The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts task force LCF chassis swap

Hello, Considering a future task force LCF project and wanted to start gathering parts. I have located a couple LCF trucks. The plan is to build crew cab LCF truck to pull a 5th wheel camper. The crew cab part may seem like the hard part but I already have that figured out and a lot of the parts fabricated for another project that I changed my mind on. The plan is to use a late model diesel chassis. My questions is, has anyone used a late model chassis on one of these trucks? Would it be easier to swap axles and power plant to the old frame? What axles would be the correct width? Looking to purchase a complete donor truck so I have all the parts from the same truck (less issues for replacment parts in the future). Wife put a budget cap of 25K for the project so it should be do able. 22K for parts and 3k for paint and interior. I have been looking at International and ford box trucks as possible doners. Any information would be apreciated.

Hi,

I would suggest HAMB forum, they have a dedicated COE thread where there is a lot of COE on mostly dually frames/chassis.

I don't know if you noticed but the 2-ton 55-57 LCF is narrower over the front fenders (80") than the 2 1/2 ton (84"), so the front fenders are different. On the 58-59 they use the same fenders on both the 2-ton and 2 1/2-ton 86", since the front axle of a 2-ton is narrower than a 2 1/2-ton it makes the front wheels of the 2-ton sit further in and it looks to be frank a little bit funny. You can take a look at my LCF and you can see how far in the front wheels sits http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x150/CrustyNut/1959%20Chevy%20Viking/DSC07129.jpg. Here is how it looks on a 2 1/2ton http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/pnwtm/2004/dsc_7621.jpg.

Hence if you intend to use a 58/59 then use a donor that has a threading width of around 70-72" (the 2-ton is only, 64"). The duel mean thread is the same for both of them 69".

The frame rails sits 34" apart and I think it would be a lot easier to use a frame that is about the same.

I would start digging on http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html to see what donor is suitable. They have the details up to 2000.

The rear axle swap should not be to hard, but up front only the medium duty Chevy trucks still have an I-beam. So I think it might be easier to put the LCF cab and front clip on a modern frame. I'm not a total idiot to frame alteration, I crafter a Jag IFS and IRS to a 58 Suburban, utilizing the Jag original rubber mounts -- see: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=580652

One pet peeve of mine is that a LCF (or BigBolt in general) on a modern chassis, with small wheels look duck ugly. It looks like a toy, a BigBolt should have big 20" or 22.5" wheels filling up those big wheel houses. There is however adapters so you can put real 22.5" 10bolt big rig wheels on a pickup chassis.

If you go medium duty there is the Kodiak and Topkick that most likely are excellent candidates. It's one thing to give a Ford a nice heart from a Chevy, it makes it tick, but the other way around maybe the LCF will go into cardiac arrest ..

Cheers Dyna

Thanks for the information. What exactly is threading width? is that the same as track width? The reason I was looking at International and ford trucks is because there are a ton of them around me. Fords have international diesels so pretty much the same??? I will look for some Kodiak and Topkick trucks. I will be using 22.5 wheels no matter what I use. My brother has a p30 chassis motorhome I was going to do some measuring on. He is done using it and is pulling the motor and tranny. The only concern is the p30 chassis with 22.5 wheels. Will the brakes be enough for that size wheel?

Gosh I wish I could find a nice 58 or 59 LCF, do ya know of any?

It should not be too difficult to transplant to a newer frame, you will have to fabricate the brackets, mounts etc. Actually I remember seeing a crew cab LCF GMC years ago.

Truckrolet,

Not a 58 or 59 but there is a 55 not that far from you. It's one that I'm contemplating buying the 2-speed rear axle, if you going to put it on a newer frame well then we can split and you will get the truck for next to nothing. Might be good for just parts..

Cheers Dyna

yes it's the same as track width just me using the old chevy language since I read it strait from the old specs.

You might take a look at the disc brake thread https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=725027 it discussing using P30 disc brakes for 2-ton trucks. I have limited info on the P30 so can't make a call but the thread is probably a good indicator it's sufficient.

I might be wrong but I think you should not focus on the wheel size but rather the gross weight you will have, it's after all the inertia that the friction of the brakes has to overcome so to say. This is why I know the XJ-S brakes will stop my Burb like a champ.

If you going to scrap a 2-speed axle then I'm interested since I want one for my 59 5000 series LCF.

Cheers Dyna

That also sounds like a good plan to me.
If possible find the wide front fenders for your LCF, and with luck you can fit a late model medium duty front axle and wheels under it.

You should also look at Freightliner trucks, they make some decent ones.

I would not consider a Ford Medium duty, they are nothing special. A friend of mine has a mid 2000's model with a C7 cat and says parts are expensive, he thinks he would have been better of with an International.

Most all new medium duty and larger trucks use a 34" outside frame width. If your original truck is also (should be) then a complete chassis swap is probably a good idea. In other words put your sheet metal on a newer truck.

IH trucks will have IH engines, which is fine if you like them.
GM will have GM engines or CAT, and none of the CAT's they used are that special in my mind.
Ford will have Ford, IH, CAT, or Cummins engines.
Freightliner should have Cummins or Mercedes.
Then there are all the imported trucks, lots of them are primarily local trucks and not geared for the highway, some are.

If I were spending your money I'd look for a mid to late 90's or newer Freightliner truck or Thomas bus chassis (about the same) with an 8.3L Cummins, and if that won't fit I'd look for the same but with a 5.9.
I'd want 8 or 10 lug 22.5" hub piloted wheels and hydraulic disc brakes front and rear. Probably not worth going to a big enough chassis to get air brakes.
If you're lucky you'll find air ride rear suspension already installed.

Grigg

thanks for the info. I will look at the freightliner and thomas bus chassis. My plan is to figure out what I need and start collecting parts. I still have to finish my current 59 NAPCO project. I hope to have everything gathered together and start assembly spring of 2012. If I find the LCF I want this summer I will at least build the crew cab and have all the body work roughed in by that time. Is the cab the same for GMC and Chevy? I think I know where there is one sitting that is close but I think it is a GMC. IF the cab and doors are the same I might just snag it for parts. Anyone know?

The GMC and Chevy cabs are the same as long as you are conparing same year cabs (except for the dash and maybe a few brackets).

The 1955 cab is a one year cab.

The 56-57 are the same.

The 58-59 are the same.

The difference in the 3 cabs is the shape of the fender flair, so a 56 fender won't fit right on a 55 or 58 cab.

Doors are the same for all Chevy's 55-2 thru 59.

GMC's could have 2 different doors for the LCF's, smooth or with the fender extension bump.

I should have mentioned the GMC cabs with the smooth doors will have different fender flairs then the Chevy/GMC's with the Fender extension.

Mike B

If I had alot of space I'd get a 55 or what ever, but since I don't, and what I like is 58 to 59 lcf's. I would also want a 2 speed rear, problem is most are vaccum shift, I perfer the electric.