Wanted to do a full 7.3 swap, then I saw a 2000 f450 for sale with a 7.3. My mind jumped the gun and said whooaaa….a full body swap!!! My question is is it possible (within reason), I know anything’s possible with a welder and a cutter lol.

 

Depends on your skills, your equipment/ tools/ shop , and the thickness of your wallet.

Considering the frame/ suspension of the Excursion is not a known problem area or weak link, I'm not sure what the benefit of swapping to the F450 chassis would be (unless your current frame is damaged or rusted maybe).
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Well the frame is way better on the 450, also the excursion is…wait for it….V-10 lol. Was wanting to do a 7.3 swap. The 450 has a way better frame and the 7.3 with all of everything with it. Was wondering if it would be easier and more beneficial to just swap the excursion to the 450.

 

Really, you're wondering if "if it would be easier and more beneficial to just swap the excursion to the 450" ,,, that question has a very easy answer, and the answer is no.

As for one frame being "better" than the other, yes the F450 will be a bigger frame capable of carrying more weight, but that doesn't make it better for the application of being under an excursion. An Excursion should never come close to having the weight an F450 can carry in its bed be in the cargo area of the excursion. For a lot of reasons, but one easy one is if you load something that heavy in back of an Excursion , then hit the brakes real hard or get into a collision, whatever that heavy thing you're hauling in the Excursion's cargo area will likely come join you in the front seat ,and kill you as it pushes half your body out the windshield.

If you need to haul heavy stuff (like stuff you'd need an F450 to haul), then you're way better off just using the F450. Excursion's are great and all (like mine a lot) but they are not an effective replacement for pickup trucks in the hauling heavy cargo in the back department.
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Oh and also, higher towing capability benefits. Larger camper…larger boat. I’m just brainstorming.

 

Agreed, it wouldn’t be utilized for putting weight INSIDE the excursion, but more for hauling heavier loads by trailer at long distances. Especially having all the kids I have, the excursion has all the interior room for the kids PLUS all our luggage. Like I said just curious, I have everything I’ll need to do it. Shop space, tools, etc. just think it’ll be a unique build. It’s not my primary vehicle by any means, it now just sits while I stare at it and wonder what I can do with it. And how I can make it more suitable for the things I’d like to use it for.

 

Since the Excursion can't haul a gooseneck / fifth wheel, because you know, its an SUV and all, that makes it limited to bumper pull/ travel trailer style campers. And assuming you're not also stretching the wheelbase (which the wheelbase of an Excursion is actually pretty short compared to pickups), then you'll run out of wheelbase for safe towing before you reach the limits of the stock Excursion frame.

Don't get me wrong, it'd be cool to have an Excursion on an F450 chassis, but practical and cool are not the same things (pretty much every SEMA truck demonstrates that).

And have you ever ridden in a DRW truck (even an F350) that's unloaded? They ride like crap and will just about rattle the fillings out of your teeth on every bump. Its actually decently common for fifth wheel RV'ers to remove springs from the rear leaf packs and use airbags to get the load capacity back. That way they can tow their big fifth wheels to their destination, unhook and air down the airbag so they can ride around at their vacation destination without getting beaten up by the truck when its unloaded.

POST EDIT : If you're actually planning to keep the DRW setup and have a DRW Excursion, then I'm 100% on board with that. A DRW Excursion would be sweet (again, not necessarily practical, but freaking sweet).
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And let's not forget that the rear section of the X frame is different than the SD frame, due to the body. Again, not a problem provided your fab skills are up to the task.

And I'm here for it. I hope you do the project!

 

Hahaha you’ve made plenty of great points, that’s why I come here to seek advice and realistic responses. All in all…you make too much sense. Not a smart idea. Thanks for reaching out!

 

Just how big of a bumper pull camper are you thinking about? From what I have seen there really aren’t very many TTs bigger than our old Jayco 338RETS (41’, 11K lbs, 3 slides) that we towed all over the country for almost 80K miles with our, wait for it……V-10 EX.

I am assuming the “donor” 450 is a cab chassis truck, that would have a flat but narrow frame behind the cab, which would be less of hassle to deal with than a pickup frame.
I agree that a dually EX would be pretty and a dually EX with a wide track front axle would be even more cooler!

 

I take it all back, you NEED a DRW Excursion (bonus points if its also 4x4) and personally, I'd love to see one done. So please move forward with the project immediately and post many pictures along the way.
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And the wide track front axle, it’s a must have on a dually wagon!

 

I saw this one at my local Ford dealership a few years ago

 

I'll see ya, and raise ya...







Double or nothing...




There are dozens and dozens of these things, built and abandoned (sold) by their builders.

 

that one is just plain **** stupid to have that many fuel tanks, unless you want to drive across the Sahara desert.