The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk a couple newbie questions

hey guys, my name is tyler and i'm new to stovebolt, my fisrt truck was a complete '52 1/2 ton that i bought when i was 14. i almost had it road worthy when i sold it to buy something that was ready to drive.(stupid me)since then i have been watching for a 47-56, and now almost 20 years later i think i'm close to a purchase.i did a little searching but didnt find the right answer so here goes,i am going to look at a '50 1 ton 5 window,216 4spd today but would like to know the major differences between 1/2 and 1tons as far as sheetmetal and chassis?will a mustang II kit fit the frame?can i shorten the back half enough to make a a short bed(its a 9'bed)?or maybe swap to a 1/2 ton frame or rolling chassis?i would like to stay as close to original as possible except for maybe some suspension and driveline upgrades. i'm sure you stovebolt pros can help me out!

Welcome to the forum. Glad to hear you haven't lost interest after 20 years of absence from the hobby. All of the sheet metal of a 1/2 ton and 1 ton is the same. However the frames are quite different. 1 ton 9' beds are hard to find and there are people looking for them. The way I would do it if the cab and sheet metal on the 1 ton is a good candidate for resto, I would buy it and then look for a half ton. They are around. If you have room to keep it, keep the 1 ton bed and frame. Someone will probably buy it for what you pay for a 1/2 ton parts truck. And it is always good to have several parts trucks around.

yeah i thought that the sheetmetal was the same, but wanted to confirm, i know there is a million ways to build one of these trucks,especially if money is no object, mostly i'm curious about the frame and what kind of "hotrod"stuff is available for the chassis'of the 1 ton.up here where i live there are not a lot of 5 window, 4spd trucks that i have seen, and that is why this particular truck caught my eye, so i guess a frame swap to a 1/2 ton wouldnt be the end of the world, rather than hacking up a good 1 ton.anyone else???

1-ton specific parts are not as easy to find as 1/2-ton parts and often when they are the same as 3/4-ton parts they still are not listed in catalogs.

My own thoughts regarding modifying a 1-ton frame versus finding a 1/2-ton frame, versus maybe something like an S-10 frame swap would center around how you really intend to use the truck and what engine transmission combo you plan to use.

In short, if you are going to stay Stovebolt six and straight axle front, I'd probably stay with the 1-ton frame and modify the length. Once you want to modify the suspension the 1-ton is different enough you will not be able to buy aftermarket pieces that simply work, they will require modification.

If you want to go Mustang II starting with a 1/2-ton frame will be much easier. If you want to go V-8 its much easier with the Mustang or other front suspension kit.

I have several projects and the one I'm most likely to work on any given day is a 1-ton. I'm modifying the stock frame with later 3/4-ton IFS and a Cadillac 500 V-8. My goal is to pull a loaded trailer fast and safe and all my frame, suspension, and drivetrain choices have been made in light of that goal.

One further thought is make sure you understand local laws. I've heard a number of Canadians say no welding on the frame. Where I live in Washington frame welding requires an engineer and a certified welder. Now I'm not going to pretend everyone obeys those laws, but you need to understand local rules and how you are going to fit your project into the picture. That might change your thoughts on modifying a frames...

The 1 Ton frame is different enough that the Mustange II ready made cross memeber wouldn't fir without modifications. You can buy almost everything new for the 1/2 Ton including brake drums. The drums for the 1 Ton are not available new so it can take a lot of searching to find good ones. Having said all that I wouldn't trade my 1 Ton for anything!

thanx fellas,i'm getting excited keep it coming!!!oldsub, my intentions are to build a cruiser,i want to stay stock looking,body,paint,wheels'n'whitewalls,6 banger(beefed up of course!)but have a low stance ie: mustII with discs and a nice rear diff and a 4 link.(not so stock anymore, ha ha)that is why i am curious about the 1ton frame cuz if i were to do a frame swap it would be to a 1/2ton rather than say an s-10,so maybe with the truck in question being a 1ton it would be a good drivline/sheetmetal donor?anyone do an IFS on a 1ton frontend?

Far as I am aware there are no IFS kits for a 1-ton. The thickness, height and modulus of the 1-ton frame are all bigger than a 1/2-ton so a 1/2-ton would not easily fit.

There are 1-tons around that have IFS for sure, but they were built by the owners in every case I'm aware of.

The 1-ton sheet metal, except for the bed sides, is the same as the smaller trucks, so no problem using it as a body donor. There are people always looking for that nine-foot 1-ton bed, so don't mess with cutting it, sell or trade to someone who wants it for the one you want.

OMG i just bought my new hotrod, this truck was a one owner farmtruck,everything is there,straight and useable,i'm so excited i think i just peed my pants!!!!the 9'box has one rust spot at the deck level, but not one dent! i even have grandpa's maintenance record and owner manual.i'll post some pics next weekend when i pick it up.

Sounds like a nice score...you might consider leaving it intact and selling it, (maybe make a few bucks) then find a 1/2 ton to hot rod.

tyler, welcome to the bolt. Looks like the Stovebolt Gods shined down on you today! What a nice story. Can hardly wait to see some pics. Keep us posted... and since its so straight give Ghostrider's suggestion some thought!!... but in the end its your truck so make a plan and go from there.

well it was only $800, so i suppose i could make a few bucks,but thats not as much fun!i'll definatly post pics when i get some good ones.

The only reason to sell it would be if it's a truck that would make more sense belonging to someone else. Trying to make money on old trucks will only frustrate you and annoy the natives.

Or at least that is my opinion!

If you don't want to hot rod this one, clean it up and use it to run parts for your next one...

If someone knows of a way to actually make money on old trucks (besides towing people out of ditches), let me know. I have labeled all my projects as "suck-hole-for-cash" followed by the year.

My suggestion is that if you really need a 1/2T, then find a 1/2T and start there. The 9' beds are scarce for those looking.

If you follow the rules its hard to make money pulling people out of ditches around here. My personal bias is to keep creating a margin and doing state reporting as far from my hobby as I can.

I agree it would be a shame to cut up a 9-foot bed. If you turn the truck into a 1/2-ton do it by letting the 1-ton guys have a shot at that bed, or at least the 9-foot sides.

Hello, Tyler. Welcome to the Bolt! Glad you could find a decent ride. I would personally at least think about what the guys here are saying re the 1-ton. It's your truck, do what you want, but there are enough people around looking for (at least) the parts from a 1-ton, if not the whole truck. However, if the body is good I can't see a reason for not finding a good 1/2T frame to start your mods on, then move the cab and front clip. You might even be able to sell what remains for enough to pay for a new bed.
The guys who want the big stuff know the problems that come with them and love them anyway. If you want a 1/2 ton, build one.

Good luck and good hunting.
Peter