Astro van subframe on a 48-52 ford f1 frame?

That coe is realy a large cab.Anyway i did find out what this truck around here is running,Its a Dodge one ton pickup chassic with desiel engine looks cool and he has a fifth wheel hookup.

 

George Maine Will you take a picture for me please???I would love to see what It looks like.
I will start mocking my coe soon

 

So I tried swapping the whole 3/4 ton chevy dually Hub Assembly to the astro Arms.I think I could be done but I need to change a couple of things.
1st the upper bolt and the lower bolt the hold the "hub assemblie" are different sizes and the plate that hold these bolts are riveted so I dont think is a good idea to swap them and use 8 grade bolts.or IS IT????
I also need TO CUT the coil spring to bring the
'arms" closer so I can bolt everything back.
other than that I think it would work.
I will also try to swap just the discs.
This is the whole dually assembly on the astro arm.

The last picture shows why I need to cut the spring and why I need the 3/4 dually bolt(the astro's is too short and too thin) <fieldset class="fieldset"><legend>Attached Images</legend>
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Back to the drawing board.
scratch the astro/f1 frame.
Im using a 3/4 ton chevy dually.
Now.I can use the astro van steering box and steering set up BUT:I would need to notch the frame to fit the astro steering box inside the frame rail.
If I notch the frame rail it would weaken it,so I would have to reinforce it somehow.
The frame rail that I would notch only holds the sway bar but nothing else.
also I would need to move the front crossmember about two inches or fab a new one.

I could use the stock chevy steering box and get u joints or expensive "burgersomething" joints.but the joints would still bind some and i would not be happy with the angle.
Thoughts????

 

Anyone

 

very close to a gen 2 camaro ...wide track

 

Chevy box vans have a heavy duty front end with a van style steering box. Should be perfectly capable of holdin the weight. The track width should be within reason.LB

 

Seth, personally I would stay with the truck steering box. It fits and will work correctly. You will likely have to fab a steering shaft with a couple joints, but that really isn't to tough. Tip: many older foreign vehicles have columns with u joints built onto them....if you can find one you like....check out the junkyards. Borgeson has ones that mate different splines together.

I am following your build to get ideas for mine! It is very similar.....

 

Guess u are right why reinvent the wheel.how's that Coe coming

 

Way too wide.

What are you after, disc brakes, a smoother ride, or higher load capacity? There are easier ways of doing those things besides a front clip swap. Myself, I'd get a straight axle from a newer bread van or a Chevy 3500 HD and have it narrowed and call it a day. You'll gain both weight capacity and front disc brakes. Plus you don't have to hack the shit out of the factory clip. And it's a lot faster than welding up a different front clip.

 

Phill Johnson.
I might confused all of youse.
I am using an entire chevy 3/4 ton cassis and drive train.The only thing I am trying to fit in is the Astro van steering box and arms etc.
My 81 chevy truck donor didnt come with a steering bow so it seemed easy to try nd fit the astro van steering box that I had.
I didnt think about the astro van not being strong enouhg for the 3/4 ton truck.
I wont be using this truck to haul very heavy loads unless I have to.
SO...I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy the 81 steering box.