The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks 1960-62/63 and up frame changes..

does anyone know of a good link so i can see the differences in the two frames, i just wana undersand my truck a little better.
thanks all
also if anyone just has pics, from what i understand the 60-62 had the "x" frame and the 63 and up were box?
right?

Here is the blueprint of a 1960-1962 X-frame
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab240/c10apache/60-62frame.jpg

And here is a blueprint of a 1963-1966 frame.
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab240/c10apache/63-66frame.jpg

Dimensionally they are almost identical at all mounting points. The biggest difference other than the X reinforcement is the 1960-1962 came with torsion bar front suspensions where the 63-66 had coils on all 4 corners.

It's actually just the opposite. The 60-62 frame has the X member and is mostly boxed, the 63-66 design has open C channel side rails. To make up for the loss of strength with elimination of the X member, it was advertised the 63 frame was made of tempered steel. The side rails of the newer frame are also 1 inch taller in the area where the motor mount towers attach.

awesome, thanks ya'll. the blueprints were pretty neat.
i remembered reading that the frames were different but every chevy truck history article i read only made mention of the front suspension changes. thanks again. does anyone know if the rear coil springs are interchangable 60-66?

The trailing arms and rear coils are interchangeable between 60-66 (actually up to 72)