The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk '41-'46 on S-10 chassis

Well, I'm looking at a couple old '46's and wondering if any of you have ever built one on an S-10 chassis. I've heard that this is the way to go instead of trying to upgrade the old chassis. I haven't done any measuring to see how close the S-10 chassis will work. How much modification is necessary? What year S-10 chassis would be ideal for such a swap?

Mike

a buddy put his 56 on an s-10 frame ,not sure if you can though ,,why would you in the first place???

I looked at a '57 here the other day and it was built on a 2004 S-10 chassis. It was a dream to drive, handled just like a new truck. Why would I swap? Looks like to me it would be a whole lot cheaper in the long run instead of trying to build and modernize an old '46 chassis. You'd have the modern front end, drive train,rear, what more could you want? The man who did the '57 says it's the only way to go. You couldn't tell it either unless you looked under it or someone told you.

Mike

well if thats what your doing let me know how it turns out ,,buying a newer s-10 frame is easy enough? planning to pick up one that was in a collision.complete with powertrain??

Let me know what you find out. I'm thinking of the same thing.

Just to be disagree,I enjoy driving my old trucks after driving my characterless 94 S10.You don't want an old truck, you want a new truck that looks like an old truck.But pay no attention to me, do as you want.

I actually agree with Tony.
In the story of the guy at the car show who was insistant to buy my '46 from me (no sale) and later found one in a barn, he went on to mount the 46 onto a 70's 2 wheel drive shortbed pickup. The wheelbase is only 1 inch longer than the stock 46 and he's done it before - to his 54 and someone elses 60's truck. Between centering the rear wheel in the fender and the gap between the cab and bed that 1 inch disapeared easily. I'm glad I didnt sell him my truck but I understand for him it was the right thing to do. In my book it's no longer a 46. More like hybrid or kit car status.

My feelings are that if it's restorable, I would rather not carve it up. If the old frame has problems, then why not get something newer?

I like the old time characteristics of my truck too. Well, better brakes maybe. Better highway gears too. Oh, and the power to go with it. And better steering and handling, safety issues you know... So where do I stop?

If I upgrade to electric wipers, have I blown it? Probably, in somebody's book. It's your truck MSMITH. Make what you want out of it.

Interesting thought. At what point does it become an S-10 with a new/old body vs. a '46 with a new frame/drive train? My personal thoughts are the vins are attached to the body so if you keep the body it remains a '46. This could start a war here on Stovebolt.

Also goes back to the question of what is original/stock. I would like to think that my '46 truck is being done as "stock" but in reality the bed will not be stained black, the wheels will not be blackwalls and the 216 will actually be from a '48. Neither are stock but very very few people have a clue that it was not.

All said & done, do what you want. I'ev heard that an extended cab S-10 will work nicely but I have never seen it.

Even cooler would be to see if you could use one of the new Chevy Colorado's with the inline engine! Now that would be a cool combination of New and old! If money were no obect, I would have one built and use it as a daily driver! It's thinking like this that make me second guess going "stock".

HA!!!!!!!!!

I went all out on my 46 but someone had already sterted on it before me. I also own a 40 GM that will be stock, so I get the best of both worlds. Plus if nobody modified imagine what drivetrain parts would cost. Ouch!
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sublime589/album?.dir=d9d2

Boy, I had no idea that I had stirred up a hornets nest! LOL! I'm not too worried about losing the old chassis. To me who cares what kind of chassis or drive train an old truck has as long as the body is a classic. No difference in doing this than putting power disc brakes and 700r in my '63 and how many of you out there have done these mods. and love it. I haven't totally decided on the '46 just kicking around some ideas. Thanks for all the responses.

Mike

We're just shootin opinions here.You do as you want with your own vehicle.My trucks aren't exactly stock either but still have the basic vintage suspension design.
Yes, kits cars,neither old nor new, a mechanical bastard.Like many hotrods,it's a 32 Whatever,but nothing on it is older than a year.
A frame swap is still hot rodding though.

I agree. I really hate those kit cars that people pour tons of money into and have a fiberglass body and call it a '34 Ford or whatever. In my book it's a wanna be,fake,kit car whatever.

