain? Has my chain gotten numb to where I don't fell the pulling? Do I look that stupid? I thought about just buying them and just putting the SBC combo in the '50 and junking th 1975 rust bucket all together. Sorry I asked too many questions... and that I vented.. Comments??? Ideas???
A neighbor of mine built a 1950 Ford pickup on a mid 70s 2WD Chevy pickup chassis, and it fit almost like it was MADE for that body! Don't know the dimensions on the Chevy body you speak of off hand, but I'm sure that it COULD be done if you wanted to! (There's been plenty WORSE things done...don't ask me how I know!!! )
I don't think they made 327s in 75,and they didn't come with a 400 trans.A tape measure will tell you on the width and length.There was a discussion here a few months ago about using S10 frames under 50s trucks,perhaps a better choice.Sounds like a collection of head aches on wheels.
Anything can be done, if the 50 is complete truck would buy and as you say junk the 75, use the 327/TH 400. You can put the 75 front crossmember , suspension steering box etc under the 50 frame. Bolt in using spacers made 1/2 to 5/8 shims. If you are interested I can give you a link. Buddy has one done that way worked out nice. I have a 54 Chev & 54 GMC I'm gonna build like that inc use the rear end & suspension from 73 thru 86 Chev PU. E mail me if you want link [email protected].
Seen it done before, unless you intend on putting on a set of 16.5 X 10 turbines with a set of 33" 16.5s on it and keeping it as high off the ground as possible, don't do it. The track width on the 75 is around 63" wide and the stock truck is around 59" wide on the front and 61 on the rear. This means you will never get the wheels under the fenders. Also I have seen guys install 73-87 front ends on stock frames, they are very similar in shape and dimension. The downside is the ride height is stock or higher! IF the 50 is in good shape as well as the engine and trans, it is worth 500. Then go find yourself a good 1947-1953 frame and go nuts. BTW, I make a great replacement frame for those trucks. I can send you pictures if you like.
Hey yeah EL P send me those pics. BTW do those frames come with motormounts for SBC or should I ask do they come w....I'll just wait for the pics thanks... oyeah what do they go for?
I would have guessed that a 47-54 Chevy truck could have fit in the BED of a '75. Is the frame of a '75 half as wide as the truck itself or what?
the '73 to '87 chebby truck frames are NARROW... much more so than you'd think... but the track is kinda wide... could always narrow the A-arms, and everything else... but that could prove to be too much of a pain in the ass...
my 48 FORD pickup is on one of those frames.. well actually its a 67 chevy frame but they are all the same width.. anyhow I HAD to narrow the front control arms to make it all work.. otherwise I'd be sittin at a NOSEBLEED stance.. i ONLY did this swap because I intend to one day pull a fullsize car trailer with the truck.. otherwise I would have done the s10 swap later sawzall
I had a friend with a 53 Chevy truck body on a 68 Chevy truck frame. It actually fit pretty well, but I agree the track width was a bit of an issue, he actually had to get wheels with real deep inside offset so it would sit OK. Sort of the opposite of reversed wheels.
I have a '57 Chevy pickup on what is supposed to be an '84 frame. The wheelbase has been shortened, but the track width is just fine, even has a nice little mullet tilt on the front end. I always thought that the width of the S-10 was supposed to be a better fit on the early '50's Chevies, but there is a guy in my club who has a '48 or '50 on an '80's full size frame, lowered a little, and the wheels fit under the fenders. Go figure. Kinky6
Most of the ones I've seen done that way have the tire sticking out to the edge of the fenders instead of the center where the belong.
Cannot say for the Chevy, but like Sawzall, my 49 Ford F1 sits on a 80 Mercury Marquis frame shortened to the proper wheel base lenght. Track width is spot on for the ford. Id say, if ya got question, just grab a tape measure and compare the two. Oh yeah, I can also tell you that Im never gonna do it again if I actually have a usable frame, cause it was a ton of work getting everythign mounted up and getting any kind of decent fender and hood gaps.
Dirk, a pal of mine was contemplating doing that exact same swap! Except he changed his mind before cutting and decided to swap all the Mercury suspension and crossmembers onto the stock '48 F1 frame.
not sure if the silverado frame would work but the guy I bought my stude p/u from had a full size chevy frame under his 49 stude. I will be using a 96 S-10 Blazer frame for mine. The truck that GM has been displaying all year at various shows also uses an S-10 frame. One of the magazines did an article about the build.(think it was classic trucks) Doesn't sound like you'd go wrong for $500. Keep the engine, trans, and rear end toss the rest and you're still ahead. Just thought I'd add my $.02 Eric
The Jalopy Journal
