Swapping full frame '83 D-150 under '69 D-100 ?

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:19 pm

I just found an '83 D-150 here locally and it has a new 360 and they say most everything else under the hood is new also....

Would this be a good doner truck for me to use the whole front end including breaks and power steering? Or should I try the whole frame?

I just came to the conclusion that going to an IFS would be the best thing to do.... so now I'm looking for a truck to take parts from ;)

-Ron

Website · Post by **wideblock** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:55 pm

works like a champ. go to http://www.sweptline.com this is the site that merged with us a while back. but the home page and some tech pages are still up and shows the exact swap you are asking about.

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:58 pm

wideblock wrote:works like a champ. go to http://www.sweptline.com this is the site that merged with us a while back. but the home page and some tech pages are still up and shows the exact swap you are asking about.

Sweet, thanks... looks like I can get the whole running truck for under $500...... I'm going to go look at it tomorrow.

BTW is it not posible to just swap out the whole frame, or are there too many differences from the cab back?

Website · Post by **wideblock** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 4:35 pm

cab back on the new truck has a quite a bit larger bend to it. one of our members did this and had to cut slots in the swept bed for the frame rails.

soopernaut · Post by **soopernaut** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:42 pm

You can use the whole frame without cutting the bed. The crossmembers on the newer frames bow towards the top. You can remove the rivets and flip them over. If you are lifting the truck you can just put everything on blocks and not have to worry about it.

If this is a long bed to long bed swap you will run into a 3 inch longer wheelbase on the newer frame. There are several ways you can remedy this problem. I plan on doing this swap eventually and will probably try moving the rear axle forward a little then moving the bed forward a little. Of course I will need a new driveshaft. There is no perfect way of lining things up without cutting somewhere on the frame unless you change the wheelbase. You could also make a custom bed or have a large gap between the cab and bed. Maybe put some exhaust stacks between there.

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:51 pm

Well I got the truck Wednesday for $400, didn't run when we got there. but with in 5 minutes me and my bud fired it up and kind of really pissed off the kid selling it. Kid said they hadn't been able to figure out what was wrong and "tried everything". Well we had a quick lesson in ballast resisters ;) And made a quick jumper....

The truck chassis and body wise is great very strait and clean, when I first saw it I almost changed my mind to use this one as a doner, but then started noticing all the wiring problems and quickly decided this is the truck ;)

Now I have started making measurements and trying to figure out how to remedy a few small differences like the wheel base. Measuring hub to hub between the trucks I get a difference of a little more than 2 inches, since the rear opening angles to the back The rear wheel may not look that out of place, but it would be easy enough to move the suspension forward and shorten the axle.

As for the difference in the bed hight, I've thought of two possible options. First would be to put a wood bed into it and just build it at the proper hight. Second would be to block the front to match the hight of the bed. My guesstemate is the difference is 1-1.5 inches, but I wont know for sure till things start getting torn apart.

But driving the truck home and comparing how it drives to my '69, it's like night and day, to have power steering, power brakes and a suspension that will be easy and safe to lower will be all worth it...

-Ron

Website · Post by **wideblock** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:36 pm

shoot a PM to slick, hes a member here that has already done this. he would be a great help to you.

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:56 pm

wideblock wrote:shoot a PM to slick, hes a member here that has already done this. he would be a great help to you.

Thanks

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:44 am

DaytonaGTS
actually ramrod used the exact frame your lookin at Slick used a 72-up frame. Ramrod used the D150 frame and it can be done, thats a good choice, excellant disc brakes, and powersteering

Slick and Ramrod will have alot of good info for you

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:04 am

MountainMoparRobin wrote:DaytonaGTS
actually ramrod used the exact frame your lookin at Slick used a 72-up frame. Ramrod used the D150 frame and it can be done, thats a good choice, excellant disc brakes, and powersteering Slick and Ramrod will have alot of good info for you

Thanks for the direction to ask questions, just want to try and figure out the hard parts before I get into it.... and I'm glad to see at least a couple other people have done it. From comparing the two trucks side by side I've already figured a few things out.

One thing that I wanted to use buy doing the whole frame swap is the gas tank between the rails.... That tank is huge !!!! must be about 30 gallons, it goes from just under the cab all the way to the rear axle.. which doesn't leave a lot of room to move the rear axle forward too much....

