S10 or other frame "swaps", why do this? Pros-cons

[62ChevyII]

Great thread. I have done two AD/S10 swaps and it is a TON of work... not for the faint of heart, lol. I see these abandoned swap projects on craiglist all the time. People get the impression that it is easy and quick.

The first one I did I had picked up a dirt cheap 48 5 window cab and bed sitting on a bent AD frame, I found an S10 minus enigne and transmission for $100. Sold extra parts off the S10 so the frame was free plus a little pocket change. I did that first one very cheap and learned a lot on it.

The second swap I did because a guy wanted me to build him one and it ended up costing a lot more to build because I had to pay more for the S10 and the frame ended up being bent and I had to pay to get it pulled straight. It turned out nice but it is probably the last one I will ever do unless I run across a super bargain on an S10 and the AD truck has a frame problem. Even then I would think twice, it is a ton of work to do.

I have done one MII IFS kit on a 54 GMC for a friend and it was a TON easier and much faster to complete.

The Camaro/Nova subframes work well but they are getting hard to find and then by the time your rebuild the suspension and stuff it gets expensive too.

I recently picked up a 51 Chevy 3100 3 window and it is a pretty complete, fairly solid ole truck. Someone's old school build from several years ago I assume. It has a later model 250 6cyl, car 4 speed trans and has been converted to 5 lug. I can't decide if I am going to keep it and fix it up or not but my plans if I do keep it are to put disc brakes on the straight axle, put a rack and pinion on the straight axle and also move the straight axle above the springs to lower it... Thinking it would be good to just give it a little face lift and drive it for a beater.

Anyway, I probably vote stay with the stock frame unless you have very good fabrications skills and lots of perserverance and are up for a challenge. The IFS swap kits are certainly the easiest way to get modern suspesion in the shortest amount of time. One draw back is if you break down on a road trip, and need to replace a suspension component it might be tricky to find parts where any auto parts store would have S10 parts in stock.

Like someone said earlier, it depends on the situation you find yourself in to really determine the best way for you to go to meet your objectives.

[cadman89]

Well I agree and I don't... First of all you can't do a S10 under a 55-59 because there way too narrow and you extra wide wheels to make them look right.
I am doing a chassis swap because my old chassis is just tired.
The front end has problems and the rear end is making strange noises.
I did my research... asked a lot of questions and talked to guys that did it.
I am using a 69 C10 chassis with a 115 inch wheelbase... one inch longer than the stock 114inch.
The frame is the same width as the original and the bed will bolt right on but I will have to raise the cab up about 4 inches.
I met a guy that used a length of 2X4 box tube across the frame for the rear cab mount and used the original front cab mounts ..modified them and raised them up and bolted them to his new chassis.
The 69 Chassis I am using is completely rebuilt. Every bushing and seal has been replaced.
The Engine is rebuilt and it has a 83 Camaro T5 transmission. So I gain power steering, power disk brakes, a better ride and I can lower it or bag it pretty easy....
I didn't want to CLIP it with a Camaro I have seen too many bad jobs and I wanted to keep the 6 lugs.
The 63 to 72 chassis works for me. Using a later chassis you can buy an EZ Chassis kit but then you still have to move the rear end up 3 inches to make it look right..
I use my truck as a truck all the time so putting a truck chassis under it makes since to me.




Scott

[57taskforce]

I'll chime in... I've got a 57 3100. It sits on an 88 k5 frame. It's got a whole lot of lift and big tires. I did the swap for a few reasons... My original frame was a bastard. It had a 14 bolt ff with 1 ton springs and hangers from a 70s 1 ton out back. The hangers were welded to the frame only on one side of each hanger. The front was a closed knuckle d44 from an early 60s 1/2 ton truck. 8 lug vs 6 lug. The front had a "custom" passenger shock mount welded to the frame made of 1/2 plate that extended 8" above the top of the frame. The 305 and sm465/np203 had "custom" mounts aka they were crap Cobbled to the frame. It also had a power steering box that was bolted up with out bracing that resulted in a few cracks around the bolt holes... These are just a few of the issues with my frame. I'm a 4x4 guy. I wanted to run big tires and be confident in the strength of the frame. I got the k5 with a corvette spec 700r4 with less than 1000 miles on it, a goodwrench 350 crate motor with 20000 on it and modern axles. My truck runs a body lift and suspension lift and will clear 38" tires at full articulation. While I realize that this is a thread about ad trucks my opinion is if possible keep it on the stock frame. If you build calls for more do what you gotta do. I personally would stay away from an s-10 because in my opinion it's a down grade. You go from a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck and swap it to a 1/4 ton platform. I use my truck as such. I realize some of these swap trucks only get used for shows and cruising and that's fine but if your gonna use it as a truck swap a real frame under it. If I had to build mine again, I would do it the same way. I wasn't really hard to make the mounts/ line it all up took a weekend to hang the cab and all sheet metal. I don't have to run the body lift if I don't want to, with out it it has about 3" between the frame and cab. My consensus is pick the direction of your build and follow that direction. Don't get distracted and don't give up. Sometimes it may seem overwhelming but take it a bite at a time and it will get done. It normally sits level it's got a bunch of junk in the bed in this picture.
[IMG [/IMG]

[cadman89]

I found some pictures I took way back in 2007 of a 55 second series on a 72 C10 chassis.
This was in St. Augustine FL.

http://www.jalopyweb.com/55chevypu/1955pu.htm