The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Gmc and chevy front clip compatibility...AD TRUCK

I have a really solid '52 chevy truck with no grille and much prefer the GMC front end...I know the hood,grille,surround, some parts of the hood latch assembly are different, but are the fenders different as well?... This is a full build starting with a basket shell...I know it's easier to buy a chevy grille, but building a custom as well and just would like a GMC front...
Thanks,Hans

The fenders are the same with the exception of the running lights below the headlights. These are easily made but the light assemblies are not reproduced so you will have to source originals. As with Chevrolet the fenders change in 1954 so you need earlier. The radiator/front core support is also different as is the hood latch, hood, lower shield panel, bumper to grill panel. Bottom line is the fenders and the inners are the same but everything else is uniquely GMC out front.

GMC and Chevy front crossmembers are different. That is where the radiator support mounts. The rest of the front sheet metal is supported by this. Are you sure a GMC front end will bolt to a Chevy crossmember with no modifications?

Thanks for the info guys. I have really nice fenders so no need to swap the whole clip. I won't run original lights in fenders, so that's not an issue. I hope the front crossmember isn't different, but I don't have a GMC to compare to. I know the radiator support is different. Time to start parts hunting!

The cross member IS different, but I contend that it only affects the engine mounting (GMC engines are longer) I wrecked a 1953 GMC Suburban in the 1970's and I had already put in a 235 engine. I had welded an extension bracket to install the front motor mount on the 235. I replaced the front GMC cross member with a Chevrolet cross member so I could have the correct front mount for the 235. I bolted the new GMC front sheet metal to the cross member and I do not remember that I had problems installing the radiator. Remember this was a time that no one told me I could not do it! There was a guy on another forum that said that he wanted to make a GMC hood out of a Chevrolet hood and all the experts told him he could not do it, he did and now they are all fans of his build

I did look at some pictures that Rob English took of the two cross members, there is a definite difference, but like I said it worked for me.

Ahh, so we are talking motor crossmember, not radiator crossmember ...I haven't mentioned before but I'm actually running a GMC motor (blown)and T5..but the front crossmember won't be used to motor mounting, I'm using hydraulic mounts on the side...so crossmember is for frame strength only

The radiator mounts to the front cross member in a different location, you could say the cross member has multiple functions. I sent you some pictures ........g

going front gmc to chevy i uesed the original gmc fenders and radiator support and changed the hood, grill. hood latch, front splash pan and lower grill pan to chevy, it fit nice with the 292 motor the engine bay is slightly longer than a chevy

The engine and radiator are mounted on two seperate cross members was my point...