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I read a while back in one of the mags about a 55 Chevy on an 84 Caprice chassis. Done with "minor" alterations. Do any of you guys have the slightest idea what those might be? The Caprice has 1 inch longer wheel base.
Putting body on a newerl chassis
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ITs been covered here before in depth. Its alot more than minor but its doable. If I recall there were quite a few pictures of a 55 station wagon that was done by a very talented fellow.
Found the link
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29364&highlight=frame+swap
Gary
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thanks a ton Gary.
As you read through the linked thread, keep in mind the word "channeled".
The Caprice frame is much wider through the middle of the car and the floor isn't going to match the frame at all.
If you just set a 55-57 body down on a Caprice frame, it will not drop down far enough. You will see the frame below the rockers, and that means the car will sit high and that's an UGLY way to have one sit high even if you like a car that sits high.
So what you have to do to make all this work and hide the frame is to ditch most if not all of the floor, channel it over the frame and build some body mounts on your new or seriously modified floor. When you do this, you're going to have problems with the seats fitting in the car as well as other things, because the floor is going to be really high at the door sills/ends of the seat.
After that you're going to have to build a radiator mount, and figure out how to make the radiator support and inner fenders fit the steering box and shaft. Then you're going to have to build something to mount the bumpers.
This is all a tremendous amount of work. The guy that had the car in the link was going to have to do 80% of that anyway to get a floor back in the car. You may have more to work with than he did.
I'd never recommend that anyone do this. But if you do, you need to have your eyes open.
The Caprice frame is much wider through the middle of the car and the floor isn't going to match the frame at all.
If you just set a 55-57 body down on a Caprice frame, it will not drop down far enough. You will see the frame below the rockers, and that means the car will sit high and that's an UGLY way to have one sit high even if you like a car that sits high.
So what you have to do to make all this work and hide the frame is to ditch most if not all of the floor, channel it over the frame and build some body mounts on your new or seriously modified floor. When you do this, you're going to have problems with the seats fitting in the car as well as other things, because the floor is going to be really high at the door sills/ends of the seat.
After that you're going to have to build a radiator mount, and figure out how to make the radiator support and inner fenders fit the steering box and shaft. Then you're going to have to build something to mount the bumpers.
This is all a tremendous amount of work. The guy that had the car in the link was going to have to do 80% of that anyway to get a floor back in the car. You may have more to work with than he did.
I'd never recommend that anyone do this. But if you do, you need to have your eyes open.
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Rick (as usual) is correct and to the point. Leaving it on a stock frame and adding the options you want it still easier than channeling the body to the frame.
If it were me, and I had to do one, I think I would look seriously at a S-10 2wd longbed frame. 117 inch wheel base but the frame is made in two pieces that are slip fit, one inside the other and welded. The weld can be easily cut and the WB adjusted. IT is the frame of choice for most hotrodders.
If it were me, and I had to do one, I think I would look seriously at a S-10 2wd longbed frame. 117 inch wheel base but the frame is made in two pieces that are slip fit, one inside the other and welded. The weld can be easily cut and the WB adjusted. IT is the frame of choice for most hotrodders.
Hello violentmariner and welcome . I started out putting an 80's Pontiac frame under the wagon. There are quite a few posts on this. One car I saw pic's of is from BC and when I called him he said they cut out the floor from the TriFive and put the body on the newer floor pan. What are you trying to gain? The frote suspension is about the same as our cars, they even use the same shocks. Much better off upgrading what you have, Whatever you decide to do you can count on us to help, or hinder you, good day.
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