You can have a chassis that looks like mine if you go with a custom made like chuck mentions -> Custom Chassis

 

1. Really? Never messed with wheelbase changes, setting pinion angles, making a driveshaft, fabricating structural brackets, etc when doing cab corners.

2. For some it is the way to go.

3. The idea of upgrading the stock frame is to get modern suspension, brakes and steering. I have a 51 frame with 1986 Jag IFS, rack and pinion steering, 4 piston disc brakes. 2000 Dakota springs and a GM 10 bolt rear. Low buck and works. I cant afford a Morrison chassis so I make due.

4. So George how long have you been working on this swap and could we see pics?
My 37 buick build took a year almost to the day starting the build to driving down the road, slideshow is on youtube.
I could do a truck faster and probably will in the future since I have a spare cab and bed with no frame. I want to see if the explorer frame is an option for me. Pics?

 

#1 Seriously??? You may be able to bolt or weld the cab onto the chassis, but there's a ton of less obvious problems to solve such as the steering column and pedals will be offset to the left of the seat center since the newer cab was much wider, The steering wheel will be in your lap since the engine/firewall is further back, Firewall and dash is structural in the F1s F100s, so cutting them out and replacing them is no easy task. The front sheet metal is aligned and supported off the OEM radiator support. Just to start naming a multitude of details needing work. There's a LOT of more complex fab work than welding a corner patch. Someone who has only welded in a patch is highly unlikely to successfully complete a chassis swap.
#2 Have you priced out the labor cost to have someone else do a chassis swap if you don't have all the skills, time, equipment, shop space to do it yourself or to purchase all the equipment and parts needed? Or the loss incurred when they scrap the uncompleted project that was way over their head?
#3 It's a he!! of a lot easier to add a modern suspension to the stock frame! The front and rear suspension doesn't care of the connection/support is older or newer, any more than it cares how old the body sitting on top of it is, it won't work significantly better or worse. The return for $ and hours spent to do a full suspension upgrade or chassis swap is very poor, A modern suspension "advantage" over updated OEM is WAY overrated in actual use. I personally find NOTHING compelling about the Explorer chassis or suspension, it's a completely unremarkable vehicle! ( Aside: it was the #1 vehicle turned in under the "cash for clunkers" program!) Mostly just ego wash and bragging rights for the Sunday lawn chair show crowd. If they have the skills to do the work go for it, but most that have the skills and knowledge know what headaches they are in for and take the easier route. Many would rather drive their truck than spend hundreds of hours locked in the garage or fall over a pile of parts for years.
#4 I must be looking at different pictures of a explorer chassis vs an F100 chassis, there looks to be a much larger rear kick up than a 2" difference, the explorer is quite swayback in the center compared to the F100. True, I have never found a compelling reason to actually measure one.
I do have the skills equipment and space to do a chassis swap if the right donor was available, but I also have the experience and understanding, and foresight to know when to walk away from a project that isn't worth it, so I wouldn't do it. I could design and build a vehicle from just a drivetrain and pile of raw metal If I wanted to. Would I? NOPE, not worth it, there are a lot of easier and more practical ways to get there.
#5 One needs to be able to rationally and realistically assess their abilities, priorities, needs and desires before leaping in with both feet.

 

George, Are you keeping the EFI? Will you use the Exploder's A/C system? ABS?

Don't forget to discuss the swap with your local DMV early on; they go off frame serial numbers, so I assume this will be titled as an Explorer?

 

well, I can tell one thing some of you have no idea what your talking about! some of you are talking crazy, you have no idea!! just because someone wants to scrap the original chassis and put a real one under it you try to bad mouth everything!! why would you have to change the pinion angle? or cut driveshaft? your swapping out the whole chassis, the steering wheel will be in your lap, crazy talk!! why would the firewall be farther back?? armchair mechanics some of you need to keep your opinions to yourself, when you don't have a clue what your talking about!! do a search on the computer and you will find a lot of people that have changed chassis with explorers and they worked out great!! just so you know I wasn't going to reply to this message but I just couldn't help myself, I cant stand to see some of you bash something you don't know anything about, George.

