Has anybody used a S10 frame under a 49-52 Chevy car? I have a readily available S10 regular cab frame(115") I'm wanting to put my 50 hardtop coupe body on it .any help would be appreciated.
Gene Koning has done swaps and posted many times about it. Do some searches. That said, if the original frame is in decent shape, it already fits the body. It's often easier to adapt front suspension and drivetrain to it than to adapt a different frame to the body and make mods to fit. Either way is going to require a lot of fab work, proper understanding of forces involved and a shop with equipment to do the work. Not to put you down, but this is like asking "Can I rebuild my SBC at home?" It CAN be done, many people have, but it's a process with a huge amount of special steps involved and each build is going to have different challenges. Asking how shows a lack of understanding of everything needed. The guy that knows doesn't ask. Asking is how we learn, but this isn't a 10 step process. For more, a simple search will give you lots of discussion on this. The internet is full of people sharing what they have done. Go out and look for the info. There is probably someone who has tried this exact swap. If not, there is a reason! https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search/638438171/?q=frame+swap&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1
Put what ever rear end under the car you want. the look for a front stub that matches one side of the frame, rebuld it and install. Gary
If your original frame is in good condition and has all the suspension parts present, or available new, rebuild the suspension, add better brakes, and install the rear end of choice. You will be way ahead of the game. Swapping a frame is never "easy", and always involves welding and fabrication. Each donor frame has its own set of required changes before its swapped into a car it was never built for. Expect to have to modify the front and the rear of the frame so you can install your bumpers. Expect to have to build or modify the radiator and front fender support. Expect to have to build new body to frame mounts. Expect to have to modify the motor and transmission mounts because likely the motor will have to move on the frame. Expect to have to modify the cars firewall to clear the motor. Expect to have to modify the car body's passenger compartment floor pans and the trunk floors. Then, maybe it might get easier, or not. I have done several frame swaps with great success, but every one was because the original frame was pretty much junk, or missing most of the parts. It takes a lot of space to have two vehicles torn apart to do the frame swap, and it requires a way to lift a body up and down several times before every thing matches up. That is in addition to the modifications needed, and most likely you will be rebuilding all the suspension and brakes on the donor frame.
Replacing the front clip also carries a lot of extra work. Keeping the original frame and the modern frame in alignment for both straightness and height can be challenging, and you will still have to modify the radiator& front sheet metal support and modify the frame so you can install your car's front bumper in the correct location. I have done a few of the front frame clips over the years as well. Might be easier then a full frame swap, but still a lot of work.
If your 50 is a hardtop... it is not a coupe. It is a Bel Air hardtop and the first year Chevy made a hardtop. If the frame isn't broken or rotten... I wouldn't even consider swapping it. As others have already stated... It is A LOT of work putting a latter frame under an older car. You have many easier options. Chassis Engineering has a rear suspension kit that can convert your 50 to open drive. You just have to tell them what rear axle you are running. The front suspension can be updated with disc brakes, new springs, bushings etc. or you could always go with the mustang 2 front suspension. It will save you a ton of headaches later.
I have done a couple using OEM Mustang 11 , crossmember and suspension . Easy swap and will sit nice and handle as nice as a wet dream . Do some research .Chassis Engineering sold a bolt in crossmember for this swap also years ago .
You are better off keeping the original frame under it if it is in decent shape. And while the 49 to 54s are basically the same car, it makes building it easier if you have it nailed down to what it actually is. I noticed you originally posted you had a 52, and now a 50. I see some saying it's a coupe and the hardtop has been thrown in as well. With these cars coupes aren't simply 2 doors and a solid roof doesn't necessarily make it a hardtop model. My 51 2 door is a sedan according to Chevy. It is actually a Styleline deluxe 2 door sedan. A lot of parts will interchange between models and even the family of years 49-53 is most common. But, as your build continues you will need to know exactly what you are working on for trim, some body panels, window glass, and a few other odds and ends. Post some pictures as we all appreciate a good project and a lot of us are partial to this family of Chevys.
Adapting a newer OEM frame/chassis to an older body, is sort of on the cobbled together side of upgrading an old vehicle. Newer OEM front frame stubs too! They can be made to work quite well, but in the end it will be a less desired vehicle, than upgrading the original suspension conventionally. Not done very often now, but was quite popular at one point in the past.
Thank you,sorry for the confusion,at first(before I actually took possession of the car) I was told it was a 52, but since I have learned that it is in fact a 1950 Belair. I have an S10 4x4 rear end for it.I guess I will have to either look into a mustang lol front end or rebuild the original front suspension. I'm really not a fan of drum brakes,so a disc brake conversion will come soon..time to do more research on it. I have posted pics...let me know what you think. The title says 1950 Chevy..was told it's a Belair due to the 3 piece rear window.
I don't think the 3-piece rear window was exclusive to Belairs. I have seen Style line photos with the same back window. I can tell you that your car is a coupe by the shorter rear quarter windows and longer trunk. Your hood has been filled (the center seam welded and filled). Hopefully it was welded and not just filled. The 50 grill you show does not appear to be original to the front fenders. There are differences between 50 and 51 fenders. Those fenders look like the fenders on my 51. To know exactly what the car was here is a VIN identification page for reference. 1946 - 1954 Chevrolet Model Identification Here is a side and front view of my 51 Styleline deluxe sedan. You can see the hood seam trim and badges that have been removed on yours. That is a very common modification. The squarer rear fenders was a change in 51. You can also see the longer rear quarter window and shorter trunk that differentiates between coupe and sedan. Overall, your project looks like a great start. Welcome to the madness (it's not an addiction as I can stop any time I want, but why would I ever want too?) and most importantly, have fun!
Looks like ‘51-‘52 fenders and hood with ‘50 grill. I would just stick a ‘52 grill on it ( has teeth ) As far as the frame/ suspension. It is literally Corvette suspension since it was used on the C1 Vettes. Upgrade to disc brakes with a kit from Speedway since you have the Huck brakes being a ‘50. Bendix drums from ‘51 on are much better.
They have disc brake kits for your car. Then do the s10 rear. It's a lot easier to add mods to stock frame then to switch them. Everything is sold to update the car. Brakes , steering , engine , transmission.
Yes the hood is welded, I'm glad to finally find someone that can help me to know what I have. I'm going into this blind,I have mostly all the original interior,got a decent 283 with a turbo 350. Gotta rebuild both .all the glass is in the trunk... The window gaskets are crazy expensive!! I also have a one piece windshield. Still need to figure out how to make it 12 v. And I have a brand new gas tank
Is the chrome trim basically the same on all Belairs? I do have all the chrome but not sure how it attached.just polishing it all and looking at all the pics I can find
Great site, you can look at other years too so you can spot the stuff these members are talking about. https://oldcarbrochures.org/United States/Chevrolet/1950-Chevrolet/index.html
Can verify. Have disc brakes and S10 4x4 rear end in my 53. I recommend the disc kit from mike Garcia
Just throwing this out there in hopes someone else can confirm or deny. But don't 55-57 Chevy car frames fit relatively easily under a 49-54? Seems I heard about that swap being done. If it's true, and you can find a decent chassis from someone doing a restomod tri-five, it would give you a newer front suspension and open drive rear end. Plus there are tons of brake kits and such for 55-57's.
The Jalopy Journal
