52 chevy on a 81 to 87 silverado frame.

[hotrodjoe1952]

I am up in the air about what to do here, will a full size 81 to 87 chevy truck frame work for my 52 chevy truck body? im going with two wheel drive.

Joey

[Indian113]

Before you jump on this bandwagon you take a lot of measurements and do it twice! The AD truck is unique and I think the s-10 if that is the way you want to go will fit the closest. I've got a nova clip and nova rear with CE rear spring kit. I know my frame will fit my Cab and box

[Dan Bowles]

Don't do it if you think you are going to get it low. The 73-87 frames have a front width that is TOO wide for an AD body. You'll get the same look as the guys with the Camaro front ends which are too wide. The Nova front clip is going to be wide as well. It may fit your frame and box but it isn't going to fit your fenders.

S10s are more narrow. A Dakota is better.

There are a lot of threads talking about these front ends. The search function is your friend.

[Indian113]

the Camaro front ends which are too wide. The Nova front clip is going to be wide as well. It may fit your frame and box but it isn't going to fit your fenders.

There are ways around that,I have a nova with 15x6 wheels with 4 inch backspacing,you can also buy narrowed Aarms and that will make up a lot of width. I have seen Camaro frontends that were narrowed 2 inches and that will work also. As you said there are a lot of threads about this and it can be done with a little work and planning. I feel a gm clip is cheaper and safer than a cheaply built Mll street rod kit.

[Dan Bowles]

Look into a Scott Danforth kit if you are wanting to keep it GM on a stock frame. You can go with all Metric components from NAPA and even add a rack to it to get away from the inboard steering boxes.

[BlueJeep]

I think that looks like a big bolt front clip, so the fullsize frame may work for this truck. The bed and rear fenders also don't quite look right to me, so you may have a compilation of parts that won't fit the "normal" solutions.

[hotrodjoe1952]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

I think that looks like a big bolt front clip, so the fullsize frame may work for this truck. The bed and rear fenders also don't quite look right to me, so you may have a compilation of parts that won't fit the "normal" solutions.

this truck was originally a 1.5 ton, some where along the way in it's life someone converted it to a 3/4 ton 4x4, they used the original 1.5 ton frame and did a piss poor job at putting it together, i am on the hunt for another complete truck that is 1/2 ton with good sheet metal, my cab is perfect and the doors so hopefully i will find one that needs just the cab

[hotrodjoe1952]

i want to thank all of you for your post about my question.

[BlueJeep]

If you end up swapping over to small truck sheetmetal, I recommend the s10 frame swap or a mustang 2 IFS. Lots of information on this board for both of these solutions.

[hotrodjoe1952]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

If you end up swapping over to small truck sheetmetal, I recommend the s10 frame swap or a mustang 2 IFS. Lots of information on this board for both of these solutions.

i am seriously leaning toward the s10 frame swap and buying a brand new short wheel base bed, new dog house and running boards, i found a 1991 long wheel base s10 for 200.00 bucks at my local scrap yard