Cab swap

[busjockey]

Will the cab of a 1950 chevy swap out with a 1948 3/4 ton without any problems. I know a friend of mine said they mount different in the rear but will they change out without any problem?

[Bobb]

Hy busjockey, I'm not sure when they changed the cabs from a three point mounting system, with one mount in the center of the rear of the cab, but I have swapped a cab like this onto a chassis which used the four point mounting system with no major problems. I drilled the cab for the four point mounting system brackets and bolted them in place, and mounted on the newer chassis, no problem, hope that helps.

[busjockey]

That is what i needed to know. The 50 is a 4 point mount and the 48 is the 3 point with the rear mounting where it can move some.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by busjockey

That is what i needed to know. The 50 is a 4 point mount and the 48 is the 3 point with the rear mounting where it can move some.

the 50[I think} and newer use shackles like on leaf springs for the rear cab mounts.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by mknittle

the 50[I think} and newer use shackles like on leaf springs for the rear cab mounts.

Yep, I have a later cab on my truck because the old one was in really rough shape and I bought a doner truck for 50.00 back in the early 80's.

You will have to drill two holes in each frame rail to bolt the shackle mounts to.

Basically what I would do is buy a new cab mount kit for the 50 cab so you had new bushings. Set the cab on the frame and locate it with the two front bolts and use some wood spacers to get the cab up so that the correct gap is between the bottom of the cab and the frame. Then locate and drill the holes using the shackles.

Somewhere in the archives I have the info on how much space there needs to be between the bottom of the cab floor and the frame rail but I'll have to find it.

[mr48chev]

The 47/48 and maybe 49 cabs were also reinforced with an extra inner panel and possibly and extra piece in the floor board to be able to use the center support rather than the two side support shackles.

[busjockey]

Yes the 47-49 has a floor behind the seat and the fuel tank under the truck which I like. I may use the 48 cab it just has so much rust and the 50 model I found has a lot less. I ll just have to get the other cab home and decide. Thanks

[jackson]

Originally Posted by busjockey

Yes the 47-49 has a floor behind the seat and the fuel tank under the truck which I like. I may use the 48 cab it just has so much rust and the 50 model I found has a lot less. I ll just have to get the other cab home and decide. Thanks

what do you guys do about the vin tags when you switch cabs

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The 47/48 and maybe 49 cabs were also reinforced with an extra inner panel and possibly and extra piece in the floor board to be able to use the center support rather than the two side support shackles.

I agree an ounce of prevention keeps Murphy away!

[busjockey]

I dont know what I am going to do about the vin tag. I have been told by the sherrifs dept that I can get a title on the cab I have, and I will run the numbers on the new cab and if they check out I will ask him which numbers to use, if the numbers dont check out I will just use the newer cab for parts to piece together the older one.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by busjockey

Yes the 47-49 has a floor behind the seat and the fuel tank under the truck which I like. I may use the 48 cab it just has so much rust and the 50 model I found has a lot less. I ll just have to get the other cab home and decide. Thanks

Outside of the extra bracing in the 47/49 cabs they are pretty well the same as far as floors go. The big difference is the inner panel that wraps around the inside of the back of the cab to stiffen it.

I've seen one 48 cab that someone decided to put a tank behind the seat and it had that panel hacked and bashed to get the tank to fit.