The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Narrowing Front End?

Well if you seen my welcome post I bought a 1951 3100 body with a 82 C10 frame and drive train underneath it. This is my first ever project. I sold my old Harley for something different that my kids could enjoy with me.
Putting it back together after fixing a lot of problem areas from the previous owner, I like how the rear sits on the tires, but the front wheels are almost to the edge maybe a little sticking out the front fenders.
This is due to the width of the C10 frame. My question is this, should I drive it like it is and love it, try and find some different offset wheels or figure out something else ti bring the wheels closer in.

I thought about leaving it as is, and using some small spacers to bring the rear wheels out a little to visually make it match better.

Thoughts?

Moving the tread centerline in or out creates some steering and suspension geometry issues. Even using different offset wheels can cause problems, but that's probably the least difficult way to adjust the track width. Be sure you've got enough clearance between the tires and the frame at full steering lock in both directions if you choose to alter the track width. People have done some pretty dumb stuff to suspension systems, like shortening control arms, etc. when trying to correct track width problems, and some of them can be downright deadly in anything except driving in a straight line. Most hotrodders don't have the engineering background and/or testing capabilities to do steering and suspension alterations, but a lot of them think they're smarter than the engineers who designed the truck!

How about putting a flexible rubber flare along the front and rear wheel openings to sort of hide the too-wide front track width, and spacing out the rear track with wider wheels, or ones with a little more offset? That preserves the original steering and suspension geometry, and corrects the oddball track width cosmetically.
Jerry

Your problem is quite common. Putting the AD body on a late chassis gives you modern amenities but the trade off is the odd look of the tires sticking out from the fenders. The simplest and probably least expensive is to work with the back spacing of the wheels. As Jerry cautioned, make sure you have lock to lock clearance before you buy.🛠

In my '37 GMC T-18 HD on 1994 GMC P-3500 HD (solid front axle) I found that I could move the fenders out 1.5" per side with Al blocks since the fender/cab intersection was flexible regards space, Px for email.

Ed

If you're willing to do some sheet metal work and repainting, it's also possible to widen the fenders 1 1/2 inches or so on each side. Make a cut at the front just outboard of the headlights, then move around directly behind them and slice the whole outside part of the fender off. Then add a strip of flat stock an inch and a half wide, and reassemble. Done correctly, it doesn't detract from the overall appearance, and the tire to fender lip fit will be more normal-appearing. Ditto on the rear fenders, along with slightly wider or more offset wheels.
Jerry

What rims are you running? What kind of offset?
Everything which I have read about the S10 frame swap for an AD recommended that spacers be used on the front to bring the wheels outward.
They also recommend using an S10 4WD rear end because the 2WD S10 rear axle is too narrow.
Something odd may be going on with what you have.

Carl he has a C10 not an S10.

I put a 85 c10 frame under my 1950 AD pick up 15 years ago left the front wheels stick out to me it looks bad a##
but drives like a 1985 pick up I would leave alone just my 2 cents worth
thanks
Bob B

Bob B, That is what everyone keeps telling me. It doesn't look too bad and it is a low budget rod anyway not a show truck. I will probably leave as is. I may tackle this in the future to make it more appealing to my eye.
52Carl the wheels look to be a stock GM 5x5 wheel.
Ed, I PMed you for more info on the blocks.

Thanks for the responses, I started this journey on another forum that wasn't really helpful but this one the small time I have been there has really good info.

Old eyes, week brain, but more significantly, better known for my notoriously vicious and intemperate disposition.
Yet, I am still remorseful for my embarrassing faux pa. I ask for forgiveness.

you are forgivin.

The only way to atone is write "I'm Sorry" on a $100 dollar bill and mail it to my address.

Too late. Tommy already told me, "you was forgiven."

Here's something worth looking at: http://www.chevytrucks.org/tech/63-87_ifs_upgrade/index.htm

Haven't done it myself, just providing some reference material. There's a similar article somewhere using the entire late model frame but I can't find it right now.

they make shorter a-arms, however they are pricey

There are simpler, less expensive ways to let your family collect on your life insurance than installing altered control arms.
Jerry