Labor Day Putting down your wrenches or time for
MORE wrenching? 
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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 | Has anyone done a 4x4 conversion on a 1-ton truck? Either by adding the front axle and t-case or by doing a frame swap? I thought maybe with the longer wheel-base of the 1-ton it might fit a more modern chassis better than the smaller AD trucks.
I have located a '48 3800 in my area that I would like to do this with, but I don't want it to sit sky-high and I don't want the wheels sticking way out beyond the fenders. Basically, I want it to look like it was a factory 4x4.
Thoughts?
Last edited by chicklin; 09/29/2010 4:11 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | Yep.
The one-ton fits pretty well on a Suburban frame length wise. Width is another matter if you want to stay low. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 | Are there any pics of this having been done? How high is it? I realize it will have to come up a little to account for the 4x4 running gear, I just don't want it to look like some kind of water bug or mud-buggy.  | | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | This album will take you back to the beginning. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 | Oh, wow, that is awesome! Now I have a million questions. Probably the biggest, though, is how much welding and fabrication did it take? Also, how well did things line up and is there any way to get the front wheels inside the fenders? Did you have a build thread for this one?
Very cool.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | The frame from the 53 was welded onto the suburban frame. The cab sits on its original mounts.
The fabricated piece to get her running was the clutch rod. I had to add about 5.5 inches to it. I also had to build my own radiator support bracket.
The bed front sits on the 53 frame and the rear of the bed just needed a block and drill holes. I didn't quite put enough block in and I will likely change that someday so it looks more level front to rear. It really is level now but doesn't look like it.
Feel free to browse around in other albums on photobucket, I took hundreds of pictures. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 137 | Ah, yes, that makes sense. I'm guessing the effort to adapt the sheet metal to the burb frame would've been astronomical, huh?
What vintage suburban did you use? '73-91 square-body? | | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,201 | Yes, 1973 3/4 ton Scottsdale Suburban with standard transmission..
I collected this project 1995 to 1999 and thought about it for nine years. I thought about it for years and had it all set in my mind how it was going to go and was not disappointed.
You will also need a couple of the expensive steering u-joints and a piece of 3/4" rod or pipe for connecting the steering. | | |
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