51 4x4 conversion-first time build

[Midgets50]

I got my 51 in the summer of 2011. and i am only able to work on it through the summers because im in college. at first i wanted to put an s10 under it but decided that it would look better with an older full size pick up frame under it

[Midgets50]

This is after my first week of work. i work from 7:30am to 5 pm so i was only able to put in the hours around work. which is far less than i want but gotta pay for parts some how

[Midgets50]

This is how far i got on my s10 swap when i changed my mind and started hunting for a chevy truck

[the1ted]

I would definitely look for older truck running gear. I have seen lots of modern conversions to 4x4 with older iron bodies, but I'm partial to older closed knuckle front ends. If you can find some NAPCO axles it would look so right!

[Midgets50]

switched to a 79 3/4 ton and just got started on switching the cab over to other body. not bad when i dont have any lifts or help to put the cab and bed on frame. gonna fab up some mounting brackets this weekend and try to get gas tank mounted

[Midgets50]

got a whole new cab to use yesterday cant wait to get it to the shop and try to get it to fire with the current motor

[f18delta]

I'm interested in this frame swap you've got going. Was it a complete roller when you got it? Drums all around? 42 questions later.... Looks good so far! I'll be watching this one for sure.

[Midgets50]

yea. the whole 79 was complete and running. and only the rear has drums on this, front luckily has pads. should have the new truck running before i finish with my swap. hard to work on it on a daily basis when its over 80 miles away

[Midgets50]

well after a few weekends of work and talking to my mechanic/engineer he said that i would have to mount the cab to high to leave the floor flat. i think we figured that to clear everything on the 4x4 frame i would have to mount the cab about 10'' off the frame which would make my truck to top heavy. so the new plan is to cut the axles out of the donor 4x4 and put them under my new 49. after got both axles removed and waiting for room to move new truck into shop

[Bierkan]

Could you tunnel the floor or is the transmission and transfer case too wide?

[mknittle]

Im with Bierkan.

[OrrieG]

Me too, you could work it in to a console.

[Midgets50]

the transfer case is pretty big, i dont know what model it is and i was planning on running the bench seats, so no console. plus currently my floor board only has a small hole in it other than that its solid. it wont be that hard to swap the axles either. current transmission has a pto point on it. The PO had a **** spreader on the back of this truck. anyone know how to tell what my tranny is? thanks for all the input guys

[Midgets50]

and the other reason the cab had to be so high was to clear the front leaf spring mounts that were at the front of the frame. so i raised it to whatever height was needed to clear them with my front clip

[Midgets50]

Got some more work done on the truck over spring break. Too bad the few days i had to work on it wasn't enough for what i wanted. Got axle swap mocked up and front temporarily bolted on. hoping to get more done in a couple of weekends when i go home again

[OrrieG]

When I saw the pic of the seat on the back frame the Beverly Hillbillies theme started in my head....

[Midgets50]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

When I saw the pic of the seat on the back frame the Beverly Hillbillies theme started in my head....

when my uncle say this i told him that i needed to turn the seat around because thats the only way your gonna get a good view when its being towed until i get it running

[Midgets50]

got some work done on my truck memorial day weekend. got my rebuilt starter put on. got most of the rear axle mounted but ran out of time before work came a calling. the guy in the pic is my uncle helping me get some work done. i was also lucky enough that the u joint from the 49 chevy is identical to the u joint that my 79 rear axle takes.