I've been on the FTE for a while now made some post and ask some questions and got some very good advice. I love my 50f1 don't get me wrong. But I don't have the money to restore my truck to original condition. I want a good very safe everyday driver that i can aford to build in my garage. with your help. I'm not as smart as a lot of you on here but i have built a few rods in my time. I want to put my body on an s-10 frame because i want power steering, disc brakes and i have a 350 TPI and a auto trans with it and the rear end iwant to chop the top and shave everything off. The s-10 wheel base is 108 inches long. My wheel base is 114 inches on my original frame. I want to take 6 inches off the front of my bed to make up the difference. I would like to be able to ask any questions l have about my truck on the FTE if that's alright with you or will i be seen as an outcast because of the frame and engine i am using in my truck. I hope not because i really like the folks here and really enjoy your input on what i have ask here in the past few months. but if not than i understand. Iwould like to heir from as many of you as possible because i would like your oppinion. THANKS

 

Personally, I don't care what engine you want to use in your truck. That's your decision. But, I hate to see someone start into a project fraught with as many problems as you will encounter with the S-10 frame. You can get PS and disc brakes without a frame swap. Most of the frame swaps I've seen end up with the truck sitting too high (which is okay if you're building a 4x4). You will also lose 5-7 inches of bed depth due to the S-10 frame kickup. Stick with the original frame and install an IFS for PS and disc brakes. I have both in my truck AND a 350/350 but I used a Volare front suspension.

 

hey man, its a rod right? who cares what type of engine or drive train its got in it... dont a lot of guys put in volare front ends in these trucks? I know we did in our 50 f1. its all a matter of what you can afford and be happy with it, not what anyone else is happy with. If I had the stuff laying around like you said I'd do it in a heart beat. Hell look at rat rods (i love em).. they're made outa what every the builder can find the cheapest. Just my .02, not that it means much.
-cody
p.s. Just to note, i've seen a few 48-50 f1's @ Super Chevy just b/c they had the good ol' 350/350 combo , kinda made my dad cringe

 

There are a few die hard, true blue Ford guys who might give you a hard time about your decision but that doesn't mean they wouldn't help help you out with advice. We have guys wiht all sorts of combinations in these old trucks. Mine is Cadillac powered, there are tons of Chevy powered rigs, a couple of Olds and Buick powered trucks, several Mopars guys and then there are the real wild guys who are using diesel power (caterpillar and mercedes if I remember correctly) So don't fret, you will not be an outcast.

Swapping a body onto another frame is not the easiest thing in the world. There are alot more things to consider besides just the wheel base. It can all be done but will require some decent fabrication skills. Its real easy to adapt a subframe to our trucks, the mopar front clip is fairly common as well as the Mustang II. From what I have read the Jaguar front clip is almost a bolt in swap, there are several trucks on here with Ford subframes under their trucks also.

Its fairly easy to upgrade out existing suspension, I installed power disc brakes, power steering, and a 9" Ford rear end in my truck. I boxed the frame for some added rigidity. I feel that my truck drives pretty darned good (even though I still am running bias ply tires....for now)

Just remember, measure everything about a dozen times from at least a dozen different angles, then do it all again. Once that process is done, start all over and remeasure everything a couple of dozen more times. Write stuff down, measure everything, draw and label diagrams, measure everything, take lots of pic from lots of different angles, and finally, measure everything a few times.

Good luck with it
Bobby

 

Claude,
Have fun, drive and enjoy what you build that is what counts. Lots of good folks here to help along the way. Good luck. Joe

 

If you have built something before, you are probably more equipped to build your truck than most of us. I am building my truck in my garage and am doing a lot to it.

That said, I wouldn't even think about a frame swap. There are a select few here who have done it and done a good job, but they will be the first to tell you it is a tough build fraught with problems to solve on the fly.

So, especially if the money is short and you want a driver, maybe you should consider putting that Chevy motor in the stock Ford frame and get it on the road. Then, you can build it up as you drive it. Believe me, you'll have more fun and inspiration to continue.

I drove mine for three years before really diving into it. It will be down most of a year doing the rest of what I want to do. However, if I started out with a pile of parts (as many here have), I may well have quit mid-way from frustration. I just don't have that kind of patience. But having driven it, I know exactly what I want on it and with the help of FTE, how to get there.

Use the K.I.S.S. method and eat that whale one bite at a time.

 

If the frame for your truck is usable, it is much easier to put an IFS under it and buy or fab mounts for the 350 TPI/auto than using the S10 chassis IMHO. I am setting mine up with the Jag IFS and 350/700R4. It is very straight forward. The XJ6 Jag IFS fits like it was made for the F-1. See my gallery.

 

I will Outcast you, unless it's a question about the cab or front sheet metal, or original frame if you go that way.

Why, Because I'm a Big Meanie. (And the "M" is NOT upside down.)

 

Hopefully AX will reply soon. Anyways I'd do the Jaguar suspension over the S-10. The S-10 track width is too narrow for your truck. You would have to run deep dish wheels which will look out of place.

Tips for finding a suitable frame:
1st of all make sure it has a similar/identical frame design. Which IMO the S-10 does not.
2nd, the track width is the next important thing. If it's too narrow/wide it will never look right.
3rd, Now the wheelbase is last thing to worry about. It's a lot easier to shorten the frame than lengthen it. You should never base a frame swap on a similar wheelbase alone, most likely there will be complications.

A frame swap maybe be slightly cheaper but you got to remember how much your time and effort is worth. This is not a weekend job which some front clips can be. I had over 200 hours in my frame swap and I had a near identical frame setup. I put my '51 on a '78 F-250 frame. I planned for an entire month before I even laid a wrench on the truck. I took dozens of measurements and made diagrams to make sure everything would fit perfect. IMO made huge dividends in the amount of time and effort required.

I feel the S-10 frame may be more work required to justify the final result. I'm not saying the S-10 frame won't work but that it isn't the most ideal choice. I have written a huge 16 page article on the process of my frame swap, there is a link to it in my signature. Good luck on whatever route you choose.

 

And then there are the absolutely crazy, wild maniacs who are running (gulp) Ford motors!

 

That`s me, give Ford or give me death.. Just kidding sorta, enjoy your F1.

 

What!?!?! A Ford in a Ford? does it really happen?? Isn't that breaking the rules or something?

Just pulling your leg a bit...

Bobby

 

... and some of us even like to run the motor Henry put in it... none of them fancy "over-head valve" engines.

 

Yep! I'm in the process of rebuilding my stock 292. My other '60 is going to have a not so stock 460, and I also have a 400 that (get this!) my S-10 buddy wants to buy!

 

Nice avatar,I thought this was the one place I could come to without seeing crap like that! I would love to have one that says "conservatives suck" but I was raised better than that! I was taught to respect the choices of others even if I disagree.
I thought this was a FORD board,I guess not,too many Chevys in Fords already,why not one more.