Square body on new chassis?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

436'd skylark

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Posts
45
Reaction score
34
Location
VT
First Name
Joe
Truck Year
2005
Truck Model
2500HD
Engine Size
Durajunk
Hello- I'm trying to get my post count up to use the classifieds. I'm right in the middle of my project and need some odds and ends. Has anyone else swapped a squarebody cab and bed on a newer frame? I'm putting the 77 on my 05 2500hd with the durajunk..
 

Charlie

Mopar by Birth. Chevy by Choice.
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Posts
1,837
Reaction score
909
Location
Euless, Texas
First Name
Don
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Cheyenne 10 LWB
Engine Size
350/TH350/AC/4 BBL Quadrajet
:welcome:
 

crazy4offroad

Equal Opportunity Destroyer
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
8,468
Reaction score
1,068
Location
West BY-GOD Virginia
First Name
Curt
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
K-10
Engine Size
350/SM465/NP205
Sounds interesting. Post pics and get your post count up that way as well.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,966
Reaction score
23,481
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I'm curious about this swap. Got anymore details about what you are doing? Like what portions of each truck are getting put together.
 

Craig 85

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Posts
3,889
Reaction score
4,024
Location
Nashville, TN
First Name
Craig
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K30 SRW
Engine Size
454/TH-400/NP205
Here's a You Tube video link to a guy that put a 1968 GMC cab on a 2500HD chassis. There's 12 videos.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

436'd skylark

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Posts
45
Reaction score
34
Location
VT
First Name
Joe
Truck Year
2005
Truck Model
2500HD
Engine Size
Durajunk
Its pretty straight forward. I've owned the 05 for 10 years. Its a regular cab long box truck. 2500hd 4x4 with the duramax and allison. Its the best truck i ever owned. The body has succumbed to the normal northest rust. initially i was going to swap the durajunk and allison into a square body. I soon found out a decent 3/4 ton 4x4 square body was way out of my price range. I bought a very solid 77 c20 from California for 2000 bucks. I considered a 4x4 conversion on that chassis but realized the 05 running gear was hard to beat. 4 wheel disc brakes, the AAM rear axle etc was all in good working order. Not to mention it all fit together rather nicely already. I parked the two trucks next to each other and started measuring everything. I soon realized the square body would fit on the 05 frame easily. Even the AC suit case is in place.

To answer your question though i am running the complete 05 chassis and drivetrain. I merged the 05 core support with the 77. The rest of the body parts are all 77. I made the 77 dash and cluster work as well. Its at the body shop right now. I'm having the box matched to the faded buckskin color as its off another truck. I'll upload some pics once its out.
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
5,905
Reaction score
7,252
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
Sounds like a cool project. You’ll have one of the sweetest looking newer trucks around. Is the 05 a manual transfer case or push button?

Not really sure how a chassis designed to handle more tq, hp, and payload is inferior...
 
  • Like
Reactions: WFO

DavesJimmy

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Posts
62
Reaction score
48
Location
USA
First Name
David
Truck Year
1976
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
Cant wait to see some pics of this FrankinSquare!:hmm:
 

436'd skylark

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Posts
45
Reaction score
34
Location
VT
First Name
Joe
Truck Year
2005
Truck Model
2500HD
Engine Size
Durajunk
Sounds like a cool project. You’ll have one of the sweetest looking newer trucks around. Is the 05 a manual transfer case or push button?

Not really sure how a chassis designed to handle more tq, hp, and payload is inferior...

It's a manual transfer case. That was pretty easy. I still had to power the front axle encoder motor. That was pretty easy.
 

roundhouse

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2014
Posts
669
Reaction score
527
Location
atlanta ga
First Name
justin
Truck Year
77,78,79,80 ?
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
I’ve got good running 96 Yukon with a salvage title and wrinkles in the quarter panels

Wonder if a first gen blazer body would drop on it ?
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,966
Reaction score
23,481
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
IFS or not, that's pretty cool.

Also, I've got those exact same ramps.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,857
Posts
903,629
Members
33,370
Latest member
mitchell1128
Top