Im a total noob to this truck restoration "disease" so please feel free to laugh out loud at this query...but I think it's worth asking anyway...

It occurs to me that it might be easier to just put the 65 cab and bed on a good solid late 70s chasis that already has the power steering, disc brakes and 300-6 that I want...Rather than scrounge up the pieces and beat them into place on the old 65.

I know there are probably some frame dimension issues but is this a valid approach to modernizing the old ride?

 

It is an alternative approach but with that you will also run into the need for modifications, specifically all the mounting points body to frame. If I recall correctly you were looking at power steering? Or was it a steering column? Just an opinion but you sort of need to have a good think on what you want the end result to be from your build or restoration, how much your REALLY willing to spend on it (money and time - then double that amount), take some time and read through this forum and see what many others have already done and gone through. This forum is an incredible tool well worth supporting for a few bucks. Best of luck to you on your build...

 

Everything to the rear cab mount is a direct bolt on. The cab on the 78 is longer so the mount will need to be moved. The wheel base is a few inches longer so that will need to be addressed is a long bed.

Make sure Alaska is OK with re framing a vehicle.

Garbz

 

Thanks guys for those bits of wisdom. I have spent the summer thinking about what I want to end up with in this truck. I first wanted to keep it all original. And still like that idea. But I didnt get it to look at or show...I got it to drive. And I have been driving it a bit - at least enough to appreciate the added safety and drivability of power disc brakes and power steering. So Ive convinced myself to try and do those mods in the name of safety. And...to help keep Mrs. Nehi on board with the project (she's not loving the hard steering, brake stomping workout).

 

+2 on Garbz with 1 word added "bed" so the bed mounts will have to be moved. There is 4in added to the back of the cab & behind the rear mount starting in 73.

Not seen anyone yet do it without removing the hood, but if you lift the cab & front clip together, roll one chassis out and the other back under you wont have to re-align the fenders. The rear wheel appearance in the opening will be different. BUT, this is very doable.

1st check with Alaska DMV to see what is required to swap the VIN. The go to VIN is stamped on top of the passenger side in two places. NC told me that we could attach a NC VIN.


John

 

Like they said above. Mounts up fine until you get to the back of cab area since they added 2" I believe? To the 73-79 cabs. You will have to play with the wheelbase if you want to keep the right gap from cab to bed as factory and have the rear wheels centered in the bed wheel well

 

Yep...as mentioned no matter what approach you take when you move away from the stock configuration you are modifying something. If I put later model axles in my 64 to gain disc brakes and possibly power steering plus go from 4:56 to 3:73, I think the axle tubes and axles would need shortening, steering box and column / shaft mod, etc. Or I could have put my 64 on a later model 4x4 frame but then...the snowball starts when you head away from stock config...have fun!

 

My 30 years of carpentry experience at the time using a 25ft 3/4 wide tape read 4in extended at the rear of the cab on the one that I measured.


John