1971/72 frame under a 54

[billthompson]

howdy from the blazer board. quick question about how well does a 1971/72 pickup frame work in a 1954/55 3100? is there a thread on this i couldnt find? thanks bill

[mr48chev]

I've seen a couple of them cobbled together over the years as 4x4 trucks and it somewhat fits but you have wheels way to heck and gone outside the wheel wells.

Even with the two wheel drive chassis most wheels are going to stick outside the fenders in the best Wyoming redneck cowboy fashion.

There is the I did it cheap with junk I had thing and there is the I spent the money to build a nice truck that looks really great thing but cheap chassis swaps and great looks don't usually go together too often.

[billthompson]

thanks for the reply. theres a guy selling one that im pretty sure has a 71/72 frame under it and like you say, it dont look right at all

since the orginal frame is gone, is there a better choice for a modern frame or is this a parts truck

[mongocanfly]

I agree ...the full size late model truck chassis are just to wide for a AD truck...I know it's been done...just doesn't look right...mine currently sits on one and i hate it....won't be this way for long tbough....
For a late model chassis the s10 is a very popular chassis swap......you can use most everything from the s10....skymangs has a how-to and joedoh has done quite a few as well as others

[mr48chev]

This is where you do the S-10 frame swap. It's a good choice when you don't have a nice stock 3100 frame to start out with. Far better in the long run than the big truck frame.

[Rickysnickers]

No association with this person at all, but would this work? https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/...668863504.html

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

No association with this person at all, but would this work? https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/...668863504.html

That is a proper AD short bed frame for 47/53 but it is extremely overpriced by what most guys on here will sell one for.

There is a cadre of individuals right now who seem to really prey on us "AD truck rubes" as they see us and ask huge prices for stuff many of the regular board members here would almost give you. If that was a recently painted frame that had been fully redone under a stock truck including new brakes and what not and was ready to roll under another truck then it might be worth close to that if you knew it's history. There are guys buying restored trucks that drive nice and swapping frames and turning around and trying to sell the complete rolling chassis.

[billthompson]

they try to prey on us too. they see big $ on craigslist for finished trucks and think they shold be able go drag grandpas junk up and ask 3 prices for it.

my wife has wanted a 54 first series for as long as ive known her so im always on the look out. shed want something she could drive with all the new truck stuff. i saw this one pretty cheap i thought but i noticed the frame it was on and wanted to ask them that know. thanks to everybody

[joedoh]

thats the right frame for a 1/2 ton shorty. original frames seem to go for more here inland than they do on the coast. I went and looked at one for a forum member a few years ago that had a camaro front end and g body rear and 302/350 from a camaro too. he bought it, rolled a 3/4 ton out of a field and popped the body on. his name is chaddude on here, it worked out great and he still drives it every day.

buying these trucks is like you say, getting more expensive, but I think thats ok as long as more guys get into it. I tend to buy the cab and front end from a decommissioned grain truck and then find a shortbed and running boards, I havent ever started from a complete truck.

if you want easy, there is no free lunch. swapping frames is a lot of work and so is keeping the original and having to replace/rebuild everything you touch. that frame on craigslist is a good start because you will be replacing everything that is missing anyway. the truck with the late model frame might already have a hanging pedal set and the work done for the steering column, so you could be ahead with a straight axle and a late model open rear, and you could likely use the engine trans too. If I was looking for a project and had that truck and that frame, I would probably already be working on it.

if you want expensive parts, try building a 41-46. we are talking $1000 for one rear fender kind of prices. most of those trucks got used and abused while no new trucks were made during world war II and even more got scrapped because they were all worn out.

[billthompson]

ive never done a 3100 series truck. i dont even know the termonolgy but ive done a bunch of frame offs 67-72s and a few 60-66s. i certainly in the market for a 54 for the wife. thanks again

[mongocanfly]

And to clarify in your #8post.. a 54 is not designated as a 1st series.....the 55 was...in 55 they had a 1st and 2nd series...a 54 and a 55 1st are the same...

[mr48chev]

There are a few minor differences between 54 and 55 first series The main one being that the 55 first series had open drive where the 54 still has the closed drive.

A guy in California used to swap the C10 front suspension from 64 to 68 into AD trucks years ago and somewhat made a business out of it. That still leaves you with drum brakes though. The 71/72 disk brake front ends are quite a bit wider and you probably know more about year to year changes in tread with on 67/72 than most of us do. That limits the wheel tire combos but gets independent suspension. I'm in the process of swapping a 77 Chev 1 ton front suspension under a 51 1-1/2 ton truck we have to get independent and power steering in along with better handling for my daughter as she wants it as a flatbed rather then changing it into a pickup.

On my 48 I am using an Industrial chassis Dakota crossmember and Dodge Dakota steering and A arms and springs with big Dodge pickup brakes on the front and a Ford 9 inch in the rear. I'll have a bit under 900 in the front suspension after buying the crossmember and rebuilding the Dakota front A arms that I already have. I bought a dead Dakota for 200, sold some parts, pulled the control arms and steering and sold the hulk to a wrecking yard for 100. There are lots of ways to go.

[billthompson]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

There are a few minor differences between 54 and 55 first series The main one being that the 55 first series had open drive where the 54 still has the closed drive.

A guy in California used to swap the C10 front suspension from 64 to 68 into AD trucks years ago and somewhat made a business out of it. That still leaves you with drum brakes though. The 71/72 disk brake front ends are quite a bit wider and you probably know more about year to year changes in tread with on 67/72 than most of us do. That limits the wheel tire combos but gets independent suspension. I'm in the process of swapping a 77 Chev 1 ton front suspension under a 51 1-1/2 ton truck we have to get independent and power steering in along with better handling for my daughter as she wants it as a flatbed rather then changing it into a pickup.

On my 48 I am using an Industrial chassis Dakota crossmember and Dodge Dakota steering and A arms and springs with big Dodge pickup brakes on the front and a Ford 9 inch in the rear. I'll have a bit under 900 in the front suspension after buying the crossmember and rebuilding the Dakota front A arms that I already have. I bought a dead Dakota for 200, sold some parts, pulled the control arms and steering and sold the hulk to a wrecking yard for 100. There are lots of ways to go.

theres a guy here that uses 90s pickup front ends....not sure about the details

[billthompson]

she just likes the grill on them. i found her a 1954 school buss with a pretty grill and she just gave me that look...