wanting a 48 to 55 truck and wanting one on a newer frame. may have a truck but was wondering if a s-10 frame or a full size chevy would work better? thanks
Why?? Nothing wrong with the stock frame. Want open Drive? IFS? V8? 5 speed? It all can be done on the stock frame.
No reason to go with a new frame unless your old one is completely ruined. The old frame will work just fine with anything you wanna do as stated above. I am currently in the middle of a 54 truck build and I am using the original frame. saves money and keeps everything a whole lot simpler. LOTS of people go to the s-10 frames because they will fit the original cab a lot better. I think the full sized truck frames will be too big and will need lots of modifications to fit
Whether you change to a different frame or use the original, gaining what you want will be a fair amount of work, just different work, depending on your choice of approach. I am building a 1st design '55 GMC and have looked at both possibilities and chose the original frame with suspension upgrades. I have changed the rear springs, frame brackets and shocks to S-10 for an improved ride. The forward spring mount brackets will bolt on to the original frame and the rears I boxed the rail, welded in a tube through the rail, and I gain a much improved ride and lowered the truck several inches in the process. The front end already had a Heidts MMII in it when bought it (as an non-running project) and I will likely stay with that. Mostly because a good friend has a '51 Chev P.U. with the same front end and it rides and drives great, and I do know the difference between good and not so good. There are, of course, several other suspension options. For example, you could use a GM A or G body front suspension from '78 thru '87. I believe there is a supplier of a pre-fabbed crossmember that welds into the stock frame and the later GM pieces just bolt on to that. Also, a Jag XJ-6 or XJS could provide both front and rear suspension. Adapting the S-10 frame (or a later full size) in it's entirety is not a piece of cake, though it may be tempting to think that it will be. Best wishes on whatever you choose to do. Ray
Full size is too wide a track width, s-10 is a little narrow-ok if you are lowering but not so great at more usable height. Original is just right. There are many options for updating original frames to use mustang 11, GM a or g body, corvette, etc suspensions, as well as the classic dropped axle. See Flippers build on his s-10 framed truck for some real world input on this swap- one of the best writeups with the good, bad and ugly given by a man who made it work in the real world.
I used the front clip off a late 80s s10 and I don't remember the exact measurements, but right about where the frame starts to flare out on the s10 is where you would cut, then you would just need to measure how far that is from the center of the wheel, and then cut likewise on the truck frame... It has worked great for me so far and I can definitely send pics if you want.
The stock S-10 is way too narrow to look right under these trucks, as mentioned above. The result looks like crap. Some folks have used wider wheels or positive offset ("reversed") to compensate for that but that screws up the front end geometry. While there are some parts on an S-10 to be utilized elsewhere, I fail to understand the total brainwashing that the answer to all chassis upgrades is an S-10 chassis or front clip. There ARE applications for them, but far fewer than many seem to think. Ray
My everyday ride is a 1950 GMC panel truck. It sits on a totaly stock 1990 GMC Sierra half ton 4 wheel drive chassis. Had to move one body floor brace and build new body mounts. That was it. Wheels line up in the fenders with no clearance problems at all. There is a guy that produces a conversion kit for a S-10 chassis but you have to run the V-6 engine. If you put a V-8 in it you have to make even more mods to the S-10 frame. Plus as stated earlier the S-10 axel width is to narrow. Look at an early 90's 2 wheel drive half ton truck frame as a starting point. The only reason we didn't use the original frame was that we went with 4 wheel drive. Karl.
wonder if the pick up would work as well as the panel truck...... wheel base the same? extremely new at this
In answer to your question an S-10 long bed is what you are after. Not the direction I would take but that is a topic for a different discussion.
As P&B said above the desired S-10 frame is the standard cab long bed frame. But I can't see doing a frame swap if you have a good solid original frame under the truck to do a build on. The guys listed most of the reasons not to above so I won't go into that but it sure isn't a cure all for these trucks. I've had a Camaro rear steer subframe under my truck at one time and have an I beam now and am building a new chassis using the aftermarket Mustang II components including tube A arms. With a bit of hunting it isn't that much more expensive than finding buying an S-10 to to the swap and the price seems to be going up on those lately instead of down. You also don't have to use spacers to get the wheels out in the opening where they should be. Two outfits that I know of also make bolt on crossmembers that only require a tape measure, 1/2 inch drill and a hand full of simple wrenches to install in short order if one is welder impaired. There are a few good reasons for using an S-10 chassis though. The main one is that the chassis with the truck is hacked up too bad to fix, second is that the cab didn't come with a frame and the cab came on a big truck frame like a 1-1/2 ton is right in there. There is no free lunch with the S-10 frame though, Expect to spend a lot of hours getting everything squared away and leveled up just right so that when the truck is done it looks right rather than just thrown together.
I belive that the wheelbase on the panel is the same as the pickup truck. I finaly had to replace one of the running boards last year and the one I used was from a pickup truck and it fit perfectly so i know that the distance from the front of the rear fender to the back of the front fender is the same on both vehicles. As far as the track width goes I run 16" rims with fairly large tires on it. They don't rub but they do stick out to just about the bead on the fender but they do not go beyond. Saw a 50 pickup for sale on the local CL site and his was sitting on a 3/4 ton late model chassis and it seemed to fit pretty well. If you want send me a PM with your e-mail on it and i will send you some pics. Karl.
As already said there are some bolt in front clips for these trucks. I did an S10 frame but only because the original had a poorly installed camaro clip (which is too wide) and im a cheap SOB. Trust me the S10 swap is no walk in the park, lots of little things to figure out but if you have way more time than money s10 frames are nice and stout. Great suspension, very adaptable, boxed half way back, parts are cheap, etc.
looking at speck only 1 and half inch difference on wheelbase from 48-55 and an 88 regular cab chevy. again new to this but seems if motor tranny brakes everything is newer would it work with out much troubles.... I know will have to make mounts but seems easier than using an s10 frame...... just a thought
Hey guys, I'm new to the scene. I purchased a 55 GMC 3/4 pickup. It runs and drives but I want to change some things around. First, I need some direction as to what to do first. I'd like to get a bigger rear end, automatic trans and a 350 engine. The frame is solid so I don't have to replace that. Any help would be appreciated. It currently is a 3 speed on the floor and a 283 V8. Thanks
What do you mean by bigger rear end? If its a GM 3/4 ton it already has a big Spicer or Eaton rear under it (maybe a Dana). As for engine a 350 will bolt in any place that your 283 is bolted in and the automajic is just a matter of building a tail shaft mount and bolting it in there as well.
I used a TCI MII front set up w/2" dropped spindles & Chassis Engineering rear parallel spring kit with a '79 Camaro Z28 10 bolt - rides & handles great. TCI kit was complete w/boxing plates, disc brakes, power rack, etc. Mine has been in over 12 years. The alignment got knocked out after a week of driving on the FDR in NY city (got to be the worst road on the country) & Boston. Their latest design is much improved - keeps alignment.
The 54 and first series 55 trucks used the same two bolt bellhousing rear mounts that where used from 55 second series and up. That makes it easy to swap in a V8 or later 63 up six.
You do realized that you tacked your question on a two year thread that the last post besides yours was done on Jan 22 2012 and a Task Force truck like yours is not close to being like an ADvanced design truck that the thread was about? Best thing is to go back and post your introduction post as that is considered the polite thing to do on this board and then post your own thread asking about the changes you want to do to your truck remembering that this is a "traditional" hot rod and custom board and we don't do LS bs or big ugly wheels.
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