4x4 Chassis

My truck needs some work to be a daily driver. I need it to be a 4x4 given I live in snowy country. I've looked into swaping parts onto the original frame, but I've decided to go with a new chassis, reason being is the '56 f-600's chassis adds 2,000#s, I kid you not.

I'd like it to be a fullsized truck, the F-600 has large wheel wells and what not and I've always thought it ideal. My first truck was actually an s-10, and though it was a good truck I don't think it's chassis could do what I'd like it to, not enough. I plan on using this truck, I'm a blacksmith so now and again I'll be moving some weight but nothing insane.


Any recommendations for chassis? It all seemed pretty straight forward till I followed a couple builds and found a guy having to channel the floor of his cab to fit the chassis properly and what not. I know the s-10 chassis is common for 2wd swaps, but as far as 4x4 goes...? At this point given my situation I honestly don't care much if it's a Ford or not.


Going under a 1956 Ford F-600.

Thanks

 

It wouldn't necessarily be traditional or HAMB friendly, but I have always dreamed of building a diesel 4x4 with a 50's truck body. I have no idea how hard it would be to make everything fit - I just think it would make a bad ass truck.

 

Yeah my thoughts exactly. Pre-4x4 4x4 truck. Sitting low with huge tires... mmm

 

A guy in our area used the chassis from a 78 F150 and swapped the 54 sheetmetal onto it. It really worked out well. I have also seen a nicely done swap onto a fullsize Cherokee frame. Makes a lot of sense if you need a 4X4. One wheel drive trucks suck in the winter. I'd like to see a diesel swap.

 

not sure about Fords, but on chevys the frames changed from "flat" to "up and down" in 1960....so my suggestion is to look for a late 50s ford truck frame from a 1/2 or 3/4 ton, and see if you can swap 70s Ford 4x4 running gear to it.

 

Here's a really nice conversion:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282424

 

early 70's 1310 series IH truck FTW!! Dana 60 front, dana 70 rear, still has the same steering box direction, just in front of the axle. Should fit under a '56 frame just fine.

 

Currently looking at doing the same thing with my ih 47 kb6. A guy on oldihc.org used a 70'3 3/4 ton chevy and it worked perfectly for the ih.

Let me know what happens.

Also guys in the houston area have you ever seen the 39 Ford Crew Cab diesel dullie that is orange, trailer queen but amazing. Ill try to scrounge up and old pic.

 

I did an 80 Dodge 4x4 under my 50 Dodge cab that was originally a 2 ton dump truck. Wasn't an easy swap, lots of fabrication.

Issues to watch for: the relationship between the firewall and the engine, the front axle centerline to body wheel well opening, and the radiator to frame crossmembers and wheel well opening. Another issue is track width of the frame compaired to the fenders. Then you want to watch how the steering column fits in the cab with the engine in place.

As far as Dodge is concerned, the nose, and cab of the 50s is shorter then the cabs of the 60s & 70s and the track width of the 70s & 80s frame is wider then the track width of the 50s frames. Because of the shorter cab & front clip, the box was located wrong on the frame and the rear fenders were in the wrong location.

Even after all the work, I love my truck. I use it to plow my driveway in the winter and haul stuff with it all the time. Be prepaired to have people yell at you for trashing your nice old truck by driving it in the snow. LOL. Gene

 

Thanks for the input guys, still so much to figure out here... more suggestions or advise much appreciated.

 

Here is a great resource for some measurements.

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/models.html

 

With a 2000-lb chassis, do you really need 4WD? I was at an auction a few weeks ago and they'd turned one of the older Brockway single-axle tractors into a plow truck. Which was done basically by adding a plow frame, putting a concrete slug in place of the 5th wheel, and running only single tires on the back. I have to think it would have taken a pretty damned big drift to stop that sucker cold. I'm not sure it even had chains on the back, just tires with good tread.

I can see where a locking rearend would be nice, though, I loved the one in my last Suburban. It gave me about 70% of the capability of a 4x4 without the fuel milage penalty.

I don't know how well an S10 would fit the mid-50s Fords, or a Ranger, but there's probably no reason you can't use the 4x4, or in the case of the S10 even adapt an Astrovan full time all wheel drive setup to it. (although every time the state auctions one the transfer case is noted defective, so maybe they're not that strong).

