The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 54 Panel frame - same as pick up?

I know the 54 Chevy pick up used a deeper box and a new frame with a lower axle kick up. Was the sheetmetal on the 54 panel designed for this new frame, or will a 47-53 frame work?

panel frames always have much different body mount arrangements than pickup frames, best place to find the details would be the assembly manual, indispensible for that kind of mix n match

Bill

The body mounts are certainly different, but I need to know if the frame dimensions, shape, profile, etc. are the same. In other words, could I sit a panel body on a pick up frame, assuming I have the correct panel body mounts?

Interesting question. I don't know the answer to what you're really asking, but suspect there is no change in the sheet metal and you could easily put a '53 and earlier panel or Suburban on a '54-'55 1st frame.

And you could likely go the other way too.

You can put a '53 and earlier bed on the later frame, but not a '54-55 1st bed on an early frame.

If you follow this link and dig around a bit you may be able to figure it out.

Resto Packs Online

My asnwer would be that the '54-'55 1st frames for 1/2-tons Chevys are all the same and only the attached body mounts are actually different. Both a pickup and panel frame will have all the same holes drilled for the mounts.

But did they modify the body to lower the deck? The doors are the same and the inner fenders appear the same, but this isn't something I've ever measured.

I now wonder if the panel/Suburban body mounts are different for the two frames. You can look that up on the same site if you have to know. I don't care enough to do it tonight for sure.

I have both a '53 and a '55 1st Suburban at home but have no idea when I could try to measure them. Doing so is more complicated than just running a tape from the ground to the rear deck because of tire sizes and sagging springs and such.

Steve,

I was hoping you would reply.

Maybe different-sized panel-body mounting blocks (the wood blocks) were used pre-54 vs 54/55?

That sounds reasonable, but I don't know. I have both a '53 and a 55 1st Suburban, but am not capable of crawling under them right now.

If someone in the Seattle area wants to crawl under my trucks it would be possible to measure them.

I just tried to find the brackets and blocks in the parts catalog and was not successful. Someone not under the influence of the drugs I'm taking these days could probably answer the question that way.

Thanks for the input. I worked my way through the online manuals you provided the link to above and couldn't find anything that gave a definitive answer. I could see Chevy doing either back in the day: leave the panel body alone and mount it to the new frame; or modify the sheetmetal to match the new frame.

Someone knows...:) Thanks!

I can't see them running production for two frames at the same time. I think Tim is right that the blocks changed. But its just speculation at this point.

Another possibility is that the blocks are the same and the mounting locations on the frames for those wooden blocks are different.

Here's another aspect of this question that has not been addressed. It might be possible within the same year to mount a pickup cab on a panel-body frame but is it possible in the same year to mount a panel body on a pickup frame? I'll check this tomorrow (on a 54 pickup and suburban) but I think there are added parts on the rear of the frame for the panel-body mounting blocks. I am not referring to the added gussets on at least one of the panel-body-frame cross members.

It is possible the mount locations are different and the blocks are not, but as I think about this the change in frame profile may mean both are different after '53.

I've very skeptical that they changed the Suburban/panel body behind the doors when they changed the front and the bed. But someone is going to need to crawl around inside and under a couple of them to take some measurements unless we can access a '53 or earlier Assembly Manual.

I have both a '53 (parts) and a '55 1st GMC Suburban at home but I'm also currently disabled to the point I'm using a walker to get around and there is no way I'm getting down on a creeper to measure any of this. It may be months before that changes.

I've made some rash assumptions regarding the body parts and have cut up two earlier panel trucks because I believe the body parts are the same once you get behind the doors. One of them was a '48 the other was a '52 or '53.

I believe the answer to the original poster's question is yes it can be done. A '54 pick up box on an earlier frame no, but a panel or Suburban, yes.

I too am guessing that they wouldn't have changed the panel sheetmetal as we know the new frame would still work. Still no solid confirmation, but seems like it should be fine to use either a 53 or 54 frame under a 54 panel body.

I have spoken with a 47-55 panel-body-trucks expert who used to provide a lot of good information in this forum. His conclusion is similar to those posted above: the panel-body is most likely the same geometry over all those years. And, most likely the panel-body mounting blocks are the same over those years. And. the panel-body-frame-only brackets for the mounting blocks are in similar locations over those years.

However, a pickup frame would not have the brackets for the panel-body mounting blocks. This might simply require taking the brackets off the panel-body frame and attaching them to the pickup frame. I will try to determine later this evening if there are holes for the brackets already in the pickup frame.

From my observation both pickup and panel/Suburban frames have all the same holes. It should be as easy (LOL) as removing the brackets and putting them on the new frame.

So would a 1949 suburban fit on a 1954 truck frame?(i assume short bed??) i didnt see any mention if short or long bed frame was in ? for fitment

The answer is yes. I am in the process of putting a 48 GMC Suburban on a 1954 suburban Hydra-matic frame. Everything seems to be the same, if there is any differences, it will be minor and easy enough to overcome. The gas tank is in the same location, but the brackets were different. The way GM was able to make this work was in the blocking. They used the same blocks and locations to raise the body over the frame in both cases.

Great info thanks

Whats the best way to get the body off the frame i have a 2 post car lift so lifteing it wont be the problem just where to lift from is my ?

SAME TOPIC

My guess since you have a panel, would be to remove the rear doors and design a bracket that would attach to the upper door hinge location and create a lift point, the other would be from the front door opening. You could put a 4X4 through the opening and wrap your straps around it to form a triangle lift point as shown in one of the photo's attached to the link.

I haven't done mine, but my approach is a little different since I have a suburban.

Thanks i would for sure need to fix my roof panel before attemping to lift the body from that area

BigTony, try to keep it focused on one question. It is easier to answer and search in the future. The body removal is being discussed in another post now.

I just took the frame out from under a 54 Suburban and have an extra frame from a 52 Suburban. The answer is yes, the frames themselves between pick ups and Suburban/Panels are the same. The front body mount is the same, the one under the fire wall. The Suburban/Panel frame has different mounts from there back. The four between the back of the door to the kick up has the wooden blocks and are riveted to the out side of the frame. The four farther back sit directly on the frame with thin rubber spacers. There are 8 mounts in all, 4 on each side.