Searched, but didn't find anything definite. Can I put a 56 Pontiac Safari body on a 55 Chevy sedan frame?
I'm sure anything can be done with enough effort but the frame, floor pan, and even the firewall in my 57 Safari are completely different fron a Chevy. The Pontiac is also a longer wheelbase.
I would say no, the frames and suspensions are unique to Pontiac and Chevy, unless you have a Canadian Pontiac. You could probably do it, but it's not a bolt together swap.
A direct swap?... I don't think so. Years ago, I tried a Chevy eng/trans swap kit on my Pontiac. Wouldn't work. The Pontiac frame is wider up front. But, for the sake of all the aftermarket stuff available for the Chevy, a little tweak here and there would well be worth it. Obviously you're not going for a numbers matching restoration. Google frame spec for both and see if they are close enough., then GO FOR IT! Bil
Why not a '55/'56 Pontiac sedan frame? Offhand, I don't know if there is a wheelbase difference or not, but even so, it would be easy to "adjust" the Pontiac frame accordingly. Of course, what we don't know is why you are interested in changing the frame in the first place. Ray
The page is somewhere on the site with the tri-five Pontiac wheelbases, but I can't find it right now. Here is the link with mucho info for the tri-five Pontiac enthusiast... http://www.pontiacsafari.com/index.html FYI: tri-five chevs all have a 115" wheelbase
The Safari sits on a 122" wheelbase whereas the 55 Chevy is 115".The wagons are different from the sedans in a number of ways;mostly in gas tank location. The sedans have a flat gas tank located in the center of the rear and the spare tire set in vertically to one side.The Safaris have the spare tire in the center rear and the squarish tank offset to the left side. The Pontiacs used two different wheelbase frames as well;the 860,870 ,and Custom Safari wagon had 122" as stated and the Star Chief had a 124" wheelbase.
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