Quote:
Originally Posted by burnin oil
Joedoh,
19k is outrageous. I personally feel that if you can weld in body mounts a mustang2 front, or a 4 link you can build a frame. Square tubing is not that expensive and you could fab it to any dimension you like, including width. Now with that said how hard would it be to move any suspension to the old frame? Guys are doing vette stuff on the tri 5s. There are options and the original post was would you do it again. That means is this the way to go. Sure you can cut up a body to make it fit any frame.
There are plenty of suspensions out there but saying 70 year old tech is short sighted. Leafs have been around fore ever and work. The mustang 2 setup is 50 years old. Coil springs and control arms arnt new ideas either. How about torsion bar. Rides awesome and still in use by Chevrolet last I checked. None of this is new. You are just looking at newer engineering of old ideas. Sorry that is the fact. Now brakes have definatley improved but that is also swapable.
My 57 GMC is sitting in the que behind alot of other projects so I look at what people are doing here. Its a 1 ton and will remain on the original frame and from there I will mod it to my tastes. For now back up and running. Once its turn is here it will get a 4x4 conversion on a boxed factory frame with a cummins diesel. Love the style but I need my dream truck to be functional since it will become the daily drive at that point.
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sorry, saying "you could" isnt the same as doing it and providing the numbers.
19k IS outrageous, but for a turn key frame thats what it costs. you can buy builder kits that are are the components for less, but guys buy bolt on s10 kits and bolt on MII kits for a reason. there was a $2k kit to put the S10 components on the stock frame, Coach used one. there was a 1500 kit to use dakota parts. both required you to source your own arms and steering box. neither are in production any more. there are kits to use C4 components. kits that offer a better version of the top hat MII. they all cost more in component form, than buying an S10 frame. the cost/value is always what makes it attractive.
plenty of show worthy trucks have been built on s10 frames, there was a cool powder blue chopped and sectioned one on this forum a couple months ago. but not everyone is going for that. plenty of MII have been put on daily driven trucks that wont ever see a show. nothing is wrong with that either. I can show you how to put a truck together that will drive to work every day, haul a load of mulch or bricks without a problem, and your wife/daughter/mom can all get in and drive it without special instructions. all the controls match modern layout and it drives well mannered. its easy to have a successful project when someone else has paved the road, done what you plan to do. s10 swaps, MII, full frame, all those variants I described of kits and components, all projects exist in the project section. if you want a stock truck they make that guide too, its called the factory assembly manual, certainly nothing new under the sun there.
plenty of people see the real numbers in the cost of the swaps and say "I can beat that easy", thats a real problem in my opinion because you have hard data on the costs and the reality of the work and somehow you will do it better. well, good luck! 19k in a full chassis sounds high till you put a value your time and materials to get to that level. I am not saying I think thats the way to go, I certainly dont put hours in a spreadsheet for my labor. just making the case that for some it makes sense, and for others, well, they say "I can do better".
I dont advocate one way or the other, pick what works for you, and if you want info on doing an S10 frame I can help. at the end of the day YOU are driving it. what really bothers me are the hypocrites, the guys who have something to say with no real experience in it. they cherry pick the problems and harp, under the guise of helping when all they are doing is complaining. it would be better if they just worked on their trucks, even if they just need the facotory assembly manual, even if they just need an instruction sheet for a MII, anything. build your reputation by DOING. not talking or typing. "I'm gonna" never finished a thing.