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Body swaps

L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Has anyone swapped a different body onto a different frame? Like a smaller body style onto a full sized frame. If so what were the problems encountered along the way? What should I be aware of before I start thinking I can do this? I have seen quite a few rigs in the Southeast swapping smaller pickup truck bodies onto full sized frames and thought why shouldn't I try it. Anything in the ways of words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

LT.
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
Body mounts. Shifter clearance. Steering linkage. Those are the issues that jump right out at me.

Mostly though, we're not in Alabama. :D heheh what smaller Dodge are you going to swap, a D50?! :eek:
 
L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Tacoma said:
Body mounts. Shifter clearance. Steering linkage. Those are the issues that jump right out at me.

Mostly though, we're not in Alabama. :D heheh what smaller Dodge are you going to swap, a D50?! :eek:
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No, no. Actually I was kind of thinking about a CJ-3A body. Years ago there was a fella who competed in TTC 2002 with a 1956 CJ-3A and I really liked the way he stretched the front fenders and hood on it to cover his 113" wheelbase. I would like to do the same but instead of stretching the front as far as he did I would also like to stretch the rear in order to keep a rear seat. Just an idea I have been kicking around. It would help keep the body off of the rocks, and would still give me a little bit of a nostalgic look. I was thinking that it would be cool to open up the hood and see the 440 six pack that I am working on. I don't know, just an idea.

LT.
 
L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
R

rholbrook

Well-Known Member
Location
Kaysville, Ut
LT. said:
Thanks! This is exactly why I am interested in doing something like this.

LT.
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This Peterson jeep was a BAMF as my teenage son says. Bad A$$ Mother F*****R. You get the idea. It was huge and so cool. I must of stood and stared at that thing for an hour, shifted my stance so my leg wouldn't fall asleep and then stare at it for another hour.

Good luck on what ever your building because if you can recreate something like this JK, you would really have something cool. You could always pile up your Dodge and buy it back from the Ins Company.
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
whew! Have you seen the 6pack EFI they have out now? Check out Mr. Norms', they are building Dodge Demons that use them. I can't remember who is making the EFI.


LT. said:
No, no. Actually I was kind of thinking about a CJ-3A body. Years ago there was a fella who competed in TTC 2002 with a 1956 CJ-3A and I really liked the way he stretched the front fenders and hood on it to cover his 113" wheelbase. I would like to do the same but instead of stretching the front as far as he did I would also like to stretch the rear in order to keep a rear seat. Just an idea I have been kicking around. It would help keep the body off of the rocks, and would still give me a little bit of a nostalgic look. I was thinking that it would be cool to open up the hood and see the 440 six pack that I am working on. I don't know, just an idea.

LT.
Click to expand...
 
L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
This is the one that I have been looking at. http://www.fbthrottlebodies.com/

I started looking at what it would take to gain some clearence, and more importantly, visibility while still using the Ramcharger body and I am not sure that is the way to go. Sloping the hood, dove tailing the front, rear, and boat siding, and all the while still wanting the cabin area to be more narrow just seems too much work. I already have the whole center tranny hump cut out and I still need to re skin it as well. I really want to keep it narrow, light weight, and classy looking. I like the look of the CJ-3A body because it is classic Willys and has the one piece windshield. Building some new body mounts seems like it would be easier at this point.

I still don't really know if this is the right decission. This is why I am asking for any input anyone may have. What do y'all think?

LT.
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
I think you should start with something smaller, with narrower axles to begin with. :D

Personally, I like the idea of the X-Chassis....
 
billylight

billylight

Registered User
Location
Orem, UT
Tacoma said:
I think you should start with something smaller, with narrower axles to begin with. :D

Personally, I like the idea of the X-Chassis....
Click to expand...

im all about something smaller. unless you are going bigger than 40s the full with thing is not needed. a 14bolt with 38s is like a toyota with 30s.
 
SAMI

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
Here's Michael Slade's 1953 Land Rover Series II (IIRC). The body is sitting on a Ford Bronco chassis. Curiously, this little beast is rarely running.. ;)

100_4421.jpg

100_4369.jpg

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phatfoto

phatfoto

Giver of bad advice
Location
Tooele
Not quite the same as you have planned, but when we swapped cabs on our project Ranger we didn't use the same years. The dash mounted differently, steering columns were different, pretty much everything was different between the cabs. So it was a pain to make all the wiring and stuff fit and work right. Really took my time with it, but when it came time to start it, it ran just like it did before the teardown. And none of the added electrical stuff melted or burnt... Have some more work to do, but it SHOULD be on the road soon, FINALLY...
 
L

LT.

Well-Known Member
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
I am just throwing the idea out there and trying to see if others may have tried it before. I am not too sure if this is the route I want to take. I like the looks of the older Willys Jeeps and thought it would give me everything I want out of this build. Mainly more visibility. I still may try and give it a shot, maybe this summer if I don't get picked for the Ultimate Adventure by 4 Wheel and Off Road Magazine.

LT.
 
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