Hello all, I have a 1970 F350 chassie that used to be an RV with a 390 , C6 front disk and everything is new from the radiator back including brakes, I just come across an ad for a 1952 F3 cab, could this cab be made to fit on the F350 chassie with reasonable effort?

 

The cab is the easy part, it's everything else that won't be a reasonable effort (unless all you want is a cab on a chassis). It would be much easier putting your donor drivetrain in a complete early truck.

 

Different problems doing both. I looked into swapping chassis' for my build, there are pros and cons for either ways.

If all you have is the cab, then yah, go that route. There are a few members on here in the process of such a build, I have an F-600 so I have a much thicker frame so some things aren't an issue for me to use it (I'm doing a 4x4 build). I'll dig up some links I have and post them, they'll be a bit different as far as what chassis was being used, but you'll have the same obstacles.

 

Some of these are different years than what you're looking at, and different chassis, but it will give you an idea...
(most are for half tons, and they usually use s-10s for the swap cause things are so close, but that won't get you a large truck...)

swap1


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=212525


FullSizeBronco.com - 78 - 96 Ford Bronco offroad club, forums, tech, installs

Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List - THE H.A.M.B.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...6-f-100-a.html

 

I can get the F3 chassie less engine and trans, but my thought was I wouldn't be able to use the front disk I already have, also I forgot to mention I already have a 8' by 10 ' flatbed on the 350 frame with a 3' gap between cab and flatbed

 

If it's already apart, it might just be easier to put it on the newer chassis, but I say this not having done it myself only researched it. One of the difficulties is getting the bed to be the right height, but since you're using a flat bed that won't really be an issue, it's only really an issue with boxes.

If it was me, I'd put it all on the 350, but thats easy for me to say as I don't have to actually do it, and have only researched it. You may find you'll have to do some frame cutting or what not in the front to get the front clip to go on right, either way you look at it it's going to take some playing around, might have to cut the firewall and floor, things like that. But I think you might be happier with the end result.

 

Sell them both and start fresh, there are lots of easier projects around!

 

Best advice so far!
Serious answer:
First you need to decide what your truck will be when it grows up. Then you need to decide if you are taking the best/most realistic path towards that goal. Using parts just because you have them is an almost sure formula for costing much more and/or ending up with an unfinished *******ized project destined for the scrap yard.
Next take a critical assessment of your mechanical and metal working skills, your shop space, your equipment, and your budget.
A frame swap is one of the most complex builds you can take on. These are not plastic model kits where you cut a notch here grind a little there, slop on a gob of glue and it's good to go. Here the finished product must actually function, requiring a lot of mechanical improvising, The metal work likely will need both repair from ravages of age and to fit together, and do it all safely so as to not put you, your loved ones and innocent other people on the road at risk.
You will need at least a 2 car garage or at least an oversized one car and dry storage for another that you can fully take over for several/many YEARS, with 220V service, a MIG welder and skills to use it to make safe welds, an air compressor large enough to power air tools and spray equipment (220V 6HP, 60 gal minimum) A large assortment of metal working and automotive hand and power tools and the skills and experience and vision to use them to do hand fabrication of all sorts of parts. You will also need a handy/large supply of various shapes and sizes of metal stock and hardware to work with.
Finally you need a ready bankroll to invest in the project. No matter how much you think such a project will cost, it will really cost 5 - 10X that much. There's a pretty accurate truism in this hobby: a running licensed vehicle is going to cost in the neighborhood of 20,000.00 by the time it reaches that point no matter what you start with. The only difference is how long it takes to spend that much money. If you start with a 500.00 pile of rust, it's going to take 6-10 years plus 19,500.00, plus a LOT of skills and labor. If you start with a solid complete body and chassis for 10,000, it's going to take 3-5 years and another 10K, plus a moderate amount of primarily mechanical skills and labor to install bolt in stuff and and if you buy someone else's completed project for 20,000, you can be driving it the next day benefitting from someone else's skills.
Which is the best route is something only you can honestly match to your situation.
If in the end all you want is a drivable truck with a small investment of time and money I'd suggest buying a 70 body and installing it on your chassis.

 

Measure your front tread width on the 1970 F350 from the center of tire to the center of tire and post the number. Someone will tell you the width of the 1952 F3 cab from outside of front fender to outside of front fender. I suspect your front tires will not fit inside the F3.

 

AXRACER speaks the truth! I am in the middle of my build on a 53 1/2 ton and I have been at it starting on 3 years and probably 7 grand into it and still have 3 or 4 years to go and possible another 7 or 8 grand! Them overhauling showes make it look easy! Complete rebuild in 7 days!!!

 

I have a picture in my somewhere of a F3? on a tonner dually chassis that was well done. I'll try to find the pic and scan it and post it. Unfortunately I don't have a clue as to the work that was done to make it fit. I have an F5 and thought about doing it, but have run out of time and money for such a project.

Like Axracer said about time and cost, I use the 2/3rds theory on any project. It will cost twice what you plan on and take three times longer than planned. Sometimes it works the other way and only takes twice as long, but then costs three times as much.