Can anybody please tell me if a 1986 GMC fullsize van 2500 has a full frame underneath it. I want to use this on my 1948 Ford Cabover because of the steering the way it is almost straight up. When I looked underneath the van it looks like it is un-body I am confused because I can't see a full frame under there . Can somebody please tell me if I can use this for my Cabover or do I have the "wrong" van? thanks for any info
If you can't tell the difference between a full framer and a unibody, you probably aren't ready to build a cabover on a late model frame. Sorry.
An 86 Chevy Van has a unitized frame. It's a part of the complete floorpan and body structure. HOWEVER...you could trim it down to fit if you felt like it. Box style RV conversions do it all the time but naturally keep the van cab itself in place. YOU would be trimming everything off! To simply gain a vertical shaft on your steering box I think it would be a waste of time and effort. But if there were more compelling reasons...it could work.
Just take the box and use it on a std truck chassis. FWIW I am building a 49 Ford COE and using a 74 GMC dually chassis. With the stock steering box in the stock position. I have a very acceptable angle at the steering shaft-to-column U-joint. I even used the stock rag joint at the box with a custom short steering shaft about 6-7 inches length. See pic below that shows my steering shaft and U-joint.
use the frt crossmember for a pickup and shorten the centerlink. i think you'll find the van crossmember too wide ( the pickup is 4 " narrower) and yeah, the van is a unibody...
Thanks for all the info guys! Man, it sure is nice to tap into all this knowledge and get taught a few things. Hey tomslik, thanks for the information. You think I could trim away everything and use the van or you wouldn't bother and just go with a truck frame? Once I saw that it was a "unibody" and realized that I would have to cut away all that floor it didn't sit to well with me. Thanks guys...