Opinions on frame for 53 5 window ( s10 swap or original)

[essner]

Hey guys starting up my build on the 53 5 window again. I came across a s10 extended cab that's already bagged, was wondering what you guys feel is best. A s10 swap or using the original frame! All help is appreciated. Devan
Posted via Mobile Device

[Midgets50]

are you wanting to bad it or leave it stock height? if your gonna bag it and have some fabricating skills, itd probly be easiest to get the already bagged s10 and use that frame. its user preference i was gonna lift mine with a 79 k2500 but i decided to change and keep original frame and just swap axles and leafs
Just my 2 cents worth, sure some others will chime in.

[essner]

Anyone else?
Posted via Mobile Device

[rootbeer ride]

i'm trying to deside the same thing for my 51.today i'm leaning real heavy to the stock frame with a mustang 2 kit.the s10 swaps i've looked at on here look fine but they still don't make me say,wow,and i'm not real crazy of the way they look finished,they just don't have a custom look.imo

[rollinrooster]

Here is a couple pics of my '49 sittn on an s-10 frame. Fixn to put motor and tranny in.

[Kabwe]

rollinrooster,

I've got to tell you man. Your truck looks great. I looks wicked sitting in the garage. Nice pic.

[xpickup]

Hi Devan, I have done them both ways. S10 frames are nice because you can go to the parts store and get what you want right then and aftermarket lowering stuff is cheap for the most part. Rollinrooster has a great example of what you can do with the S10 frame. It is more fabricating in the mounting of things. Then the factory frame, 60 years old, hopefully not tweaked, but you can outfit it with a lot of aftermarket parts. All your body mounts are already there. It is all in what you want and or can get. The extended cab will be long so you will have to cut it down. It is all in what you want.

Shannon

[rollinrooster]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

rollinrooster,

I've got to tell you man. Your truck looks great. I looks wicked sitting in the garage. Nice pic.

Thanks man... If you ever get tired of that 55 truck let me know my '49 is looking friend to hang out in the garage with.

[mr48chev]

Each situation is a bit different. If you have a real nice stock frame I'd say use it and put an aftermarket front crossmember or xj Jag front crossmember under the front and swap rear axles. That makes it so much simpler to get all of the sheet metal lined up correctly and fitted correctly plus some states or other entities may frown on frame swaps.

On the other hand if your frame is damaged, rusted out (all too likely there) has had suspect modifications in the past or you just flat don't have one I'd say head on with the S-10 swap. I'm not a big S-10 swap fan but Looking around in my stash of AD truck pieces I can almost find enough body parts to put a truck together if I had an S-10 frame to stick them on. That would be a goods reason to use an S-10 chassis.
Being in Hawaii with the added costs of shipping and the time to have things shipped may be more than a good reason to use an S-10 chassis that is already bagged though.