I have a 51 GMC 5-window pickup and the frame is F'ed up...I have another late 70's frame that is complete and I want to swap it. I am a welder by trade so the welding etc. is not the issue but I have never tackled a job like this.....any and all help is appreciated.....

Billybob

"I am smart enough to know that I am too dumb not to ask"....

Frame swaps rarely work out. You will spend more money adapting something than just doing it right to start with.

If you have never done this....it will end up a mess. They can be done but it takes experience in the selection of the donor frame among other things.

There are kits to do what you wish. I suggest a clip for the front or a kit for independent front suspensions. Repair your frame or locate a duplicate to work on.

GOOD LUCK......

__________________
I went to the school of hard knocks ...
where the tuition is high but the retention is exceptional !

I don't know where you are in Tx, but my friend in Wellinton owns Owen's Salvage and he has several of these pickups. It would be worth it to give him a call. PM or email me if you want the number.

I think the most common frame swap is the S-10 because it has about the right track width and length as many older cars.

However, when you say your frame is screwed up, what do you mean? I would think that, if anything, you would want to put a later model front clip in the truck to get the benefits of coil springs, power steering, disc brakes etc. It you are willing to do this, then maybe the frame problem you have can be corrected. It is not a big deal to get your cab, front system and box off the frame. From there, it would be pretty easy to square up the frame behind where the clip attachment would be made. You would not worry about the frame forward of the clip point because you are going to cut that off anyway. And you can do the front clip. I am not a welder and pulled off my first attempt just fine. It just takes some planning, a lot of carefull measurement and some basic brain cells. A company like RB's obsolete sells a Mustang II kit to convert your truck and you get all the benefits I listed above.