Body swap

[cegusman]

I was just given a 1976 2wd long bed 1/2 ton, the cab forward has no rust at all, the bed is trashed. I was wondering if it would be an easy swap to pull my blazer tub and put the cab on? I have the 6.2 diesel, is there anything that it will limt me from doing? As for wiring I will just reuse every thing from the blazer tub. I have never done this before, any help is appreciated.

 

[55Willy]

What year is your blazer? the rear cab mount may not mount up but if your blazer is a 1973 to 1977 it may. they both have the same style mount just weither or not the it is the right heigth and spacing for the bushings.

I know someone just did this..but I am at a total lost for name/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif shame on me, what kinda die hard am I,LOL

 

[cegusman]

it is an 82

 

[FRIZZLEFRY]

I just did this.I swapped a 74 C20 cab onto my 81 K5.Its bolt on for the most part but there is a little welding and fab work involved also but nothing major.Call your DMV and Highway Patrol to find out all the leagle stuff before doing the swap.I talked to a CHP VIN# officer to get all the right info cuz the DMV here gave me a bunch of different stories.

 

[cegusman]

what was the minor fab work. What was involved

 

[FRIZZLEFRY]

You will need to fab a new crossmember or use the one off of the truck frame for the rear cab mounts.I cut the one from my donor truck modified it to fit the K5 frame.Also you will need at least a 2" body lift so that the tcase clears the floor.

For the bed I have a mid 70s GMC step side.It was way easy to shorten because it is single wall steel.A regular bed would be a pain to shorten.I was gonna build a flat bed but this was easier,cheaper,and waay lighter.Another cool thing about the step side is that you can move the bed mounting crossmembers where ever you need them because their bolted to the bed.

 

[BadDog]

Actually, the body lift may not be required. I've got a 2WD cab on my rig with no body lift. It's close, but the 205 does clear by almost inch or so.

Good idea on the step side. I wish I had a step side donor for a bed but, I suppose I'll have to use cannibalize the fleet side for the floor at least. Of course, I'm going the other way. Pretty much building a Blazer like rig out of pickup parts.

 

[doctor4x4]

rember you lose
your acess panel to the trany and t case and that same "hump sits lower in the 2 wheel drive
and what do you plan on using for a bed as both short & long beds have a longer wheel base length then the blazer

 

[cegusman]

I was going to do a flat bed

 

[FRIZZLEFRY]

Iv got a 208 and its realy close with a 2".I got lucky because I already had it and was just transfering it over from the K5.

My cab donor was a 2wd long bed fleet side.I went to a yard and got a step side bed that had no fenders and the wood was all rotten.I whacked 13" off of the front of it.Im using steel trailer fenders that I found online and expanded metal for the bed floor.

 

[NEK5]

Wow. Talk about an old post. I wish I was around here when we had these kind of tech conversations.

So is this basically saying that you can get around having to cut out the trans tunnel, and build a custom one, for a 2wd cab, by basically using a 2" bodylift?

I`m digging the stepside deal, and I think thats the best way for me to go.

 

[stockk5]

haha i got scared for a minute, thot he was going to somehow take his blazer body off for a cab w/ all that cage work in there....then i realized the date, its okkk now haha