Thread: Frame Swaps!

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I have TWO very important questions for you all...and any comments would help. I have a 50 ford sedan and a 52 chevy pickup. I am interested in performing a frame swap on the ford...any ideas for which cars would work best...I would like to be able to through a small block in there, so I would like to use a GM frame.

Now onto the 52 pickup. The original 235 straight 6 is dead. I dont want to rebuild or put another 235 in it because I'm not all that fond of the motor. Is there a better straight 6 that will fit rather easily...or is there any way to fit a small block in there with out putting on a new front clip. Or if i must put on a new front clip any suggestions about a car?

would an old nova work for either car?


Sorry about so many questions, but I'm about to lose my daily driver and I need to get one of these cars going...thanks for any input.

Taylor

I put a 50 Ford on a 76 Olds Cutlass chassis. The whhelbase was an inch longer. I centered the front wheels in the wheel opening. The rear end was too wide so I had to radius the rear wheel opening so you couldn't notice the extra inch. The floor was rusted away in the Ford so I left the Cutlass floorboards on the frame and welded the body over the floor. If you're about to lose your daily driver you don't have enough time to do this before you're on foot.

A Chevy V8 will be an easy swap into your truck. I think you can buy a set of mounts to bolt it in. The problem is the rear end will need to be changed. It has a torque tube driveshaft that won't hook up to any transmission that will fit the new engine. The only quick way to get back on the road is to get another 235 or buy another daily driver.

You could do a 250 or 292 if you want to keep the straight six. If it clears the hood, I don't think they would be any harder to install than a 350.

That STUPID steering gear is in the way on the Chevy truck and you have to move the V-8 engine to the side to clear it.

I use the "G" bodied GM cars for frame swaps. It is even getting hard to find them anymore. Mother Nature never sleeps and she likes Michigan sheetmetal. Guess I'll have to start using S-truck chassis.