OK now I remember the frame with issue from when I was researching a few years ago. The will also make it difficult to mount a front axle for my 4x4 conversion with the existing frame. After getting the front cop off, it seems like the biggest issue with a frame swap is mounting the cab since the front clip is only attached to the frame at the front cross member. Since I'm doing a 4x4 conversion, it may not be a big deal to do a body lift and just mount the cab on top of the frame.
I think I'm going to keep my eyes open for a donor chassis from a newer 4x4 dually and see if I can make it work.
