Will An S-10 Frame Fit On A 50 Chev. Panel

[Dandeluxe]

I SAW A THREAD OR A LINK A WHILE BACK AND SOMEBODY WAS SHOWING HOW TO PUT AN S-1O FRAME UNDER AN OLD 47-54 3100 SERIES TRUCK . I AM WONDERING IF I CAN FIND A FRAME TO PUT UNDER MY 1950 CHEV. PANEL 3100 SERIES . I THINK IT WAS A LONG BED S-10 80 SOMETHING... IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT PLEASE SEND ME THE LINK OR PUT THE LINK ON HERE SO I CAN CHECK IT OUT . I AM WONDERING IF A 80'S EXTENDED CAB FRAME WILL FIT UNDER MY 50 PANEL .. THANKS, DANNY C.

[rico_bob]

I don't know about the frame fitting "on" a 50 Panel, but I am pretty sure it will fit under one! OK I am being a "smart ass" LOL

Yeah those are a great way to upgrade the running gear and suspension. As far as article go... They are out there ... just can't remember where I have seen one?
rico+-bob

[chevytruckfan]

Is the original frame bad? If not don't mess with a frame swap on a panel. On a truck you have two seperate pieces. The bed and the cab. Then all you have to do is to swap the body and the bed mounts. On a panel you have 2 issues. 1. Lifting the body. and close to 4000 lbs of sheet metal. Unless you have access to a lift I wouldn't even consider it. 2. Relocating the body mounts.

Here is what I did if your frame is good.

Find a 71 (so you have front disks) to 86 chevy truck and swap the front crossmember with everything on it and a rear end and mount it to your frame. That is what I did with my 47 panel. It took just me and my dad 2 weekends in the driveway. One to unbolt everything from the donor. The next to mount it in the 47.

[TooMany2count]

close to 4000 lbs of sheet metal

WRONGGGGG my 3800series panel/bus's TOTAL weight is 4410 lbs, info from this page look for the 3805 series w/the line by it, thats what my truck series is called. then on this page look for "Body, Panel" there u will see that the 1/2 ton panel bodies weigh only 1072 lbs & the 1 ton panels weigh 1112 lbs.
on my webshot pages u'll see that i hung my body from the rafters in my garage w/o any problems & it hung there for almost 3weeks


it can be done & is being done by ME on a 1 ton panel/bus (Large Marge), it not something u just jump into, but in reality it's a basic frame swap. on mine i lenghtened the frame 37inchs, swapped the front mounts for the leaf spring from side to side & used S10 4x4 Blazer rearend & springs(they are longer then the s10's). took some measurement & made up some body mounts. my biggest problem will be the radiator because the truck is laid down on the frame so its about 8-10 inches off the ground. but i'm sure i can come up w/what i'll need to cool this beast. ooo by the way it has a 425/400 caddy combo between the fenders..joe

&&&& Danny the best part is i'm rite across the river in Cahokia. so if ya ever want to check out "Marge" ur more then to come by

here's some links on S10 frame swaps & late model frame & suspension swaps.
S10 frame swap
47 chevy on S10 frame
S10 Frame Swap from Clark on HAMB
look for 47-54 chevy mock up
AD burb on S10 4x4 frame
late model front suspension under AD truck
1963-1987 INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION UPGRADE FOR 1947-1955 1ST. SERIES TRUCKS
more on late model swap
some GREAT general info

[Dandeluxe]

JOE,
THANKS SO MUCH!!!! FOR THE LINKS THERE IS ONE ON THERE THAT SHOWS GUYS CHANGING TO AN S-10 FRAME . IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU USE AN
S-10 LONG BOX IT IS THE CLOSEST FOR THE SWAP ..
I GO OVER TO CAHOKIA OFTEN... I USED TO GO TO THE AIRPORT OVER THERE A LOT. A FRIEND OF MINE LIVES OVER THERE AS WELL ..
MY 50 PANEL HAS ONLY 70,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON HER .. BUT I DON'T TRUST THE OLD FRAME. AND WOULD LOVE TO SWAP TO A NEWER S-10 FRAME SO I CAN LOWER IT AND PUT THE CORVETTE RALLYS ON IT.
AS WELL AS ALL THE DISC BRAKES AND V-8 CONVERSION ...
I HAVE HAD MY PANEL ON BLOCKS IN MY GARAGE SINCE 1985 AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEE HOW TO CHANGE IT TO THE WAY I WANT IT ..I WANT TO CHOP THE ROOF 4 INCHES AND LOWER IT . ALSO SHAVE THE DOOR HANDLES AND FRENCH THE ANTENNA.. NO BUMPERS AND LOW LOW LOW NO CHROME.. ALL CUSTOM PAINT. I LIKE EM LOW AND WIDE ... AND MAYBE A NICE BURGUNDY RED PAINT JOB.. I WILL PM YA AND MAYBE WE CAN SHOW OFF OUR TRUCKS OK .. HOPE TO MEET YA , DANNY C.

[55paneltrk]

I'm getting ready to start my 50' chevy truck swap to a long bed S-10 to use as a shop truck. I think it should be a pretty straight forward job if I take my time. I also have a 48' suburban, but on that one I think I will retain the rear frame rails to avoid the hump in the back end but I will check that out as I go.
Shaun.

[chevytruckfan]

Too much hassle IMO. All I did was swap the suspension. A early 70's to early 80's will work. I used a 71 for front disk. Unbolt the donor then align the wheels where you want them drill the holes and bolt in. It is about 2 weekends worth of work and I didn't have to mess with lifting the body no matter how much it weighs (so shoot me for estimating, they are still fn heavy) or body mounts.

[Dandeluxe]

CHEVY TRUCKFAN,
I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE FRONT END SWAP BUT I WOULD THINK THE CROSSMEMBERS AND THE REAREND WOULD BE TOO WIDE , I NEED TO MEASURE THE CROSS OF THE WIDTH ON THE TIRES FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND COULD YOU SEND SOME PIC.S OF YOUR SWAP. THANKS, DANNY C.

[chevytruckfan]

The rear is fine in the fenders you will need new spring pad mounts, and on the front about a 1/2 spacer on each side between the xmember and frame.

[TooMany2count]

how far do ur tires stick out??? on almost every swap i have seen w/a full size truck suspension the tires stick out. if they dont stick out what type rims did u use 7 what offsets, cause i've been told they will stick out aboyt 2inches on each side...joe