Projects Can't do it

Most people who plan to try a frame swap are just looking to have a running oldie with no work at all....a free ride...or so they think.

Let him build it his way.


Then rub it in, when nothing fits quite right, and looks like dog **** with frame rails hanging down or sticking out the wells.

 

you cant talk them all off the ledge , you gotta let some of them fly!

 

Astro I had had a 5+5" wheel bolt pattern.
Is that what an S-10 has?
Is that what he wants?
The Astro also has really ugly fibergl*** rear springs.
He'd probably have to modify the spring saddles to use different ones.

 

Remind him of the old adage: "The best frame for a '36 Chev is a '36 Chev frame."

 

My best friend and I have not been on the best of terms, mostly because I won't build MY project, in his image of cool. With that said, he is also not giving any creedance to the fact that it is a fire truck build, and I am a fireman....and he is not. When I rejected a few of his first ideas, because they were not the direction I was going, he stopped coming to my house...and suggested I hire a welder....I own and know how to use my welders...he borrows any tools he needs to do his hobby work...up to and including asking me to bring my welder down, and rent a capable generator to run it at his house. I miss the friendship, but I stand my on my decision to build my truck, my way....and he stands by his to shun me because of it....I guess he was not as good a friend as I had thought...

 

Sad what Willy301 says! But at least he's open minded, too bad his pal isn't. One of my Buds [about 12 yrs my junior] just doesn't get the whole '50s-'60s custom perspective, ...child of the '70s. I say WWs, he says white letters [gack], I say steelies & caps, he says Mags & meats, I say slammed, he says jacked-in-back. It's gonna run a mild mill for cruisin' dependability, ...oh hell no, it's gotta have mega HP! On it goes, but he knows he's talkin' to the wall, it's gonna be what it's gonna be, ...but we both know it's all just for ****s'n'giggles, & we're not ef'n up a friendship over it!

 

Yep, no frame. Uni body.

 

Just remember, he has been there for some of your ideas, dumb or not. I'm helping my best friend build a ricer/dift car. He's still my friend and I want it safe.

 

#1... I can't stand street rods.
#2... I'd help him anyway if he was my bud.

 

Friends dont let friends build cobbled abortions, if he wants a astrovan tell him to build an astro van, if he wants a cl***ic car then help him build a cl***ic car but CERTAINLY dont combine the 2...

 

What is street rodding and what is hot rodding.

My interpretation of street rodding is purchasing off shelf components to improve a vehicles performance.

My interpretation of hot rodding is using a piece from this car a piece from that car to improve on a pre 1948 vehicles marginal engineering of brakes, engines, ch***is, etc. Isn't that what you buddy is doing.

Good luck with the build what a great way to spend some time together.

 

Because it's not traditional ? His truck, let him streetrod / frame swap if he wants and help him out. Cars are like women, if you only like one style of build your missing a hell of a lot of fun.

 

you might get away with a frame graft from an Astro van ( i doubt it would turn out well) but a frame swap wont happen,Astros are uni-body with a bolt on sub frame.

 

Why are you friends with a street rodder?

Seriously, Help him out with the project, swap your sweat for the '36 ch***is and deal it off for parts that you need, win-win.

Scotty.

 

If you have the ability to help your friend out.. Do it.. He is a friend. If you are going to critique his taste. He should find new friends. Advice is one thing.. Calling him stupid is another... Even if it was "in fun" as you stated.

Everybody has their own taste. There is at least one thread on here covering the Del Mar car show.. Lots of street rods..

Help him build a safe vehicle that he can enjoy. During the build it will be obvious what will work and what wont. Use what you can from the astro and s**** /sell the rest to finance other needed parts.

 

help him out and ask him for '36 frame.

 

it's for you isn't it? just do it, don't be ashamed.

 

Had a 36 FB cab years ago. Had a solid rail type frame. No reason to change the frame. Add the V 6 and trans along with the rear end change. Vega box and be done. Disc brake kit for the stock axle. Neat trucks.

 

glad some of you arent my friend.lol would you turn him down if he asked you to help him paint his house because you didnt like the color he chose?i HATE all imports cars and bikes.but i helped a friend build his izoozoo(yeah i know) put a 4.3 with a 700 trans in it. but its his truck, hes my friend and he needed my help,so i bit the bullet and helped him.and ragged his *** the whole time.lol.but in the end, he had a truck and i still had a friend.

 

My condolences to another old iron.

 

Wow, what a judgmental bunch we have here. Of course some of you are just kidding in a good natured sort of way, but there are others who are deadly serious.

Surely it is better to mentor someone who is leaning away from trad and steer them gently back in the right direction. Evolution - not revolution. Or should that be devolution?

Obviously an Astro Van is not going to work very easily unless the guy wants to clip the 1936 Chevy frame. There are plenty of S10 conversions out there and 'gl*** bodies being made specifically for that frame - I'm thinking replica Willys here mainly.

I have a buddy who is just finishing up a 1940 Ford ute on an S-10 frame and much of the work was done at my place. Too street roddy in my book, but I have yet to hear him have one negative comment about the ute but he has a ton of compliments. And it rides really nicely. I'm certainly not going to lose a good friend over his build style and he is having a load of fun driving it.

This whole purist traditional obsessive/compulsive thing can get to the point of stupidity IMO. There are plenty of people on the HAMB with traditional looking rides with ****ing air bags, laying frame etc. and to me it looks about as stupid as it gets. I fail to see how parking a car that looks as though the entire suspension has collapsed is meant to be cool? Please tell me how traditional that is....

A well engineered car does not have to stick to rules and regs imposed by the self appointed HAMB trad police to be a: cool and b: safe and usable. There are plenty of 'non traditional' Mustang II suspended cars on here - ask Ryan about his '38.

Technology has evolved and the first Jag or Vette IFS installations were in the late 1960s. It should not be so much about the dead on period correctness of the thing with pre 1965 parts all around but more about the look, feel and spirit of the thing....

 

You can't be much of a friend if you won't help him reach his dreams...whatever they are!

 

X2 I value friends more.

 

I think I remember a thread on here that said an Astro subframe had a very wide track width, also.

Blue

 

Friends are hard to come by, I lost two last year. Heart attacks both. I miss both dearly. Chearish the good times they only come around once.

 

Does you friend want to own/drive a '36 Chevy or an Astro van with a candy shell?

I did a ch***is swap. By the time you're done with it, you might as well just fix the old **** up.

When I was done, I have an 80's Chevy truck, not a hot rod/street rod.

 

you caint swap a frame that doesent exist.astro vans have a sub similar to a camaro track with is wide also

 

Build the thruck with your buddy, laugh have a good time and see what happens. If it doesn't work try something else.