The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop oh crap

So, I'm going a hundred miles an hour cleaning my 3100 frame , prepping it to install irs front end.
raise crossmember up and frame an inch too wide. I bought frame being told it came from a 3100.
Did I get screwed?

Hard for us to say if it is a correct for 3100 for whatever year you think it is, just because an unknown cross member does not fit. We are way lacking much info here to offer a theory. Are you trying to determine if it's the correct frame or the correct cross member or front end parts.?

"irs"....Do you mean IFS or IT'S front end?......... Donor? New? original? Cross member in question: from what?

Must be a dozen ways to check frame, like measurements in a manual, other parts fitting or not, frame stamp, post pictures here.......

Charles, you will help us tremendously if you will post in the first line of your questions exactly what you are working on. Like: 1953 1/2 ton being converted to a street rod. The other possibility is to go back and edit your profile signature line to include your vehicle. bartamos and I have our vehicles in our signature line. It only takes a couple of minutes to do.

As for your question, what IRS are you putting in? What year frame? An inch too wide where?

Help us help you!

IRS is rear.............he said front. That has to be deciphered first. He could mean "it's" (original) front end....or a "ifs" Camaro donor or ?

Could be swapping the front for the rear making a rear steer.🤪

He's building a Stovebolt forklift? Innovative!
Jerry

Maybe the IRS is after him?

O'k. I'll start over.
I have a '51 3800 truck that i'm putting on a 3100 1/2 ton chevy frame. I don't know what year of frame. I thought 1947 to 1954 were all the same.
Comparing pictures it looks like a 3100 frame . I'm using a danforth front crossmember. I didn't want to mention that cause I haven't talked with him and in no way want to
cause him grief . But things don't fit.
So, I guess I need to know how to figure out what frame i have . Any suggestions?
To answer questions , no, I'm not in trouble with the IRS , they leave me alone,,,, {you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip} but it is an IFS I was referring to
Don't need a forklift as I have forks on my Bobcat skidsteer
Rear steer works on combines and forklifts not on chevy pickup, but it is a cleaver idea
I have yet to figure how to post picture on this forum .
i think cleaver is misspelled.
any other questions, I'll be happy to answer thanks for listening!

1947-1954 are not the same in just about all components.

You should try ID the 3100 frame year and the 3800 frame year.

"a '51 3800 truck that i'm putting on a 3100 1/2 ton chevy frame"

What parts of that 1951 3800 (1-ton) truck do you want to put on that 3100 (what year) frame.

People here can help you.

Here are 1951 specs/dimensions/etc/etc. Similar information is available for for all 47-54 years.

I'm wanting to put the cab ,front fenders ,grill and hood from the 1951 3800 on my frame that i don't as of yet know the year. thanks!

Contact Scott Danforth and tell him what you’ve found. He will know what to do to make it right. Meanwhile do some measurements on your 3800 cab mounting points and the mounting points on the frame you are wanting to use. Check the new frame for any signs of damage. The tape is your friend. Be sure to write the measurements down for reference.🛠

get yourself a copy of the 1947-1954 truck factory assembly manual,
and get out your tape measure, the frame drawings are in the book.
measure the wheel base of what you have

The 3100, 3600, 3800 all use the same cab/hood/fender/front sheet-metal and mounting hardware/points.

However, there was a change in how cabs mounted (between 47-55), but this can be dealt with.

If/when you get the "recipient" frame, let us know the year.

The 47-54/55 Factory Assembly Manual is actually a 54/55st FAM.

The wheelbase did not change in 1954, but the frame components changed in 1954.

47-53 Frames are mostly the same there are some small differences like 47& early 48 had a different style of cab mount and some of the early frames had Lever action shocks as opposed to tube shocks, Like the guys said it should be doable if you have one of those early frames you'll need to come up with some cab mounts from a 1/2 ton.
The 54 Frame is also pretty similar with one major difference being that the frame kick up over the rear end is lower on the 54, this was because of the new flat side beds.
Here is the frame checking measurements so you can make sure you are good on what you have. http://www.mongosgarage.com/tech/FrameCheckingBig.jpg
The 1/2 Ton frames Taper all the way back (as in the drawing on the link) as opposed to the bigger frames taper to a point then are straight and 36 or so inches wide all the way to the back.
Mongo

thanks, KCMongo. This should help me get it figured out

Charles, good sense of humor. Many would get all fussy with the comments, Good work. I think they have you on the right track to figure out what you have, then get the correct parts. Very nice project.

X 2 what bartamos said.
BTW, this is the HiPo Shop, therefore "cleaver" is the correct spelling for what we do in here. Hack things up a bit.
Carl

Carl is wise.

Wiseguy maybe...

I know on the 3800 that I had (54), the 3800 had a center mount radiator support, whereas my 3600 (and assuming 3100’s) have a 2 side supports.

I didn’t measure to see if there was a difference though.

Worst case scenario, you would need a rad support from a smaller truck.

Well, I got it all welded in. Looks good . Alot of work though
i'd probably do it again.

Charles, was the problem you had in width of crossmember vs frame width? First I had that problem, then Upper control arm hitting frame (which was said to have been corrected for production? I've also noticed spring height issues if stock springs are used..Anyone else?