LOTS of *PICS* of what I've been doing.

[divorced]

This is what I started with - a pos '79 K20

The body was a little rough, so I start removing the rusty pieces.

And here I am out cruising in my new ride

 

[divorced]

Here is the scrap all loaded up and ready to go. The entire body from the '79 was in the bed of the '72 and in the other bed. The other bed was from a pick-up trailer, and I chopped up it's frame and threw the rearend and springs in too. There was 2,560 pounds in the bed of the old '72.

And here is how it sits now - with an '89 cab and front fenders on it. The rear has about 3" more lift that the front since the shacle flip, so I'll be bringing the front up 3" more to match. Sorry for the poor pics, it was close to dark.

 

[big94gmc]

I like it.... New body styles on older frames are great! Instant SAS! I wish I could have done it, but the frame of my '86 was too messed up. What year body did you use???? Are you going to match up a bed, too, or flatbed it? I like it, dude - keep the pics coming!!!!

 

[divorced]

It's an '89 cab and front clip. I still need to find a 8' bed for an '88 to '98. The donor truck is a short bed and my '79 frame is a long bed. The rest of the '89 short bed is soon to become a pick-up bed trailer. I also will use the 5.7 TBI and 700R4 from the donor truck. A/C and cruise control!

 

[mudslinger99]

Well it sure looks like you had a busy day.... Is the 89 body a direct bolt up to the 79 frame or what did you have to do to get it to fit ?

 

[jmd4x4]

Looks like you were buisy, and from the pic of you driving it looks like it was a little chilly out side. You could aways cop the frame and use the short bed .

later
jmd

 

[k5 krawler 50]

Thats sweet, how did you go about for body mounts, were the old ones on the frame even close to the new ones on the cab? Looking good.

 

[OffRoad]

i really like the cab of the 88-98 trucks. big and roomy. it would be sweet to put one on an older frame. was it hard?

 

[GM Man]

Sweet truck man. How fab work was involved to mount up the new body to the old frame?

 

[mountainexplorer]

 

[divorced]

Thanks everyone for the replies! The body isn't a direct swap at all, and in the pics it isn't bolted down; it's just sitting with blocks of wood between the frame and floor pans. It will need all 4 cab mounts and the two core support mounts fabricated. It doesn't look very hard to do though. The rear cab mounts for the '79 are inside the frame rails, and for the '89 they are outside the frame rails, but fabbing up a bracket should be fairly simple. The front cab mount for the '89 has to be located right where the front spring shackle is. I plan to move the shackle mount forward anyhow for a better shackle angle, then it will be fairly easy to fab a front mount. I don't have the core support on yet so I don't know for sure what that will take, but it can't be too tough. I plan to wait to make the cab mounts until I find a bed so I can sit it level on the frame and then make the cab match. I work between 60 to 74 hours a week so I don't have much time to play with my toys .

Looks like you were buisy, and from the pic of you driving it looks like it was a little chilly out side. You could aways cop the frame and use the short bed .

later
jmd

The though did cross my mind, but I decided not to. I just paid $400 for my exhaust and $500 for new driveshafts, and both would have to be modified to work with the shorter wheelbase. And my rear drive shaft is only 48" long and I have about 10.5" of lift, I fear a nasty u-joint angle if I were to shorten the wheelbase/driveshaft.