57 3800 Panel - frame or compinent swap?

[OnePunch]

Hi guys,

Im finally getting around to starting in on the panel I bought a year or 3 ago. I mothballed it for a little while because I was getting irritated discovering that there are only 2 types of shops in my area: Insurance shops who want things in and out in 5 days and a check from Geico, or custom shops who all saw too many episodes of Overhaulin and if you aren't spending $150k they dont want to know you.

That being said, one of my dilemmas from the start was what to do with the chassis and drivetrain. I think that problem got solved last week when I scored a sweet 98 GMC 1500 extended cab pickup, with only 61,000 miles on it. So I think that gives me 2 different possible paths to go down: Path #1 is to drop my panel body on the complete GMC chassis. Path #2 is to swap all the components (engine / tranny / suspension / ac / etc from the GMC chassis to the 3800 chassis.

Do any of you guys have any insight that might help put me on one path vs the other?


Thanks in advance!

Terry

[dwcsr]

Swapping the chassis may sound easier but to get it to look right outside you have to chop up the inside. The kick up can be hidden on a pickup but not on a panel. Use the 3800 chassis it far stronger than 3100 and isn't as hard to swap components as it may sound.

[Rude Dude]

Heed the good advice especially a panel

Originally Posted by dwcsr

Swapping the chassis may sound easier but to get it to look right outside you have to chop up the inside. The kick up can be hidden on a pickup but not on a panel. Use the 3800 chassis it far stronger than 3100 and isn't as hard to swap components as it may sound.

[OnePunch]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

Swapping the chassis may sound easier but to get it to look right outside you have to chop up the inside. The kick up can be hidden on a pickup but not on a panel. Use the 3800 chassis it far stronger than 3100 and isn't as hard to swap components as it may sound.

Thanks!

[OnePunch]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

Swapping the chassis may sound easier but to get it to look right outside you have to chop up the inside. The kick up can be hidden on a pickup but not on a panel. Use the 3800 chassis it far stronger than 3100 and isn't as hard to swap components as it may sound.

one other question if I may:

Since the end use of the truck when its done is going to be for advertising / light deliveries, would the drivetrain and suspension components from that 1500 Sierra be appropriate, or are heavier duty pieces recommended? Or would I be better off just selling that Sierra as is, and putting the money towards a different drive train?

My initial debate for the drivetrain went from small block 327 / 350 to finding a crashed suburban or something and getting the LT1 / LS1 out of it. The fact that this Sierra has the Vortec 6 cylinder definitely gives me pause, but yes you are correct that the whole "drop the panel body on this complete chassis" idea sounded too easy to be true lol......



Thanks again.............

[lynx5653]

73 -87 chassis is a good choice for a swap. contact ezchassis swap for more info

[OnePunch]

Originally Posted by lynx5653

73 -87 chassis is a good choice for a swap. contact ezchassis swap for more info

that looks sweet. I'll definitely reach out to them. Thanks for the tip........

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by OnePunch

that looks sweet. I'll definitely reach out to them. Thanks for the tip........

My understanding of their product line is that the 47-54 panel swap uses an S10 chassis not a 73-87 frame or a 1500 frame and the 55-59 panels using up to 87 frames not 1500 frames. if your 3800 is 55-57 then an 87 and lower will work and if its 47-54 your stuck with S10,

But by all means call them to see for sure

[yossarian19]

I have seen the GMT-400 (88-98) frames get used under a 55-59 truck, never seen a panel. On the truck it looked like body only *just* fit over the wheels, the 400 series trucks are a lot wider than our stuff. That was a 4wd frame under a 57 body.
The square body trucks (73-87, I think) might be a better fit.
Alternately, the 3800 frame is the same width as the 3200 frame, you have a lot of options for IFS that should be plenty heavy duty enough for light deliveries. Heck, with the Industrial Chassis kit you can use 3/4 to full ton Dodge stuff on the front and whatever 8-lug you please in back.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by OnePunch

Path #2 is to swap all the components (engine / tranny / suspension / ac / etc from the GMC chassis to the 3800 chassis.

I have a 57 Chevy.
Im going with option 2.

Dakota IFS up front for front ride.
Ford 9" (new) or other 8.8 leaf rear (explorer/firebird/mustang) etc

Will box plate part of the frame around suspension parts.

Then entire new engine and trans (LS engine for me).

Just didnt like having to make the EZ chassis swap fit with exetnded moutns and fabrication in the end. And my frame is really clean.

[whitedog76]

The Chevy Trailblazer/GMC Envoy swap is another possibility. The EXT versions are 127" wheelbase. The front and rear frame slide together, so lengthening/shortening is a little easier. The chassis is a little wide for AD trucks, but later models are a better fit.

Colorado and Canyons have a similar chassis too.

[OnePunch]

thanks for all the input guys. It seems the consensus (since the vehicle will stay utilitarian in nature and not be a hot rod) is to keep the 3800 chassis if in good shape, which it is. I dont think I would use the vortec V-6 from that pickup though, as I never envisioned that drivetrain in my panel and was only considering it if the chassis swap from the donor vehicle I have made sense. But it doesnt.

So I guess I'm back to my day 1 dilemma of either putting in a small block 327 or 350, or finding a wrecked suburban or tahoe and taking that drivetrain

decisions...... decisions.... lol


thanks again!

[mr48chev]

All I see is headaches when I see someone without a lot of build experience wanting to do a chassis swap mainly because they think it's cheap or what the cool guys are doing. More 47/59 trucks probably get scrapped because of failed chassis swaps than most other reasons. You would end up raising the floor in the panel several inches to clear the kick in the frame and most likely you will end up cutting away a lot of the front end inner sheet metal to clear the big framework and suspension up front

I have to go along with the suggestion of using Dodge Dakota suspension pieces. See www.industriachassis.com for the bolt in crossmember and a Nine inch rear in back. No hacking, no fighting with parts not fitting and damned little paying someone else to do the work unless there is no other way it will get done. The chassis swaps work for the guys who do all their own work and have the experience and vision to see the project through when they run into snags but the kits that are out there to do it cost as much or more than a decent aftermarket custom crossmember and some states frown on frame swap rigs.

[warrior9]

I did a frame swap on my 58 viking cab.
I put it on a 1998 GMC dually truck chassis. The frame is wide. It uses hydroformed front end rails and it is a different animal than the 73-87 trucks. I will post a pic of it when i get home.

I was lucky to just do the cab swap and built my own flatbed for it.
This was the reason I did the swap, mainly because it was the cab. Also because the original chassis was bent.

[warrior9]

Here are some pics of my swap.

[OnePunch]

Originally Posted by warrior9

Here are some pics of my swap.

wow that thing is sweet

[55dude]

cool viking! But a whole different animal. your 57 TF panel will be too narrow for a 73-87 chevy truck front end and their is gonna be folks that say it's not so get out your tape measure! S10 is too narrow so do some real homework before you get started. their is other makes of trucks that will work, don't limit yourself to a GM chassis. over the years i have contacted guys that were on forums and spoke on the phone and were lucky to visit them and their projects and very surprised with their honesty about listening to advice and finding out later it was wrong and waisting time and money.