 

albuq f1 I was going to keep the efi but after doing a bunch of research I found the PATS is real fun to bypass, so I built a carb 302 and am going to use a aod trans so I don't have to buy a stand alone computer to run the trans, the title im hoping to be able to use the 54 title[I hope] man I don't want to have to title it as a explorer, GEORGE.

 

Still waiting on pictures.

 

You should do some research there. I can't speak for North Carolina,(I just realized you're from Florida, but it still applies) but in Kentucky, Minnesota, and California they don't care about the body. It's all about the chassis/running gear.

California did a serious crack down about 10 years ago. I know that's the other end of the country, but it was all about emissions and taxes. How long will it be before the other states follow the same route?

 

This seems to happen very often. Some one comes to this site and post a very simple question about a chassis swap. It is usually the 1st few post,and they are unable to use the search function.

They get a great welcome. A couple of people, usually the same few, chew them out for asking a simple question. Then go into great detail, how they are so stupid to consider that, and how impossible it is.

It is not impossible or really all that difficult and it is done very often on many types of cars and trucks.

The real shame in the entire posting is usually the original poster seems feels so unwelcome and ridiculed he leaves and we loose a potential member.

The chassis swap post are beginning to look like a HAMB post. That is a real shame.
Opinions will vary I'm sure.
Larry

 

I agree Larry,

I've never done a frame swap but have seen several. The last one I saw was a guy put a 53 body on a Dodge Dakota frame & power train, including A/C. It was heavily modified so I didn't spend much time looking it over but it drove and sounded good. Just not my cup of tea.

I wonder why folks that have done frame swaps never seem to weigh in.

 

I still think it can be an OK idea. But perhaps one should think outside the box. I have an '84 toyota landcruiser BJ 60 4 cyl diesel with 5 speed, ps, pdb etc and a horribly rusty body. It runs like a champ and you know the running gear is heck for stout even if you hate Jap vehicles. I also have an equally rusty '79 FJ 55 wagon, 6 cyl gas, ps, pdb that I have owned for over 25 years. The outside tire dimension is exactly the same as my '47 ford half ton and the WB is within a couple inches. I can fix that with moving the springs back. Not sure about frame kick up, but with a tall 4wd shouldn't be much of an obstacle. In 40 years of rebuilding old ford trucks I have never ever not completed a project. I would like to do this swap with a 51-52. Anybody know the track width of these 1/2 tons? I don't mean to hijack, but am offering this suggestion to the poster. The wagons show up on CL with a lot of regularity here in the West and they are always rusty and cheap. You all have no problem using their power steering, so why not the rest of their well engineered components? Edit: The photo I got off the net. Mine once looked like that when it was my family car.

 

