When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I just bought a 57 Custom Cab that is in orignal condition
and would be a good restoration project. I'm not sure if I want to go back original or Hot Rod. I been working with 68-74 trucks
and I'm not sure about dropping a 57 body on to a late model
chassis. I'm parting out a 81 f150 for the engine and transmission. It was rolled over and the body is trash, but the
chassis is fine. I was wondering how involved it would be to either put the 57 onto the 81 chassis, or a 69 chassis I have. I was thinking of putting it on the 81 with a 302/c6. What your thought's.
Hey John, he's kinda in the aisle on this one. I've seen car bodies on 4X4 chassis before so what you are proposing is possible. Just don't know all the headaches you will have to endure till the job is finished.
Phil, do you think that pew doesn't have anyone over there that can answer his question. Maybe he could have qualified the question by saying I can't get any help on the 48-60, can you guys help? All these different forums were put in to get the best help for your questions.
Whattayathink?
John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01
NC Chapter
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.
John, I don't think there is answer for him. This is just one of those projects that you deceide you are going to do and jump in. His question covers too wide a spectrum. Start the job and ask specific questions as you go.
I appreciate you all hashing this over. I knew I was in the
wrong pew when I posted it here, but as John said the other
form wasn't responding at all. The trucks I normally work with
are 68-74, and I've always been able to find answers here, so I figured why not ask.
I did some measuring and found that the 81 chassis is not the
way to go, to wide in the front, but I have a 74 chassis,and the
frame is the same width at the front. A rough measurement on the
wheel base is close, and across the rear axle it's 5 inches wider. If I decide to not stay original, I'm planning to go with the 74 chassis, 306/c6. Should be fun!
Sorry Jeff, but I guess you already knew that the best are on this forum. We all hope that as the site grows that there will be good responders on all of the forums.
Is the track wider on the 81 or just the frame rails. I wish that I had paid a little better attention, when I decided to not put my 66 on the 76 chassis. There have been others here that say it will work.
I wish you the best with your decision on the remodel.
John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01
NC Chapter
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.
I found the track quite a bit wider on the 81. If I remember right the frame was 12 inches wider at the front. I'm also considering a suspension upgrade on the original chassis. No rush though, I'm currently working on a 70 camper special I bought. The 57 is on the back burner and I'm just collecting ideas for it right now.
jeff
70 250 camper special 460/c6
72 f100 302
57 custom cab ?? who knows how it will end up
[FONT COLOR="#0000ff" SIZE="3" FACE="Veranda"]
All this talk about church.... what are you guys trying to do around here. :-) My thoughts are that you're not likely to find a consensus about which route you should or shouldn't take on a project like this. For instance, I'll tell you "keep the 57 all original". Here's what I think you really need to do:
1. Do some "soul searching" (fits the religious motif you guys started) and really try to figure out what it is you want/hope to get out of the project;
2. Realistically plan the project out within YOUR budget, not John's or Ken's;
3. Get the tape measure out and look at as many donor/other project trucks as you can;
4. Say a prayer and start cutting/pasting; (The latter step arguably might be best performed first so you can't talk yourself right out of the project before you start).