need info....... last fall Ipicked up a 71 chevy truck with power steering, brakes and automatic with a nice 350, i have a 64 custom cad deluxe and Iwant to swap body of 64 to rolling chassis of 71. I bumpers and radiator adjustments might have to be made but does anybody out there know of any other problems I might face when I start this project. Iknow frame rails have the same spacing and maybe body mounting locations may have to changed. what do yall think I think it will work and be cool. the okie " destined for punishment" 64..........
Hi 64. Just a suggestion here. You don't need to swap the entire frame. The entire front crossmember, a-arms, springs and center link will bolt right in. ( I think drilling two holes is required ) Pick up a REZ steering box adapter and the power steering will bolt in. Does that 71 heve disc brakes in front? The master cylinder will also bolt in. (starting to see a trend here?). The rear end from the 71 is,,,,,, YUP ! a bolt in !! Dval
hey d valentine My first project was like you said a front end bolt on and I was going to keep rear suspension because of factory ladder bar suspension for the performance side of it. Igot this truck from my dad, I have three generations of this truck form my dad and granfather. and I was trying figure out wether it would be more feasible to swap all components or to swap rolling chassis. but in the process I was going to replace cab with another that I repaired....just cant figure which direction to go. and yes it does have front disc. theokie64
My opinion is that it is MUCH easier, (especially on this particular swap) to swap out bolt on components than to attempt a full frame swap. This is your first project? Take the components off the doner and bolt them right on. If you have a little help and patience, this is a two weekend job. (OK maybe three weekends.) DV
I'm working on a 65 C20 and purchased a 77 Silverado as a donor. Like you, I found that the 77 has everything I need for the 65,and I personally belive it would be easier to swap cab and body to the 77. Have you had any luck finding someone that has already done this and suceeded...? As I figure, there is only 4"of difference in my two frames, the 77 being longer.
well Ionce knew a guy that put a 65 on a blazer chassis and he was good enough to chop the frame and shorten the bed, i have experimented with swaps on these models but not this extreme yet. I do believe and understand that building the one I am building I will swap components, I guess it all depends on what resources you have. a wild idea? maybe find someone who can extend the front of the bed 4 inches, just a thought.
Since the first posting on the subject, I have been able to find more information on the matter, specifically the dimesions of the two frames, the body mount locations, reference points, etc. Being that I have both the 65 and 77 frame to work with, I'm going to go ahead and try to cut and weld the 77 to fit the 65 body. Never done a frame job like this before, but I have the time, tools, and resources to play with it. If I botch it up, I still have the 65 frame to swap components to and am not really out anything. I'll keep you posted on the outcome, but I am looking forward to sucess. P.S. I do believe Custom Classic Truck Magazine has an article this mount about a frame job.
Seems to me DValentine has it correct...easier to take the componets from the seventies model and put them on the sixties model. The other way you have to take apart two complete trucks...moving cabs ,beds trying to fit alot more things to places they do not belong. Its a cool ideal, but alot more work for the same end result. JMO Butch
I'm sure that it is easier to bolt on just a front end, but my dilema is that the 65 frame has the cancer and would require a fair bit of work itself to get it ready for the road. Perhaps more work than what it would take to do the 77.
well i say you go ahead and try it, sounds like tou have a back up plan and the truck i seen the guy left the inside of the bed where you could see the weld and i thought that set off alot of character please keep me informed of how it goes. the okie 64
I vote with theokie then! if your trucks frame is junk then file 13 that puppy. keep us updated Butch