Mike

Don't take my comments wrong - I'm no purist. I have no problem with modifying these trucks. Make it your own and enjoy it. My comment was directed at bolting old sheetmetal (or fiberglass for that matter) onto a new, completely different frame like what my aquaintance did. The heart of the "old truck" is gone. Its not an "old" truck anymore. It can still be totally cool, but to me it's a newer truck with a facelift. Thats my opinion. I think that the '46 is better looking than a S10 anyway.
So, in the end, do whatever you want. Enjoy it your own way and dont mind those of us with different opinions.

It didn't bother me one bit. I appreciate all of your opinions. Heck if we all thought the same the world would be a boring place. Looks like I may wind up getting the '46 that's all in pieces. It's in much better shape than the ones I've found just sitting out in the woods. It's already been blasted and primed once but from years of sitting under a shed it's got a lot of surface rust coming back. I hate to blast it again if I get it but what other choice is there? I've got to go back when it's warmer and really look over all the pieces again.

Mike

Actually, I noticed that someone is making a Willys body now. I thought that would be a cool recipient for the heart and soul of the '89 Suburban when the rust finally puts her down. Unless one of you guys has a '41 Willys stashed away and gathering dust...

i am not a purist either, my 54 has a pacer front end, suspension, nova rearend new rear lowering springs 2 carbs, dual exhaust. and i would like to have the new straight six in it, budget won't allow but i can wish. the fibreglass thing does set make me womder if it is real. does a 350/350 combo still make you a stovebolter? 2 cents worth

Just thought I'd kick in my newbie two cents. If you go original, it's all original parts. If you replace original parts with equivalent parts from something else, it's stock. If you use different parts replacing the original, it's modified, and if you buy a fiberglass body and a tubular frame, it's a kit car. Going by those standards, you're talking about a modified (hot rod) truck in my book. As long as you bought the original truck, it's an old truck. I'm sure a lot of the guys on here have bought fiberglass parts, stronger engines, better brakes, or something that wasn't even thought of when their trucks were built, so do whatever you will enjoy the most.

Also, anybody can open a book or go to a museum to see an original truck.

Hey brad I come accross about 3-5 willy's a month in canada try (forsaleforrent.com) thers a 57 chev for two grand canadian in saskatchewan,I think theres a willy truck down the road,and a chevy LUV 4X4. just not sure if there avalable,not my interest.let me know

Brad they also make Hummer bodies for Burbs,if you got 5 g .

I'd have no problem taking an old late 70's Suburban and putting a Hummer kit on it anymore than kids in the 50's had a problem chopping up old '26 chevys.

When it comes to the trucks I love the most, the 40-49 Chevys, I like to see them as "stock" as possible. In my humble opinion, there's more to those trucks than just the way they look rolling down the street. It's how they feel when your rolling down the road.. it's how that straight 6 sounds when it's cranking over.. it's a true mult-dimensional experience. Replace the original frame and drivetrain you're going to loose one or more of the components that make the overall experience.

Now on the same token, I can totally appreciate a person in a position where they have a solid '46 body, but drivetrain is either unsalvagable, or missing all together.

Building a new frame and assembling a new drivetrain "as stock" would be time consuming and very expensive. Picking up a wrecked S10 for $500 and slapping the '46 body on the newer s10 frame would be a cost effective, easier way to get her rolling again.. and it's not like you couldn't sometime down the road when resources permit, put the body back on a 'genuine' frame.

In my book, putting a vintage body on a newer frame and drivetrain DOES take away a good portion of the trucks 'mojo'.. but then again, letting it sit and rust into oblivion isn't exactly a dignified way to go, either.

For those of us who have a solid body, and don't have thousands of dollars to spend building a new frame and drivetrain from the ground up, putting the truck on a newer frame and keeping the external appearance stock is far less offensive than chopping the top and making a "hot rod" out of it.

I always wondered, how do you get the old steering wheel to work with the S-10 post? also are the wheelbase and width the same? how does the cab and box rest on the newer frame?