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So with my free time before my wedding I am planning a build in my head on restoring a truck. My grandfather had a 47 and a 56. So between those two is one a lot easier to modernize than the other? I know the 47 can do a frame swap so I'm assuming that would be easier? I'm also planning on making a lot of power so almost a performance truck. Am I fighting an uphill battle or are their kits to modernize these trucks that I just can't find? I know it's going to be a lot of work just curious if the 56 frames can handle the amounts of torque and horsepower I may want to reach.

I would think the only advantage would be the '56 trucks had the option of a V8 thus the mounting holes are there and clearance issues are much less. I'm going to beat Cletis to this one - you are not restoring the truck. The proper term, I think, is resto-mod. Whichever way you go it sounds like tons of fun. Good luck.

If you're determined to butcher up an otherwise pretty serviceable truck, pick the 56. It would be possible to swap the sheet metal onto an S-10 frame of the right year and wheelbase, and leave the running gear intact for someone to purchase who appreciates old iron in its original form. The S-10 will have independent suspension, disc brakes, and the right mounting points for just about any hotrod setup you choose, except maybe some sort of big block installation.
Jerry

Brandon, there are a variety of modifications possible, but you'll need to cobble up each to suit your preferences - front clip from a later car or truck, later rear, both or either with disc brakes if that's what you want, your 'hot' engine along with what ever trans you choose will likely need a special-modified driveshaft, and on and on .... there are a number of kits for each of these mods to "modernize" any truck, but no overall "package"

OTOH, either series frame will stand up to whatever you want to power it with, and for a fact, the TF series can do it with just about no other modifications, don't sell original frames short, buddy of mine has a 55.2 w/ a built 427 that lifts the front wheels - w/ original rear end and suspension

Bill

The "torque and horsepower" are not so much affecting the frame but rather the differential and trans. There is no added weight to speak of. There is some additional stress on suspension. But what do big engines do? Just make you go faster. If you will be doing the Baja or Heavy Duty drag racing, you can't use those frames. The motor is isolated by rubber and so is the trans, you should not box a 56 frame. It needs to, and is engineered to, flex. Never heard of an HO SBC or BBC breaking a TF frame. If you want to lose the originality of the truck, that's your decision. A modern chassis will give you modern safety and such and is, in fact, called RestoMod. Original era body with modern drivetrain/chassis. Then it can be truly said: "It ain't your Grandfathers truck".

Thanks for the information. I'd like to keep the original frame if possible. Just wasn't sure if it was made to handle what I wanted to throw at it. Was thinking of a turbo charged lq4. I would like disc brakes on all four corners along with a s60 rear or 9inch and upgraded suspension. I'm assuming places make conversion kits for suspension and such? And I would most likely buy a roller project truck. One with good sheet metal and bad motor and transmission or missing engine and trans.

Going to be a street truck that I can take to the track on rare ocasions. Just want a nice driving truck that can handle well and can make people in mustangs camaro and chargers think twice.

Start saving $$$$. Have at least 2 times what you think it will cost.

Going to buy little by little. Don't think buying all at once is realistic. How much do you think a solid truck will run?

I would think well north of 20 grand. Your goals are pretty lofty unless you can do 100% of the work yourself. Unless you are experienced with drag racing chassis and suspensions the hot street cars you mentioned are still gonna smoke you.

I like V8's and modern brakes. But you are talking Pre-runner. That is a never completed project waiting to happen.
BTW, I used to be a personal motivator.

I'm sure everyone here has seen countless for sale ads on Craigslist or ebay for partially built vehicles. Many have suspension mods, big block or other performance engines, transmissions, and other high tech stuff. Most got way over their heads and are trying to recover whatever they can. Plan it out well but as mentioned previously you can just about double what you think it is going to cost.
Fred

These are your Grandads' trucks? And you're going to whack them up? Mistake of a lifetime.
They might be clapped out junk lying behind the barn but they are family junk that deserves respect. You can purchase something to 'have at' and make mistakes on - reread rfs56trk - learn and when you have enough skill then pick one of those trucks to build.
Imagine the pride of driving a cool '47 in 2047 and it being your Grandads' truck, you only get that oppertunity once in your life.

