Should I build up a second frame while I drive my truck??

[C10_ForDad]

Alright. The title may not make the most sense but bear with me. I have a local line on a C20 frame, its a roller for 150 OBO. My 1970 is a C10, they are both lwb's and 2wd. Im thinking while I drive and enjoy my truck to take this other frame, strip it down, paint it. Add a Porterbuilt trailing arm crossmember, custom trans crossmember, add raised bed supports, route new custom exhaust and fit a gas tank in the rear frame rails as well as set it up for airbags. Then when its all ready swap everything over to a nice clean frame. My frame currently is okay although its very grimey and does have a lot of surface rust, but I want to enjoy it vs it being up on jacks its entire life. What do you all think, take the plunge for 150 or not?

[HO455]

Do it! Great idea! Plus you can still have a parts runner.

[gmc684x4]

Do you want your frame and cab serial numbers to match is one question

I read a few fellows like the 3/4 front cross member more then the 1/2 using the 1/2 a arms

[Mts67C10K20]

For the price
And its local I dont think you can go wrong

[C10_ForDad]

Im not worried about my frame matching to be honest. The engine and trans arent original as is the front end. Its kind of a mongrel. Whats different between the c10 and c20 crossmembers?

[FRCvette]

I think it is a great idea. Thinking of doing the same thing myself.
On the lookout for a short wheel base frame at a reasonable cost.

[Greasey Harley]

Some states require frame and cab to match, or require titles for both, if they are bolted together.
This state (Idaho) can impound the vehicle if there isn't proper documentation for why frame and cab don't match.
However, they only check vehicles that are coming in from other States.
Just an FYI.

Sure hate for someone to show up with a matching title for a frame that you have a bunch of time and money into. Because if they have their name on the title, they own that frame. Works that way in ANY state.

That being said, it sure seems like a great way to minimize down time.

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

Some states require frame and cab to match, or require titles for both, if they are bolted together.
This state (Idaho) can impound the vehicle if there isn't proper documentation for why frame and cab don't match.
However, they only check vehicles that are coming in from other States.
Just an FYI.

Sure hate for someone to show up with a matching title for a frame that you have a bunch of time and money into. Because if they have their name on the title, they own that frame. Works that way in ANY state.

That being said, it sure seems like a great way to minimize down time.

You know I dont think Ive ever seen a roller chassis before sell with a title or anything. So thank you for the heads up, Ill have to look into it a bit more. Dont these frames tend to have the manufacture date though and not the full vin? Unless its on the frame rails under the cab Ive never seen a VIN on mine.

[Greasey Harley]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

You know I dont think Ive ever seen a roller chassis before sell with a title or anything. So thank you for the heads up, Ill have to look into it a bit more. Dont these frames tend to have the manufacture date though and not the full vin? Unless its on the frame rails under the cab Ive never seen a VIN on mine.

Top of the driver side frame rail, right beside the power steering pump

[RichardJ]

You should check with the DMV in your state.

You spend $30k fixing up your truck. Five year from now, a guy walks up to your truck at a car show and finds the hidden VIN that matches the VIN on his truck that was stolen ten years ago.

Quess who owns the truck now.

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

Top of the driver side frame rail, right beside the power steering pump

That's crazy, I just cleaned and painted the front of my frame on my C10 when I swapped my 5.3 in and there wasn't anything there on my current frame. Thank you for the heads up on location.

[chewychevy67]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

That's crazy, I just cleaned and painted the front of my frame on my C10 when I swapped my 5.3 in and there wasn't anything there on my current frame. Thank you for the heads up on location.

Is yours a 67 gmc? For some reason most 67 gmc's don't have the stamping. Not sure why

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

Is yours a 67 gmc? For some reason most 67 gmc's don't have the stamping. Not sure why

Mine is a 70 Chevy actually. At least from all my paperwork, but its been a mutt to some degree, the plate in the cab and tailgate are chevy but the front end was GMC. So who knows haha

[garyd1961]

As soon as I finish redoing my shop I plan to look for a better truck to tear down and redo. Then I can drive mine while working on the second truck. I may or may not swap the motor and trans out of my current truck to the second truck when finished.

[RichardJ]

Hidden VIN

[clay68c10]

I was going to do this same thing, but decided not to since my original frame was in better condition than the roller 71 I ended up finding.
I was planning on cutting and welding my original VIN sections into the donor frame so the numbers jived. Nothing shady, nothing stolen, just minimizing potential problems.

[RichardJ]

Naturally, it all depends on what kind of person you are.

[57taskforce]

I’m the minority here probably, but I’ve come to really appreciate the trucks that are still vin matched cab to frame. It just makes for so much of an easier process for registering them in the future. My 57 is on hold for now for this very reason, vin issues due to me swapping the frame for a K5 frame.