lookn for any one that has done a body swap ??? I like to put my body from my 54 f100 on my 88 f150 4x4. thank you kevin

 

Welcome to the board.

Do a search for "frame swap", you'll find a lot of posts, most negative about frame swaps, especially on a newer frame. A post '72 side to side wheel width is noticeably wider.

 

OK, who's turn is it to field the "I want to do a frame swap" question this week? Sorry guy if it seems like I'm picking on you, but this is the most common question asked. The simple answer: Figgit about it! Unless of course you are talking about building a bas***d child of a monster truck and rock climber, then you are on the wrong forum. We actually are a very friendly group, but Rat Rods and Fuggly are turn offs, and what you are proposing can't help but be fuggly since nothing will fit.

 

I think this is a frame swap just as described... you can see the width issue

 

...and the definition of FUGLY!

 

Face it AX, you're just a purist!

 

Yeah Ross, but AX is actually a nice purist.

 

__Never even got his foot in the door L.O.L. But i agree I'v done a couple of frame swaps and there are better ways to get what you want.__

 

I for one like original but see the genious in a properly done frame swap. Neighbor took a 1953 - ish international 1 ton longbox and tossed the body on a 1990 chev 1/2 ton longbox frame. 2wd. Looks like it came that way. Perfect in every way. Fuel Injected engine, od trans, disc brakes... And on. Not to mention the ride and availability for custom suspension parts. I know you all can't see what ls in my head but from what I've seen from my neighbors project, I think it's what Kevin Ace Porter is after. Never seen it done on a 88 f150 frame but the idea is smart. Good luck

Also, the picture above clearly is not meant to look like it does, i hope. The rims have a ridiculous offset. (At least lookin at the tiny 1" pic ony iPhone) proper rims would be a good start. And yes 4x4 height isnt helping the cause ill admit. That is not a frame swap like I've ever seen. There's good and then there's whatever is pictured above. Look at the homemade cab mounts. ridiculous. Not a good example in my opinion

 

Seems like FTE needs to open a Forum section just for frame swaps. They could have treads on how to title a half and half truck, whats street legal and whats not, share measurements, share success stories and failures.

 

I was kind of thinking the same thing this morning. I think a thread right here, on this board, would be a good place for everyone who has done a successful frame to post pictures and all their successes and failures. It could be a real eye opener for everyone, pro and con.

 

I have seen one done on a 4x4 and it looks like it belonged there. It was back in march of 2012 and he went by "oldlugnut " . If you go to his profile there are some pictures of it.
He brought it over to my house and we took a little ride in it , road good for a 4x4. He said he bought it that way and some body did a great job on it.

I believe it was a 49 F-1 on a 76 to 79 Jeep CJ-7 4x4 chassis. Had a 302 which will bolt up to the jeep trany because ford provided their tranys . I never looked under it to see how it was done as far as the mounts and so on.

Anybody that is interested in a frame change should look at it as there is proof it can be done right.
I wanted to look it over more but i don't know what happened to him. I tried contacting him by email and PMs but no reply back. There is the possibility something bad happened to him . He was real interested in the forum , then no more post from him .

 

Jim, I think the key difference there is that the Jeep chassis is essentially a '50's design too, has a similar width and track and apparently wheelbase. It's also a leaf spring front end. Those can't be said for nearly any modern trucks that would be potential donors.

I would say the consensus on here, based on experience, isn't that it can't be done but that it is much more difficult, and the results usually much less elegant, than modifying the stock frame and running gear.

 

As with most things in life, decisions are made with the heart and later justified with the head. There are probably more than a few reasons why you would want to do this swap, and you are probably not too concerned with the naysayers...even if they are giving you great advice. The "I'll show them attitude" has cost more people more money than anything else...but sometimes it may even work. The only suggestion I would make is to take emotions out of the equation. Get a good picture of the truck when it is complete, use Photoshop if you can. Next go down the list of things that will need to be done to get from where you are now to where you want to be. Here is where your dreams may shatter, as they say "the devil is in the details". The frame that is under your 54 is basically flat, the sheetmetal is designed to mount to a flat straight frame...the 88 F150 has many more curves to deal with not to mention the width and the length issues.
IMO you would be better off selling the F150 and buying a later model Explorer 4x4 and doing a rearend/frontend/driveline swap into your OEM 54 frame. Good luck with your project!

 

Ross, I would have to agree with you on that chassis and i wish i had got to look under it. I knew it had the leaf springs in front and expected it to ride rough but in never. I never counted the number of leafs but the spring pack was still pretty thick. Sure don't know what become to him and never could get a hold of him again.