Using A 77 Dodge Pickup Frame

[martin53]

Is a 1977 dodge frame to much to customize for a 53 dodge truck. The truck has disc brakes and a slant 6. Does anyone know if this has been done any sites. The 77 is a little wider than the 53 where would be the best place to start.

Edited March 2, 2013 by martin53

[48Dodger]

A tape measure....a ruler.....a frame guage.....a plumb bob....a level...a note book......and a bunch of imagination.

 

No, haven't done this one. I would just spend some time measuring ID and OD for all running gear and whatever tire set-up you plan to run. Sounds like you have a lot of stuff ready to go, so why not make the measurements and lay it out on paper?

 

 

48D

[martin53]

Thanks alot do you know if there is any forums similar to this

[wayfarer]

...forums like this?  

 

Kinda sorta but different...

http://www.fortrucksonly.com/

http://www.powerwagonadvertiser.com/

http://www.dodgeclassictrucks.com/

http://www.dodgetrucks.org/forums/index.php

 

Yeah, get out the tape measure.

[Scruffy49]

A lot of guys using Lifestyle (72-93) under Sweptlines (61-71). But the Swepts already have a wider chassis than the Pilot House, Power Giant, etc pre-61s. And it is still a bit of a reverse engineering nightmare. Good place to start would be www.sweptline.org, go to the forum and talk to Beastman, he put a short Utiline Swept era on a Lifestyle chassis.

 

Okay, I'll bite, why doesn't the link form automatically anymore for us low tech guys? Because I don't know how to make it form on my own...

Edited March 3, 2013 by Scruffy49

[Plymouthy Adams]

in the reply box you will find that copy an paste by mouse does not work here..oh you can copy your link and or text with the mouse but posting here you have to use the icons in the blue banner above...

Edited March 3, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[martin53]

I put my front clip on the 77 frame and the wheels are outside of my fenders is there anyway to shorten the width of the frame or widen the front fenders. I cant find any other forum on this.

[Dave72dt]

Sure, cut every crossmember on the frame, take out the required amount and and weld it back together with adequate fishplating so it stays together.  Then cut the center link, narrow it, and weld, rebend the steering arms so the ackerman is correct, narrow the rear axle up so it fits on the narrowed rear spring perches and shorten the frame, remake the engine and trans mounts, new body mounts, cooling system, adapt the steering wheel, etc..

 

widening the fenders can be done by splitting the fenders front to rear, adding in the appropiate amount of sheetmetal to get the width you need. forming some kind of round back section on the fender so it meets the door again,  adding in sections to the grille so it now goes out to the widened fenders,  rebracing them so they don't droop from the added weight.  Rear fenders will need it too. box itself may need to be widened also just to fit over the frame.

 

This really appears to not be a viable  frame swap for the pilothouse. Nothing is going to fit without heavy modification.

[48Dodger]

I'm having a hard time with this thread.

 

It would help if you posted some numbers(measurments), pictures, or at least a better explination of your intent.

Maybe than we could be of more help.

 

Here's the thread I did on the Volare type front end....give you an idea of the ol visual aid.

 

48D

 

http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/index.php?/topic/13089-volare-front-end-experiment/?hl=%2Bvolare+%2Bexperiment

[Dave72dt]

77 dodge 1/2 ton short box has a track width of 66.9 inches, front and rear and a wheelbase of 118.7 inches.

 

track width on the pilothouse pickups is only 58 5/8 inches

Edited March 6, 2013 by Dave72dt

[Plymouthy Adams]

what you may consider here is and eliminate the aggrivation of altering a frame and lots of other work is the simple use of modern late model positive offset wheels...you can quickly loose up to almost 5 inches in width in this manner..for example the late model Dodge Caravan rims are 5 x 4.5 and have a 5.125 depth from rubber back edge to mounting flange...I placed 2004 dodge Dakota frame components on my 48 Plymouth and the use of these wheels placed the rubber spot..these will be 16" in diameter...little sacrafice for a truck that already is modernized as it is..

[Dave72dt]

I put my front clip on the 77 frame and the wheels are outside of my fenders

How much is outside?  At one time I had a narrowed IFS from a full size car under mine, basically stubbing the factory frame but it created some other clearance issues.  Any particular reason you want to use the full size frame?

[martin53]

The tire sits around two inches outside the fender. Im using the 77 cause i got it really cheap. It has disc breaks and a good running slant six in it. Trying to work with what i have. Thanks for all the advice ill try and upload some pictures.

[Dave72dt]

Don't cut the frame up until you have at least tried the offset wheel suggestion.  Another suggestion may be to get the front sheet metal off a big rig pilothouse.  They have a wider fender flare, are a bit longer so it may work with your longer wheelbase.  Cutting frames to make something fit is a major, major  deal and is not to be taken lightly, regardless of how I may have made it sound in a previous post.  If you have to ask how to narrow a frame or widen fenders, you may not not prepared for the amount of work involved.  Not intending to be mean , but it's the realities of projects like this.  Projects of this magnitude often get started with lots of enthusiasm, the owner gets overwhelmed by the difficulty, project gets put on the back burner or scrapped out.

 

Your frame would be an excellant choice for one of the wide bodied trucks like the newer sweptline sries.

[Dave72dt]

dave5711 has a couple videos of his truck with the big fenders on it.  I don't know how to post a direct link to them but I found them using the search button under his name, then using the forum button on the left, one titled "new video" and the other "feedback on fender...."  Hope this helps.