 

weren't some guys talking about using ford exploder chassis for something like this back ayear or so ago?? was a 90's exploder. the 5.0 in them is supposed to be a good piece with gt40 heads on it. ifs, 4x4. not quite a half ton pickup but it will still hall a load.

 

That truck has a straight front axle so just swap a F-150 Dana 44 in and hang a transfer case. all that could be done in a weekend.

 

They share the same wheelbase as the F1. An F600, stock, is a few inches longer, and larger wheel wells. My F6 had a plow on it, and a load of gravel in the dump bed, should plow snow no problem. Not exactly highway friendly, though. For off-roading, and to make it look like a F600, I suggest going with 3/4 or 1 ton frame and axles. The standard for these trucks should be a 34" wide frame, just like the F600.

Leaf spring perches on an F250/350 would work easier, IMO.

 

Would not be to hard really, look in any Latin American country, find you a diesel s-10 and swap away.

 

Another vote for asking yourself if it's really needed. Yes, powered steering tires can do things that 2wds will never do. But knowing the difference that a bed full of snow can make, one can only imagine what a real heavy 2wd must be capable of.

FWIW I'm in the same boat with an OT 2wd pickup. Plan A, convert to 4x4. Plan B, leave it as-is, buy a used Kodiak to shorten & mount a truck box on.

Good luck!

 

Am I gay for wanting this??

http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1398693429.html

Rich

 

Ditch those bullshit wheels and get something with a deeper offset and that thing would be good to go!

 

And that's called a ratrod project? lol terminology these days

 

No - that's cool. You could sell those stupid wheels for a grand or two, free truck!

Rocky was driving a good example of a modern drivetrain swap 4x4, but I don't know if he still does.

 

I was going to say the same thng. A '70s ford chassis. Avoid the 80-84 1/2 ton chassis, they are real wiggly.

You might look into the 3/4 ton or ton chassis. That will give you the dual wheel option if you want. being a balcksmith I would think that a 4WD dually would be just the ticket.

 

Thanks for the input guys

I'm thinking if I can find a '78 or older Ford with a step-side bed (ideally long bed) that would be the way to go. For one I need a bed on my truck, the flat bed had to be left behind (and weighed about 4,000#s) and the truck just looses so much style without a stepside bed. Since the bed is the same with the exception of the mounting holes for the running boards on the fenders, it seems a good way to go. The bed would already be set up, so less hassle... thats of course said before I try to align the front clip and cab and discover I need to move everything just an inch or something, lol

 

I agree...Those wheels belong on a 1975 Monte Carlo with $9000.00 worth of stereo

 

Right now it looks like I'll either have a '75 (maybe 77) F100, or a '64 F250. Any idea on what would work better for daily use? I'm not sure how many improvements where made in those 11 years. Thanks

 

77 F100 has a wider trackwidth, improved front suspension (coils TTB) and disc brakes (IIRC, the '75 could have drum front). The '64 250 is a 3/4 ton and will have leafs and drums front and rear, but will also have a matching trackwidth as the '56. Up to you.

 

The only thing gay, short of the bling bling, is that the seller called it a rat rod. Since when did rat rods have bling bling? I thought all Rat rods have red 15"x10" Aftermarket Rally's with white lettered BFG's. That could probably be a pretty cool truck in the hands of someone with taste

 

Check into International Harvester Chassis. I dunno how much different in size they were to fords, but i've seen a number of 4x4 Late 50's early 60's Harvesters around. Check out the 4x4 forums too.

 

Oh, also a possiblity of a '97 F-250HD that was rolled... but I think the chassis might be too different to do without a lot of cab floor work.

The 77 seems to be a better idea over the '64 as I assumed (but should always ask, lol)

 

If your looking at that one, be sure there is a good windshield. Those fit 54 and 1/2 of the 55 production. A few years ago the windshield was over $550 and then availability was questionable.

As for the original poster, I built my own box, flat sheet with a 45 at the top, a piece of conduit welded to the 45, and some 1 1/2" tubing for stake pockets. The rear fenders are from a real stepside box as is the front box pannel, I used 1/8" steel for the bed floot, but you could use wood or whatever you liked. Lot cheaper then buying then modifing a step side box to fit a strange wheel location.

I'd lean towards the 77 frame, the newer one has too much computer stuff to deal with. You could probably swap the 64 4x4 stuff under your frame, just thinking here.
Gene