The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Frame Dilema, new or old? conversion or not?

I know this isn't exactly an engine and driveline post but it's not exactly a body post. BUt's here's me problem. On my 1958 chevy 1/2 ton stepside the frame is rust covered. I talked to this guy who had a truck similar and he completely took off his frame and powdercoated it and dipped it in a vat and did all this custom work to it. SHould i do that or should i look for a possible new better and lighter frame. I heard that cehvy s-10s and nova's could be compatabile. Or do they make frames for a truck like mine i could buy?Please help really deperate for some answers.
Ryan

Rust covered and rusted through are two different things. If it is rust covered remove the rust paint it and go. That is what I think most normal folks do. HOWEVER.... If you can not clean or repair it to a functional state. you can buy a fabricated one for a ton of cash or you could look for a nova or s10 which may also be rust covered. You may even be able to locate a frame that from an identical truck for very cheap if the rest of the truck is trashed. <---would prevent some fabrications with fitting it all back together later.
Good luck

You don't need no stinking S10 frame . . . this guy has it figured out.

Tnak you very much for the help it gave me good ideas and inspiration. I have so many choices to make it's gonna be a long restoration process.

rstardark: You might think about reverse engineering your question.

How do you intend to use the truck? Is it going to pebble beach? Is it going to the lumberyard and gravel pit on Saturdays, or might it be a little of each world?

They do make custom and aftermarket frames for your truck that are all setup for IFS, small block, and other modern conveniences. The S-10 is one of nearly infinite chassis swap options for your truck if you decide to go that route. Again, the '58 original frame is considerably heavier and more truck like than the newer S10 frame and then you will have countless issues of fit on the conversion to a modern frame. How will you use the truck? That will help you decide which way to go.

Powdercoating is an awesome and highly effective process and coating, but it comes with considerable effort and cost. Rustoleum black is an awesome and highly effective coating, and it can be done in your driveway and/or garage with great success. The rusty metal Rustoleum, IMHO, is a very very good product.

Take a wire brush and knock the loose stuff off and scratch the frame down as much as possible and then either send it out for a $2000 powdercoaring job, or get $30 worth of rustoleum and go for it.

In either case, the merits of each approach are noteworthy. You can beat powder coating with a hammer (or rocks off the road) and it generally won't fail. You can beat rustoleum with a hammer or rocks, and it will chip, but then you can easily get under there with a touch up brush and cover the chips. With powdercoating, if it does fail (HIGHLY unlikely) and you decide to fix it, you will have to go back to square one; send the frame out again.

Ryan, I like the home powder coating idea.
One question, How long do you bake the parts?
Thanks, Greg

I think the hard part is fitting the frame in your oven...

greg1.5, I bought a powder coater a couple of months ago and I love it. Ive done my panhard bar, misc brackets and front suspension parts. The powder i use from Eastwood requires that you bake it at 400 untill the powder flows then at 400 for 20 minutes. Clear coat is 400 till flow then 350 for 20 minutes. Ive had a ball with it.

Thanks stea.
Greg

Thanks for the idea's. Powdercoating is a way to go but it's a lot of work and i still have a heavy frame that isn' guranteed and i would still have to have suspension customized on it. The truck is gonna be built for prostreet. A sort os hotrod if you will. The frame is gonna have to handle great stress and great amounts of horsepower. i also heard that works good is take suburban frame and shorten it and it works great. But as for companies that make frames where can i contact and locate those. It might be cheaper to have one made with suspension and everything already on it and it already customized.
Thanks for any feedback...

I can't wait till they come up with some fiberglass bodies for people with projects like yours. Just take a modern IFS truck frame and suspension and drop the fiberglass body on. I guess you could cut up an original truck and do the same but...