Thread: 47 frame swap

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I have a 47 Chevy fleetline that i got about 15 year ago with a hacked up chevelle frame job underneith it. The car has been setting for quite awhile and i want to start restoring it. The frame would be the best place to do so, but i'm not sure what to do with it. The way the current fram is under there now the car sets to high and you can see it very easily beause it is so wide. So i do not know which is the best direction, to continue with the current frame or find something that would fit better. I have heard mixed opinions on an S-10 fram swap. What is the best way to go?

I'll give you my opion, though I'm sure you won't like it. To me it's a far more practical solution. Others here will surely give you different advice. Then you can pick and choose.

I'm going to assume you've used terminology correctly, and therefore you have the complete Chevellle frame under there, rather than just a bad front clip job. Based on that, unless the body is of particularly high value (as in absolutely pristine, requiring no work at all to be cherry) I recommend you dump the car. Sell it as is to some other dreamer, or person with considerable skill, time, and money to rescue it from a near totally ruined condition. You've already learned the results of one poor frame swap, a lesson all too often learned the hard way. While an S10 swap may look better to some, it's still no piece of cake, and the results could end up just as bad, albeit different.

You'll be dollars, time, and enjoyment further ahead by starting with a better project. One that hasn't been butchered by someone else. While it may seem romantic, or macho, to "save" an abused project, it's a major, and often costly, PIA. The other alternative would be if you could find a very good stock chassis for next to nothing and start over that way. Otherwise, these cars aren't that uncommon that you couldn't buy a different one that's a better candidate for a relatively modest cost.

Thanks for the advice Bob and trust me when i tell you that you are not the 1st person to tell me that. Unfortenantly the car has a great deal of sentamental value. So the trick is to do a frame without spending every last penny.

techinspector1--No, the floor was cut out over the rear wheels and in the trunk to make room for the frame but the body is good.

If you need a frame a local junkyard has a couple of chevys in that era,I am in ohio.

Not sure which way i'm going to go, but i will keep you in mind.

techinspector1-My father-inlaw just put up a heated garage with a lift in it. He is an amish taxi driver and needs constant work on his vans. I have done alot of work on the vans for him in exchange for lift time. This was one of the reasons i decided to go ahead and start the project now, previously it would have been to difficult to do such a huge undertaking without it. I'm a toolmaker who got my start in a fabrication shop, steel and welding is not an issue. My brother-inlaw works at a body shop less than a mile away and is alway willing to give an extra hand. As far as money it seems like what ever i get into there is going to be some cost involved and i do not want to buy someone elses problem child and have to put a bunch of money in it on top of the purchase price. So i know that whatever i spend will be more than i wanted to.

Chipy - If saving your car is that important to you it can be done. You said you want to start by fixing a frame that sits too high. I was in the same situation w/a 1941 Ford conv't that I bought w/out a frame. I had to weld 3"x4" tubing from the front portion where the frame bends out(1972 Chevelle frame) to the rear portion where the frame end its bend back in. I then cut the outriggers off thus, ending up w/a frame w/straight rails. To lower the frame I cut the pocket out of the lower control arms & lowered them 3/4" which lowered the car 1 1/2" in the front. At the rear I cut the upper frame spring mount out & raised it 1 1/2" thus,lowering the back 1 1/2". There was a article in Streetrodder mag in 1989 or 1990 on how to do this. It was writen by the owner of the Rod shop that now is in Indiana.
As far as the floor being cut .....if the doors open & close correctly you are okay, if not you will have the mmove the lower portion of tthe floor in or out to get proper door alignment & bolted to the frame before welding the floor back in. With a sedan body I do not think the car panels moved.
You will end up w/a very nice driving car. If you are intent to proceed I will try to find a few pictures of the finished frame & E-mail them to you good luck on what ever path you chose to follow.........Don

Streets- let me know as soon as you find the article i would love to see it, and thak to everyone for all your advice and tips.

Streets-I'm going to do some looking my self and see what i can find. maybe i will get lucky and find something good.

I just bought the '88 and '89 issues of Street Rodder and when they get here I'll be looking for that article. If I can find the '90 issues for a decent price I'll buy those too...

After I posted that last I found the '90 Street Rodders on eBay and paid the buy it now price so I have them too.

I'm not interested in Hot Rod or Car Craft, I long ago got rid of all of those. I would be interested in some of the Rod & Customs and Street Rodders. I've been buying up groups when I find a bargin.

But rather than trying to decide a fair price I'd be happy if you just let me know when they are available on eBay I'll bid on the ones I'm interested in.

I'll look through my boxes and boxes and see if I got it. Tech could you put a link to the ebay # on here. Would love to get my hands on some missing issues in my subs.

OldSub- if any of the issues would help me with the swap, i would be very interested

Chipy it was techinspector who is selling issues. I've been collecting various magazines over the last year including any that have this kind of stuff.