George, you haven't been on here long, so we'll forgive you for insinuating those of us trying to help the original poster don't know what we are talking about. I for one have been building hot rods and race cars for over 50 years. I really don't care what anyone does or thinks, but I have to laugh out loud over anyone "in the know" calling an Exploder a "real chassis", IMHO it's a "real" piece of crap with no redeeming qualities as a truck or a car. I'd much rather have the original 54 frame with droptop's Jag IFS (along with the Jag IRS given my druthers, but a triangulated 4 link solid axle isn't bad) or even the rebuilt OEM beam axle with Toyota PS, power disk brakes, and leaf sprung 9" (Oh yah, that's what I did chose for my panel) over an ill handling ******* child parts bin combination of a pichup and Stupid Uselss Vehicle chassis. And yes, I do know a little bit when it comes to chassis, my siggy of the yellow car is the cover shot of me driving my Solstice from the 2010 SCCA National Autocross Championships program. If you look in my "extras' gallery you find pix of my one brother's Omega pulling a 3' wheelstand, and my other Brother's dragster both with the Frank Brothers racing enterprises logo. I am the third and founding brother. I have written several of the articles and tutorials on here on such diverse subjects as PS upgrade options, mig welding, body work and suspension upgrades. This is not my first rodeo.
If you have to change the Exploder engine over to carburation and to a (shudder... dreaded) AOD tranny or spend a lot of money on a complex aftermarket EFI harness and tranny controller, the "real chassis" becomes even less financially appealing! Just wait until you try to fit the FEX AC unit under the 54 dash, or to get the hood to close. The pix in your album that I looked at just show a cab laying on it's back on the FEX chassis. I do hope you are much further along than that before setting yourself out as an expert in chassis swaps. Have you done any that have actually been driven?
I too don't know about FL DMV regs, but in most jurisdictions these days the serial # stamped on the 54 Ford frame rail is the ONLY part that legally ID's it as a specific 54 truck. Same with the FEX chassis, the VIN # stamped into the frame and the corresponding title is the only thing that makes it a 9X Explorer, Yje rest is just a pile of misc. parts. Doesn't matter what any (or no for that matter) sheet metal is attached to it is from it's still a 199X Explorer! Unless FL is unique (wow, is that an understatement!) The life of and ownership of the 54 ended when the original frame was removed and/or the paperwork that matched that frame was lost. In my state of NC your chassis transplant would first have to have ownership of the FEX chassis and the rest of the parts proven, Then have to be registered as a 9X Explorer or be given an 2014 assembled or homebuilt title and have the frame stamped with the new corresponding DMV issued serial number. From then on it would have to meet all the safety and emissions regulations for a 199X or 2014 vehicle. Another MAJOR legal stumbling block and reason for keeping the original frame over doing a chassis swap. But then again I don't know anything I'm talking about "having never done this before", so I'm probably just guessing wrong..

BJ I have done a chassis swap or two, so I have direct experience and knowledge of what it entails, and it's MUCH more difficult than welding in a patch panel!
I'm outa here now, I'm going to watch my good friend race his Pro Mod (he's #2 in points currently) tomorrow. "Might" even do a little pit crewing. while I'm there...

 

You are right, but the problem with the internet is it is impossible to have an actual discussion or debate because you cant tell the emotion of the person speaking. Everything comes across as black and white, either you agree or disagree. I tried to let the OP know that while it seems like the easy way out the frame swap really is not, there is more to it than it seems. Anyone who knows me knows I dont argue or yell over this stuff but it is hard to convey across the net. I will help anyone with anything if I can, but I also try to learn from others and my mistakes.


IMO the reason that those who have done frame swaps dont weigh in is because there may not be any here who have completed one. I did mine on a car which is more involved than a truck, I finished it, and I do not plan on doing it again (on a car anyway). There was no time savings. I can clip a frame or put in a jag in a weekend, forget about doing a frame swap that fast.
What tweaks me is someone telling another possibly inexperienced builder that it is a simple deal. If it were a simple deal I would not see so many half finished trucks for sale after an aborted frame swap attempt.
We know what the effort is to tear down and rebuild a truck with the original frame, now add in body mounts, floor mods, bed mods, potential wheelbase and track mods, and you see how it can get out of hand.
Doesnt mean I wont be doing one though!

 

I think it's about time they start a new forum just for chassis swaps. Since this topic keeps coming up over and over a forum just for it would clear a little air.

 

now to clear the air, I never said it was easy to do a chassis swap!!! but if you have the skills to change cab corners that you have the skills to do a chassis swap period!!
im talking a explorer the frame width is right the wheelbase is 1" longer which you can takeup when you install the rear fenders.
the bed floor will have to be raised up about 2"
also you will need to fab up the rad core support to the front fenders.
I am using the explore firewall so the new steering column will go right back in the original place as will the brake peddle and gas peddle.
I did change my dash out with a 51 victoria dash I had, my dash had a lot of holes in it and someone cut it up to put a radio in it, that's the only real reason I put it in!!
this swap is a lot of work and fab work but it can be done and when you get done you will be driving a 97 explorer down the road that looks just like a 54 ford f100. witch is just what I want . this can be done if you want to do it, George.