66patrick · Post by **66patrick** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:33 am

The 128" w/b of the Sweptys vs the 131" w/b of the '72-up trucks issue could be solved with a simple three-inch cut and shortening of the frame, rather than relocating the rear suspension. The new holes for the springs, located so close to the existing holes could cause a stress cracking problem there. Of course, an improperly-done frame shortening would be a problem, too, but there is another avenue to an early-body/later-frame swap.

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:30 am

If I do relocate the rear suspension I can just weld up the old holes if I think they will give me problems;)

I think the biggest problem is the bed sitting low enough to line up with the cab.... The newer frame in the rear is 2" higher at it's highest point ( right over the axle). So I've thought of a few options: Redo the floor of the bed 2" higher, Block the front to match the bed, or my favorite option so far is doing a mini-tub just inside the edge of the frame. That would also allow me to go to a 315 or wider tire in the rear If I need to.

OregonDodgeboy · Post by **OregonDodgeboy** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:38 am

When I did mine in 1993, I was going from SWB to LWB, so I built a flatbed. So I don't have any specific knowledge on that. But IMHO, if you want to line up the wheel with the opening on the pick-up bed, I wouldn't go cutting any frames. That is what this swap allows you to avoid. Just tack on some sheet metal to the side of the bed to make it look longer. The beauty in this swap is that any stock part for the later truck simply bolts on without any mods. And parts are far more common, including aftermarket parts.

I'd say, unless you are going for the lowered look, make the cab match the bed height. You're gonna have to make a body lift anyway. The height of the top of the cab mounts are lower than the core support mounts. The original frame was flat in this area, so you will have to lift it. Mine has about a 3" lift under the cab, and with 31x10.50's all around, the rocker panel is ~ 12" off the ground. Nice and low!

With the 235/75R15's, it's about 11".

I've posted alot on this very subject in other posts on the suspention forum. Take a look arond and then PM me if you need or want more info. I'd be happy to walk ya through it.

Here's a good pict with the 235's on it:

wide65 · Post by **wide65** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:16 pm

Oh man this is a great thought post..... I have been thinkinh about the same thing....Only with a 4wd!!

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:03 pm

wide65 wrote:Oh man this is a great thought post..... I have been thinkinh about the same thing....Only with a 4wd!!

A 4wd shouldn't be a problem.... unlike me who wishes to lower his truck... most 4wd's are raised so you could just block everything up evenly and be done ;)

slick · Post by **slick** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:18 pm

Probably the man to talk to is Cageman...From what I have gathered I think the front clip swap is probably the easiest way to go about it...With the whole frame swap you have to build new cab mounts, get your wheelbase correct, core support mounts etc..with the front clip just cut it off and weld it back up...I'll post some pics of various issues so you can possibly make the decision yourself...sorry for the cluster of pics, but I'll try to explain them. the picture of the inside of the bed shows the crossmembers sticking up above the bed, but like stated before those can be flipped. another pic shows how low the truck can sit...the control arms are 3 inch dropped ones you can buy from chassis tech if you're not going to bag it...

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:03 pm

Thanks slick.... In the picture of the inside of the bed is that the original frame or the newer one?

Also for those dropped control arms do you just call them up? I didn't see them on the web site... How much were they?

slick · Post by **slick** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:06 pm

inside the bed is the new frame... http://www.airbagit-store.com/product.a ... 253D100008

DaytonaGTS · Post by **DaytonaGTS** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:13 pm

Thanks slick ;)

Looks like I will be driving the '83 over to my buds tonight and start this next weekend on it and see how much we can knock out over the 3 day weekend...

I'm going to try to make it work with the full frame because I want to be able to use the gas tank from the '83, and I wont have to swap over the brake lines either if I can get it to work.

slick · Post by **slick** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:23 pm

good luck...it will work, just a little work...remember the wheelbase is a little different so you may have to run a 4-link or come up with something to move the wheelbase...I couldn't use the tank it would drag the ground

you could always use that tank with the other frame just use the straps...

Sweptline.ORG

Swapping full frame '83 D-150 under '69 D-100 ?

Swapping full frame '83 D-150 under '69 D-100 ?

Frame

Re: Frame