While I understand where you are coming from with your opinion about don't "whack them up" and "they are family junk that deserves respect", I also see another side to that sentiment.

The truck I just started working on was purchased new by my Dad in 1953 and it has been in my family ever since. There was a time when I was thinking that I could not possibly do anything to the truck except restore it to like new out of respect for my Dad. But then I thought about projects I had worked on with my Dad and other vehicles I had seen him work on...and I realized that my Dad was never against changing, improving, modernizing a vehicle for the sake of making it into something he wanted it to be. If he were here, I have no doubt he would be working side by side with me to make the old truck into what I want it to be, so I can drive it and enjoy it just as he did in his time.

My point is, without knowing the OP's grandfather and family, we cannot say if doing a hi performance resto-mod is respectful or disrespectful.

To me personally, disrespect would be to allow the trucks to rust away, saving them to ride again, in any form, is a good thing.

Just my .02
Tim

I agree with you Tim, my real point was to develop the skills before doing your Grandads' truck. Part of developing the skills to make something you develop an appreciation and respect for it. Develop to skill to either do something or chose not to do something - I am good enough to chop he top on his project, but I choose not to. I have the equipment and skill to put a camaro front clip under this project, I choose not to.
Big difference. If somebody had carefully sat me down 40years ago and explained the difference I might still have a '67 Nova SS in my shop. All I have left of it is the roof and rear quarters sitting on a tube chassis that runs Top Sportsman.

It looks like you are trying decide on one truck to play around with (at this time)?

The easier of the two to "modernize" would be the 56 - in terms of more powerful engines and different rear-ends/gears.

How much power you want will affect how many other systems you might want to "modernize".

I don't disagree with anything these guys have said. My self, I like an original looking truck but you have to work with what you have. Think about how much money you want to put into it. As has been said you could put 20K into it and still be unfinished. I've got probably less the 5K in my 58 GMC. I had a fair body to start with and did all the work myself with no major mods. I used a 350 with a mild cam and a an all sycro 3spd. I don't do smokey burnouts but when the clutch lets out it doesn't waste anytime, lets who ever is beside me think twice about trying me. More than likely I'd get my clock cleaned but so far so good. I feel like I'm riding in style and if the next owner wants to put it back to stock all the need is an engine and bell housing.

It can be done and done cheaply if you do it all yourself.Larry

I'm not sure how relevant this is to the over-all topic, but did you see Nathan Hughes' 1946 Chevy 1/2-ton in the Gallery? When I first saw the picture of the truck for the calendar, I was impressed. As we worked on getting the story for the Gallery (there's more to come yet), I was blown away with Nathan's comment about 2014 technology in the '46. Never thought something like that would be possible.

But he wants a safe and reliable driver for his wife to use every day in her business.

And I know we all have our thoughts about what to do with the truck(s) we get our hands on ... Remember this Commentary? It's been updated twice. Maybe every five years, we should update it again.

Peg

To save it in the family, is the respect to your Grandfather. Building it how he would have, and not liking it yourself, is not what he would want. You don't need to practice, just do it the best you can. Build the one with the body you like. AD or TF. You are not a butcher or disrespectful if your heart is in it. You are not ruining anything. Many old guys ruined a lot of 1932 ford coupes in their day. The Mother of all that is American Automobile sacred and a few Fathers: Vettes.

That might be true anywhere but here.

Agreed. Keeping it in the family is more important than what you choose to do with it. Either way you'll be breathing new life into an old truck, and your grandfather should love that.


You won't find much support on this site for what you're planning on doing, or at least you'll find many vocal against it (as evidenced by this thread). However, you could probably do a frame swap on either truck. I'm a big proponent of frame swaps, I think they're the way to go. I prefer older trucks, either wouldn't really be that hard, so use the one you like best.



A big block install on an S-10 frame is very easy. Since S-10's could be had with a 4.3, which has the same motor mounts as a SBC AND BBC, it's basically bolt-in. My dad's '52 with an S-10 frame has the 454 mounted in the stock 4.3 location and it fits just great.

For help with the LQ4 engine, make sure you go see the LS1Tech forum, there is a lot of info available there, and they have a section on vehicles that never had an LS engine from the factory. You should be able to chat with people who have done that kind of swap.