Thread: 68 Chevy p/u conversion project

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I did a search but came up empty handed. I just backed a 1998 camaro ss 6 speed I bought Friday with 21,802 miles up my driveway that was in an accident. Still runs perfect but the frame is tweaked. I have been tossing around the idea of transforming my 68 p/u into a modern sleeper and finally decided to make the plunge. My question now is this.......have any of you folks done this type of conversion. Since I have the entire car, I would like to change out the complete drivetrain, braking system, stereo system, steering column, pedal assembly, fuel system, etc. I know it's going to be a BIG project but maybe some of you that have done similar jobs can inform me what precautions to take so I am spared some un-necessary headaches. Thanks in advance for any help you can render. I'm pretty excited about making it happen.

I haven't done this particular swap, but I've done a bunch of similar projects. I may not do it exactly like others, but here's the way I'd approach it to build in the lowness and attitude of the body without having to fosdick with the suspension later.

If your 98 has been hit hard and tweaked, I'd find a 98 that hasn't been hit and make arrangements to rent it, borrow it from the owner or whatever. Take it to a drive-on hoist that will keep all the suspension loaded (I use the muffler shop around the corner from my garage) and measure the dimensions and angles of all the suspension front and rear and record them on paper. You'll want to use a good digital angle finder on the front and rear control arms to find the angle of the arms at ride height. Now find a public scale and weigh the car front only, rear only and total weight with 2 people aboard and record the amount of fuel in the tank.

Back at your shop, remove the front and rear subframes and with them blocked up and flat and level and using fixtures to replace the springs, set the control arms at the same attitude that you recorded on the hoist.

Make a vertical mark on the outside of the truck body at the sill, same on both sides and measure carefully from the line to the center of the hub on the front and to the center of the axle on the rear. You'll want these dimensions to nail the wheelbase when you weld in the Camaro subframes front and rear and get it equal on both sides of the truck. Remove the bed and all sheetmetal forward of the firewall and chop the front and rear sections of the frame off, leaving the cab bolted to the mid-section of frame. Install new body/frame mounts and mock up the body/frame on a flat and level surface. This is where you set the ride height and attitude of the body, like I said earlier, so you don't have to fosdick around with the suspension members to get it where you want it later. Grafting the front and rear clips to the truck frame stubs with the Camaro suspension at stock ride height will give you the proper suspension and steering geometry that was designed into the Camaro at the factory.

You'll have to rig up front sheet metal and bed mounting points from the Camaro sub frames, but if you have the balls to do this in the first place, that shouldn't be any big deal.

Once on the ground, weigh the truck front only, rear only like you did with the Camaro and make adjustments to spring rates to get it right according to the angles you recorded on the hoist.

These guys can furnish any spring in any rate for any car/truck....
http://www.eatonsprings.com/

Most of that late model Camaro is throw-away plastic crap that's not nearly as good as the 68 pickup stuff. Switches, pedals and the steering column were engineered for that truck, are stout, and made for easy servicability and durability...why change? And I don't see the need to completely re-engineer the underside of the truck to install lighter-duty car suspension and brakes from a unibody car. Truck arm suspension from the sixties is the coolest of ladder bar style suspensions that is copied for many circle-track classes, and rides WAYYY better than leafs!.
It will be enough of a project to install the late-model gastank under the bed and piece together the fuel system and wiring harness.
Things I'd re-use: engine and trans, wiring harness (mostly) and computer, seats, sounds, wheels and rear end (maybe).
I'd sell everything else of value and buy dropped spindles, springs and stabilizer bars. Several places sell dropped spindle/disc brake packages for less than a grand that come with rotors either 5 lug or six.
It's upta you how you are gonna do it, but I'd suggest that you only replace what will physically fit from the Camaro, or be completely necessary. Use the best that each vehicle has to offer

o.k. T-Bone, now you have at least two approaches to the project. Maybe someone else will weigh in with a third.

Appreciate the input guys. The two things I enjoy most about the truck are the compliments I get everytime I drive it and the ride. The coil springs make the truck 'float' over bumps. It has a 327 that I spent close to $4,000 modifying in 1997 but that never has really satisfied me; hence the decision to drop a LT1 and 6 speed in it. Hopefully others will respond that have done similiar upgrades. I thought about having the entire underbody sprayed with black durabedliner spray when I take it off the frame. Good idea or bad??? Truck has virtually no rust and I thought that might seal it better than undercoating.....

I think you're trying to over-think your project. Check out Project Copperhead from the TV show trucks.