Is a 1 ton to 1/2 ton conversion possible without a new frame?

[fabnsmitty]

I have a friend thats gonna give me a 61 1 ton long bed truck as soon as he gets the motor and tranny out of it. What I was wonderin is if I can swap in a 73-87 1/2 ton front crossmember without too much drama? I know the middle of the frames are different heights but is the front and rear sections of the frames different too? I was just wonderin if I'd be better off just tryin to find a 1/2 ton frame? I can fab about anything I want but sometimes the amount of work isnt worth it.

[fabnsmitty]

what i really want on the truck is the cab because its in great shape and i like the dash and windshield of the 60-63's. Dont really wanna have to buy a 1/2 ton parts truck if I can get the ton frame down to a respectable level. I'm thinkin about the 73-87 crossmember sectioned 1.5", dropped spindles and 3" drop coils on the front and swappin in a 60-72 rear trailing arm setup with 5" drop coils and 2" block in the rear.
I may even fab my own trailing arms if I really get motivated.

[sailed2japan]

This is just my opinion an the matter, but I think you would be saving yourself alot of trouble if you snatched up a 1/2 ton frame to work with. beware, though. 60-62 frames are differet than 63-66 frames. Someone else can elaborate, I can't remember the specifics.

[fabnsmitty]

i know 60-62 is a torsion bar setup and the later ones are coil but i think thats the only difference....also wondering how different the 67-72 and 73-87 frames are from the 60-66's.

[collins10672]

the cab mounts are different on the 60-62 trucks than the 63-66's.the front cab mount is different and bolts in the floorpan in a different spot on the earlier trucks and vise versa on the later trucks.the 67-72 frames are the same as the 63-66's,but i am not sure about cab mount locations on them.the 73-87 frames have a different wheelbase,the 60-72 short beds are 115" and the 73-87 short beds are 117.5".so you can use a 60-62 frame and not change cab mounts but would probably want to change front suspension.if you use 63-66 frame with the 61 cab you will get the coil spring front end,but will have to change cab mounts.you could use front cab mounts out of a 60-62 frame and mount them on the 63-66 or use the 63-66 factory cab mounts,but you will have to modify your floorpans on the 61 cab.hope this helps

[sailed2japan]

Isn't there also a difference in the width of to frame under the bed between 60-62 and 63-66?

[Captainfab]

You should be able to swap front crossmembers on the front of a '61 C30. I've done it on a '66 C30. Is that '61 a dually with leafs in the rear, or is it a single wheel with coils and trailing arms?

[sailed2japan]

This is just me reitterating what I've read on the board, as I've never done it myself, but I'm pretty sure that the torsion bar set-up throughs a wrench in the works. not that it can't be done, it's just not as easy.

[padresag]

I believe that there are only 2 bolt holes that only line up and you have to drill the rest
ron

[fabnsmitty]

thanks for the info and opinions on this matter. Captainfab the rear is single wheel with leaves from what my firend tells me. Is it practical to swap in the 1/2 ton rear suspension? Like I said I really appreciate you guy's input on this, I figured there wud be someone on here that had at least tried this before.

[fabnsmitty]

I'm not tryin to lay rockers with this thing. I just wanna have a static dropped truck that sits low enough to look good and just high enough to be able to drive anywhere i wanna go.

[fabnsmitty]

ok just went and looked at the truck and it is leaf sprung with dual wheels in back

[sailed2japan]

I that case, I say forget about all the rest of this stuff and slap on a flat bed and some stacks.

It's definately a whole new ball game. I'd look into swapping in a later model front cross member with some discs on it and getting lowering shackles for the rear and a drop spindle for the front. That is if you still decide to lower it. I think running a flat bed and some stacks would be easier, just as cool and more unique.

[fabnsmitty]

im not much of a flatbed and stacks man myself, efen though it does have a stake body on it now.....just not my style....if i cant find a frame then dammit i guess that means itll be time to order some 2x6 and 2x4 rect. tubin and build a frame lol. Ive built frames for 4 other vehicles, dont guess a 5th one would be much different

[fabnsmitty]

still seriously considering the 73-87 frame though. The wheelbase may be off a little but i can fix that when i take out the leaves and put trailin arms and coils on the back. And as far as body mounts and the radiator core support go, I dont think it could be that much fab to do if i used the old body mount brackets and modded the core support a little, if anyone knows of a reason i definitely should not do this let me know, the reason im leaning so hard towards it is because those frames should be a little easier to find and parts should be a lil cheaper imho.

[Captainfab]

I would recommend not doing this. You will either end up with a truck that looks like it's a stock K10 or it will be more work that you were wanting to do. I've done it and I wasn't happy with the results. Although the customer was pleased. IMO it would be much easier and less overall work to keep the original frame and just transfer all the running gear from a '73-'87 C10. You could keep the '73-'87 leafs or convert it to trailing arms and coils like you mentioned. If you want trailing arms either way, see if you can find a '63-'72 frame to work with.

Since that truck is a C30, it may not have the torsion bars on the front suspension. If not then it shouldn't have the X-member in the middle either. That would make using the original frame a bit easier.

Originally Posted by fabnsmitty

still seriously considering the 73-87 frame though. The wheelbase may be off a little but i can fix that when i take out the leaves and put trailin arms and coils on the back. And as far as body mounts and the radiator core support go, I dont think it could be that much fab to do if i used the old body mount brackets and modded the core support a little, if anyone knows of a reason i definitely should not do this let me know, the reason im leaning so hard towards it is because those frames should be a little easier to find and parts should be a lil cheaper imho.

[62gmc910]

Originally Posted by fabnsmitty

still seriously considering the 73-87 frame though. The wheelbase may be off a little but i can fix that when i take out the leaves and put trailin arms and coils on the back. And as far as body mounts and the radiator core support go, I dont think it could be that much fab to do if i used the old body mount brackets and modded the core support a little, if anyone knows of a reason i definitely should not do this let me know, the reason im leaning so hard towards it is because those frames should be a little easier to find and parts should be a lil cheaper imho.

73-87 truck frames kick up at mid cab, so if you plan on using a 73-87 frame a suburban would be a better place to start, but you will have to check the wheel base, I think I would look for a 1/2 or 3/4 to coil truck to startwith and save the grief.
Or you could get aftermarket spindles and use 1/2 ton ball joints and keep the torsion bar front end, torsion bar fronts can drag frame if the rear levers are re-clocked, but no one other than me seems to know that