Jon, I was going back reading these before I delete them, and I (finally)
noticed that you were going to extend your cab. How hard is this to do? Have
you done it yet? I talked to a gent in Eastern Oregon who had widened his
early 1950's GMC cab, I think by abt 6 inches. Then I found out he has been
in the hot-rod business for 30-40 years! Not really an amateur! Bob K in
PHX.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peters, Jon C" <jpeters@sikorsky.com>
To: <JohnHuntD@aol.com>
Cc: <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 4:04 PM
Subject: [oletrucks] RE: Swapping AD body on newer chassis
> John,
> Some people have done this exact swap onto a 90's s10 extended cab frame.
> You are right the later frames are wider than the AD frame. The saddle for
> the c10 (73-87) is 3/8 inch wider per side at the front suspension, but
the
> AD frame is an "A" frame or its wider at the back than in the front. The
c10
> frame is a ladder frame (as most modern frames are) or straight rails with
> cross members connecting them. The 55 stepside bed box was used until 87!
So
> I think it would be the body mounts and the steering connections and the
> brakes.
> I'm currently making my own frame (all new) for two reasons:
> 1. I'm stretching the cab and integrating the bed, the original frame
> flexes too much for that.
> 2. I'm also zee'ing the frame to get the body really low, and not
> withstanding the first item I'd hate to cut up an original frame.
>
> This new frame will also have the front and rear suspension from the
jaguar
> xj6 attached which eliminates the required adjustments to fit the original
> frame.
>
> If you're serious about going the corvette route; a custom frame really
> isn't all that difficult to fabricate. I'm using 3/16 wall (heavy) 2x4
> structural tubing for the main rails and the rear xj6 cross member. All
> other cross members are 1-= diameter 1/8 inch wall tubing. I've got mine
> mostly designed and will start fabricating in a month. I am a good welder,
> but for the main rail welding I'm going to (he's really coming to me) a
> professional for peace of mind. I'll lay it all out and tack weld it
> together, he'll do the real welding. Then I'll position it in place and
> connect the sides together with the tubing. It will be heavier than the
> stock frame, t it will be stable and can handle all the power I can shove
in
> it!
>
> Jon C. Peters
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: JohnHuntD@aol.com [mailto:JohnHuntD@aol.com]
> Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 5:36 PM
> To: Peters, Jon C
> Subject: Swapping AD body on newer chassis
>
> Jon,
>
> We exchanged e-mails a few days ago about my installing '88
> Corvette
> independent front and rear suspension with disc brakes under
> my '49 3/4 ton
> longbed 3600 pickup.
>
> I'm wondering if a better way to put modern suspension and
> brakes under my
> '49 longbed is to take advantage of GM's engineering
> expertise and find a
> 'donor' complete 1970's or 1980's Chevy or GMC pickup,
> Blazer, Suburban, etc.
> that already has independent front suspension, a stronger
> rear end, front
> disc brakes, power steering, a 350 V8, etc., and mount my
> '49 pickup body
> onto that frame and chassis. I see these vehicles in the
> Baltimore papers
> frequently with prices of $500 or less, although I imagine
> they are pretty
> high-mileage, rusty and rough at that price.
>
> I'm told the frame rails on the 1970's and 1980's Chevy
> pickups, Blazers,
> etc. are farther apart than the AD frame rails, so I don't
> know which if any
> of these later trucks have frame rails that would fit under
> my '49 AD cab.
>
> I suspect somebody out there has done this, and I would very
> much appreciate
> hearing from you or anyone else out there about the
> following:
>
> 1) Which later model chassis 'fit' under an AD pickup body,
> and is there a
> year and model of later model pickup, Blazer, Suburban, etc.
> that is the best
> fit?
>
> 2) Are there any major headaches involved in the conversion
> beyond
> fabricating all the mounts and brackets to mount the AD bed,
> cab, fenders,
> etc. on the later model chassis?
>
> 3) For anyone who has actually done this, do you recommend
> going this route
> as opposed to sticking with the existing '49 frame rails and
> installing a
> later model IRS crossmember and disc brakes and a better
> rear end onto the
> '49 frame rails?
>
> Many thanks in advance.
>
> John Doak in Baltimore, Md.
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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