i have a 1955 ford i want to take cab and bed and stick it on a later model frame with power brakes and steering does anyone now what the best 1 to use thk roy

 

Roy,

This question comes up often. It is much easier to work with your original frame (unless it it totally destroyed by rust or bent beyond repair) and add power brakes and steering than to try and put the cab and bed on a newer frame.

Vern

 

I am sure it is but what are the biggest problems other than notting fits? I have just had a front clip from a 80 Mercury car put on my 56 and it was alot of work by a very experinced bulder to do it.

 

"Nothing fits" IS the problem. If you are a master fabricator, then go for it. Most of us aren't so we choose the easier way. If you have enough welding fabrication skill or a pocketbook deep enough to hire it out then great. I've heard of S-10 and Ranger frames being used under these trucks, but I have no details...which is the other problem. There isn't much information about full frame swaps out there. I have a friend with a 48 F-1 that is mounted on a 72 F250 frame so I know it can be done.

Vern

 

Ok now that you've distroyed our dreams please tell us what does fit! I'd like
to put a subframe under my 58 but the 78 FireChicken I've got is to wide, I've
heard all day long Mustang 2 IFS, but try finding a cheap one anymore. I
unwitingly let a Chysler go because at that time I didn't know it was an option. And like MOST of us old & new gearheads I am NOT rich enough to just stand back and through money at it. What I need is a 58 Chevy then the FireChicken Sub would work, But thats not what I have so come on guys a little more real help & less naysaying.



Ron

rlangs58

 

The Aerostar is the cheepest IFS out there! It should work on just about any frame. I guess I'm the only one on the road with it and its GREAT, and easy to do. You can get a doner cheep. The wecking yards get 100.00 to 200.00 for them and some time you can get the whole van for that. There are some pic of my install on my gallery, 56, Me Time. Scott

 

Ron

I assume you have read the front suspension stickied thread at the top of this forum? That represents most or your options you will get real help on here. Many of the guys are still around that contributed to the article to help you now. Many of the options are fairly low buck.

Here's some more frame swap "poo poo"

I could be wrong, but it's my opinion that it's hard to find a frame swap "expert" because very few people want to do enough of them to become an expert. I have a few friends that have done them, and they won't do a second one. Vern gave the reasons. You have to invent absolutely everything. And when you are almost done you will likely have to re-invent most of what you invented early in the project to get it just right. You have to be very talented and have a well equipped shop or it isn't going to turn out looking nice.

I know the attraction of a frame swap is cheap, but there are many IFS swaps that will cost similar money, and require only a small fraction of the time and skill required.

That said, if you scroll back a few weeks this discussion came up here. There may be a contact for some help there. It was an S-10 frame swap if I remember correctly.

 

What I was getting at is that after the clip was put on it seemed like alot of fabricating that requires knowledge I don`t have . A frame swap may have been easier for me. I may have been able to shorten the frame myself and make the body mounts but don`t feel that I could do the clip swap properly and accurately. I have the equipment/shop at home. Maybe it is a case of where it looks easier because I don`t know all the problems of a frame swap , if I had a newer frame from a F100/150 then I would have done the measurements to see what needed to be done. I have seen a 54 F100 with a frame from a 89 short box F150 and at a quick look it seemed to be a nice conversion. I never got to talk to the owner in any great detail but he did say the the frame had to be shortened about 6 inches and that he had a friend do it for him. Mine is done with a clip now, just need to put in a 9 inch rear end for better gearing and a bolt pattern match on the wheels.

 

fomoko

The clip you had installed is no doubt one of the tougher ones that demands some skill for proper installation. An MII, Volare, Gibbons, Aerostar are much easier. Don't let me talk you out of a frame swap if it's what you really want to do. Just don't go in thinking it is quick or easy. It simply isn't. But it's been done many times. Just requires a lot of time and patience unless you are very skilled at fabbing.

One of the problems I have heard folks complain about is ride height. If you want a low truck, don't start with an F150 frame. If you want a tall truck, an S10 is not a good starting point. It would be a shame if you had to mod the suspension after all the trouble of swapping frames.

Just do lots of homework first. Which I know you are attempting to do here.

 

OOOOOPS , this reply ended up in the wrong thread for some reason . lol
Use a jaguar xj6 front cross member under your original frame .
Possibly the best and easiest front suspension upgrade you can do .
Gives you excellent brakes and power steering .
Parts are easy to get , off the shelf .
And they are built plenty strong enough to take the weight of an f100 , unlike some of the after market suspensions .