The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 1952 Chevy on a Tahoe frame

Hi guys, I am new as you can tell by the post count.

My first question has anyone did a swap of a AD on a Tahoe frame? Looked up some specs and the wheelbase is an exact 116 inches and the Tahoe is .3 of an inch (196.6 to 196.9) longer. Don't know the frame widths so that might be an issue.

Reason asking I am picking up a 52 for my wife Saturday and I already have a perfectly running 2001 Tahoe 5.3 complete that I just got from my cousin dirt cheap.

As I said this is for my wife so if this is possible it would make for a really much safer and better driving truck.

Thanks for any replies and information you might have.

Check the track width by measuring from tire center to tire center on both the Tahoe and 52. The 52 will be right at 61 inches so if the Tahoe is much more than that the tires will not fit under the fenders. You can get wheels with more back spacing but have to figure in interference with tie rod ends or steering arms. Do LOTS of measuring before diving in. Frames can be modified to fit.

Thanks for the reply and I will check that as soon as it gets home Saturday. The good thing is I will own both, so if it doesn't work, no big deal. Just sell the Tahoe.

That would be one sweet ride if it will work. Tahoes are awesome off road vehicles. You will definitely have a width problem in the front. A slight body lift might help clear the front fenders while turning. Their openings get larger towards the bottom, front and back, so I would think that it wouldn't take much lift to clear.
Carl

I'm pretty sure the Tahoe is too wide in terms of track width. As has been said, measure that and check it out. Even if it fits, it might not be as easy as you think. You'll likely need to reposition the engine in order to get it to fit properly with the '52.

You could always use the 5.3 from the Tahoe along with the wiring harness and ECU and get a different vehicle as donor for the frame.

Thanks for the replies. I will be doing a lot of measuring in the coming days. I think 46gmcpu is probably right unfortunately. Just from research it seems the track width on the 52 is 61 inches as coilover said. The Tahoe seems to be 65 inches so 4 inches wider.
This is all just preliminary. What she is getting is a running driving truck. So it can be left as is for now until she figures out what she wants to do.

Real hotrodders do what everyone says can't be done.

x2

It's not that it can't be done, it's just not the most ideal option and it depends on the final product he wants. When given other options that work better, why make things harder for yourself?

I saw a '40 Ford coupe where the guy had incorporated everything he could from a 2003 Mustang Cobra, including the suspension, drivetrain, interior, and roof skin with sunroof. To get it to fit properly, he widened the body 8". At the front he didn't do all the widening in the hood and grille, some of it was in the front fenders. He also extended the roof so it had a ducktail, so that the sunroof would fit. Certainly, there was a lot of fabrication and ingenuity, however it seemed like a compromise between making the car attractive and making the mustang stuff fit.

The thing that draws me to want to see it done is that the Tahoe is an amazing 4X4, and the AD is the coolest looking truck of all time. Even if it will be necessary/possible to narrow the Tahoe front drivetrain to fit, I think it is worth doing.
Carl

Any news on this one, I have a 52 2Ton truck and a 2003 Tahoe...think this could be a great combo :-)

Of course it CAN be done if you have the tools, the skill level required, and the financial resources. Many years ago I put a 51 GMC short bed on a 74 Cadillac Sedan DeVille chassis. I first strung a center line string on both frames and then measured all mounting points on the GMC; cross wise, length wise, and distance off the floor. After the Cadillac frame was shortened and narrowed to give the right wheel base and track width the measurements from the GMC were transferred to the Cadillac frame. This included the cab mounts, bed mounts, and core support mounts. Such things as running board brackets, exhaust, shift linkage, etc all have to be fabricated as nothing off the shelf is available for orphan projects. After hundreds do the swap, ala S10 to EVERYTHING, then after market stuff is available. After all mount brackets were made three foot pieces of all-thread were locked into every mount hole in the GMC and it was lowered into place. The all-thread went through the CENTER of every hole on the Cadillac frame. ( the long all-thread is used so you can see alignment before the body/bed is down in the way of viewing). The truck was a dream to drive and ride in. The 472 engine wore out at about 200k and was replaced with a 500 which was up to around 100k when the shop burned and took with it the GMC, 2 Bikes, 2 Bucket T's, and many tools and machines.