I just picked up a 95 k1500 that was schmucked hard up front putting some nice kinks in the frame. Besides that the truck is in excellent condition and will get a brand new 350 with vortec heads and TBI intake. However I need to swap everything over to a different frame and now I've got the idea of doing a SFA conversion while I'm at it. But I've got a few questions before getting serious. (BTW the truck would be used for intermediate mudding, and my primary transportation.)

-What year frame can I use?? Are extended cab/short boxs from 88-98 all the same??
-Axles...I'd probably look for a whole truck then rob axles...what should I be looking for, or not looking for?
-How much lift, tires, gear ratio would suit me?? I'm not looking for something crazy...remember it'll be more a weekend warrior mudder.
-any links showing a SFA conversion would be sweet [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/RockOn.gif[/img]

Given parts are ORU brackets, axles, shocks, tires...what else am I looking at?

My current stock 90 k1500 kinda sucks in the mud, and I refuse to do a IFS lift with bigger tires. 1/2 ton stuff sucks!

Thanks [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Do you have an axle? Look at Boyce for axles. They have government surplus stuff that they rebuild. I deally you would want driver side diff but you can go pass side.

what about grafting the cab forward section of an 80s chevy to the front of the 95.

or cut the crinkle section of frame out and rebuild it from scratch.

i sure hope you got that truck for pretty close to nothing. because there isnt much there worth anything and your lookin at alot of work to put the 95 cab if its even good on anything else.

if it was mine id look into rebuilding the frame. or possibly maybe it would work with the sfa conversion, unless its tacoed.

my gues is if the frame is damaged that bad that you either need to look for another truck and salvage what you can fromn this truck. youd be best of to stay on a 88-98 chevy id also wonder cow bad the cab is sence the frame isnt reparable or doesnt seem to be by you post..

basicaly all you have is the motor tranny rearend. maybe front end. raditors probly munched, seats yada yada. and the bed.

unless its not near as bad as i think it is

Evan

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Do you have an axle?

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Maybe...I think my dad has an 85ish 2500 suburban 4x4. One of his buddies has a yard though so I could get pretty much whatever axles I need. Whats all involved with the transfer case if I do a pass side diff?

Evan
No, its not that bad, just bad enough where the frame guy said he wouldn't be able to pull it. The crash basically double kinked it right behind the driver side a-arm and thats it. Cab/box was completely untouched and has no rust which is a huge deal since I'm from Wi. Motor/tranny/rear end are all good too (not sure about front pumpkin, I'd guess its busted but I've got two extras of those, if I stay with IFS) We've got extras of all of the body pieces that it needs (hood, left fender, rad, rad support, bumper)

My biggest question is if the frames from 88-98 are all the same, or enough the same that any year would work. I know switching over everything to a different frame is going to be labor intensive, but its nothing I haven't done before.

The original plan was to cut the frame somewhare back by the front doors and replace it with a good front end I've got. After thinking about that more I figured it'd be just as much work as transfering everything to a new frame. Hell doing it that way I'd have to rip the cab/motor, tranny off and then worry about getting the placement perfect before welding. Frame swap I still have to pull that stuff and a little more but no worries about alignment or welding.

can you yourself straightn it. from what your exsplaing i think id give it a shot. heat it up glowing red hot. then use a a 12" cclamp or something to compress it back straight again.

keep in mid after doing something like this the frame will be weak. id then cut 1/4" plate and weld it inside the frame and box it. id 1"4 plate both sides of the frame if possible.

if you wanted to do the sfa conversion just cut all the ifs stuff off the frame and plate it after you straighnt it then bolt the sfa brackets on and you might be good to go.

good luck

Evan

which ever way you go you're going to havea lot of work. I'd personally do the frame-up build. get a donor truck and strip it to the frame. paint the frame and start right there. then yo can swap over whatever parts you need and not swap thew parts you dont need and dont want. this will all be much easier if you decide to go carbed, but it can easily be done with an EFI set-up too sonce its basically just a parts swap. if you do decide to cut the frame and splice in...weld it up hell for stout.

oh yeah...for everyone else he isnt related to me

Found a 98 donor truck with a 5.7 vortec that had a cab/engine compartment fire ([img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/RockOn.gif[/img] ebay) Motor should be good. I'm getting a complete vortec wiring harness so I think I might go with the 5.7 vortec instead of the 95 TBI. Just depends on what condition the 5.7 is really in.

What type of paint is good for a frame?? I painted the frame on my current truck and used some heavy duty outdoor enamel I believe. Anyways the stuff isn't the best for this application....

Right now I'm going to get eveything swapped, frame and body painted, and it completely driveable then see how ambitious I am and see what my check book says about doing SAS. Most important thing is to get it all swapped before I worry about doing any lift mods.

Any whats the best way to lift the cab off?? We have a big tractor with a loader but something always seems to get bent when thats used. Just get abuncha guys and some beer and lift 'er off???

How far you wanna strip down the cab? The more you take off the lighter it gets (duh [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]). Not sure how heavy they are, my dad and I picked a '76 longbed off the frame and over the rear tires. I'd imagine a cab without doors, interior (dash, seats, steering column, carpet, everything), or fenders attached shouldn't take more than 4 guys. Glass will be the heavier part of that one.

Quite a few people use POR15 on the frame, it's a good rust inhibitor. I know here at the irrigation company I work all of the fittings that go out are painted with rustoleum paints. That's pump suctions/discharges, as well as panel mounts and frames.

PS...definately go Vortec...[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img][img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

yeah, give POR-15 a try for the painting. there is also a simiklar product called chassis saver that can be found at some parts stores. i have had good luck with that.

Whats that you say.. beer? I'm there!! haha yeah.. but I'd reccommend getting like 4-6 people together and just lifting it off that way. Shouldn't be too hard if you're willing to buy them beer.