Transtar frame swap?

[studegary]

122 inch wheelbase

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[buddymander]

I see where some S10's have a 122.9 wheelbase. I'm not so sure a Studebaker truck with a 122" wheelbase really looks right. Sometimes they seem a little short; like the rear wheels are too far forward. Can someone post pics of the rear wheel well on one of these? I bet the track of an S10 is too narrow.

[sweetolbob]

Unless my old memory is failing me, and that is indeed a strong possibility, I believe that one of the reasons that S-10 frames are used for a lot of chassis swaps is the existance of a nice straight section of frame rail.

If that's the case, then wheel base is a modest concern compared to the other issues involved with the frame swap.

If you decide to go ahead with the swap, please keep us updated on the progress with pictures.

I for one would like to see the end result.

I see you are going to have the swap done but don't forget to check the HAMB and RRR for more ideas.

Good Luck

Bob

[buddymander]

It's hard to match up the three most important things--wheelbase, track width, and engine placement. That's why it's simpler for some fabbers to use the original frame and go with camaro or aerostar or whatever for the front and then just cut the brackets off the original rearend and weld them onto the new one. The only body mount needed for the camaro switch is the radiator support; and none for the aerostar. I've even see a lot of guys use the original motor mounts with the camaro, but that drops your motor down into nowhere land. Most truck pans are a lot higher than the bottom of the frame.

[ISpy]

If it were me the first thing I would do is to educate myself on the basics of how this is done at the least to not be at the mercy of the shop guys.

My guess is trucks of this era have similar construction...here is a thread from the HAMB on 47-54 chev swaps,not xct but good basic walk through.

Join the HAMB,Rat Rods Rule,Kill Billet,use the search..on HAMB I have some Stude truck swaps...These boards cater alot more to this type of thing.

Another possibilty is to put a FatMan suspension on front,drop another rear and go that way. Depending on what the shop charges an even cheaper route is buy an older Camaro with good running gear,use the front and rear for the truck,prob get one with A/C too.

Not meant as a knock but your best bet is to figure out what you want,what you have now and then ask an open ended question,many times you will get ideas you havent thought of..or at least I do. You can always state what you have thought of and rejected,just ignore the folks who ignore that.

Hope you get it rollin' and post some pics !

[Dan White]

This might be a possibility for the suspension issues:

http://www.slickstreetstuff.com/

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[gordr]

My friend Andy Millar put a 2R5 cab and box on an S-10 frame. He used the frame from an extended-cab S-10, IIRC. He did a very nice job of it, and the finished truck looks great. But it WAS a lot of work. He had do a lot of cutting and welding in the floor of the cab to make it fit the frame, and build frame brackets as well.

So thoughtless of GM, not putting brackets on their frames to accommodate Studebaker cabs, eh?

Jeff is right, the easy way to get an alternator and disc brakes is to add them to the stock frame and power train. You can add air conditioning, too, if you want. There is nothing "wrong" with the parallel-leaf front suspension. It IS a truck, after all. If you are just going to cruise it, you could remove a leaf or two from both front and rear springs to lower it a bit and soften the ride. Add decent radial tires, and maybe a front anti-sway bar, and you will be surprised at how nicely it will handle. And Jim Turner makes a disc brake kit, I believe.

Your vehicle, your choice.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[thom]

Ian, first be aware that opinions vary a lot on frame swaps as you can see. Personally , I am in the final stages of putting my 55 on a 87 Dodge Dakota 2wd chassis. I could only find a long bed Dakota so I had to cut 12" out of the Dodge frame. That was not a problem as the frame was put together at the factory by a overlap joint at about the middle. I simply "unlapped" the joint and cut off a foot then reconnected it.S10 and S15 frames are done the same way.The longer wheelbase frames may work for you without having to shorten it.The Dakota uses rack and pinion steering as opposed to a steering box on the S10.One problem with S10 frames and front clips is the steering box being located pretty far forward on the rail. I don't think that would be a issue on C-cab Studebakers however.Some swappers cut fenders and even grilles to clear the box , which looks terrible.The only thing I don't like about the Dakota swap is the cab and bed sits up high enough on the frame for some frame to show under the cab unless you do what I did to lower them. I cut the floor out of my bed and raised the floor 2" lowering the bed down over the frame.The cab sit down low enough to then line up with the bed. I cut about 6" off the back ends of the rails to allow the panel below the tailgate to clear the frame as it did on the Studebaker frame.The front cab mounts can be removed from the Studebaker frame and put on the Dodge frame.The front rails need to be cut from the Dodge and replaced with the ones from the old frame or new ones can be made from 4" channel. I am just a few days away fro the first drive and will let yuo know how it goes.Thom

thom

[buddymander]

Or you can just pick up some 2' X 5" 1/8" wall rectangular tube and make a custom frame. That's what I did using 73 cutlass front and the four link rear out of the same car.

[sweetolbob]

Ian

Just ran across this thread on the HAMB on my nightly cruise.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274702

A lot of info on S-10 swaps.

Bob