I've got a chance to get a '76 3/4 ton 4wd truck w/ an '80 body cheap enough to be interested in diving into a frame chop and body swap to put my '83 shortbed 2wd body on that chassis, I'd like a couple people to look over my checklist of items I'll need to do for sure to make sure I'm not missing anything that might bring the project to a halt if I got started on it. Both trucks are th350 auto trucks, and I know the transmission and np203 on the 4wd are in very good condition.
I know I'll need to swap the center hump, I plan on using the harness and the engine & accessories from my '83, though I may wait on the swap til I get done rebuilding my 350 on the stand,in which case I'll use that engine. Will I need to use some of the body mounting points from the '83 on the '76 frame? I know I'll need to have a new driveshaft made or the old one cut down, and the '76 has a cracked leaf in one of the rear packs, so it'll get new springs..
What changes will need to be made to the parking brake system, or would I be better off with a drive shaft mounted parking brake kit? I'm planning to buy new brake and fuel lines while I'm at it, as well as a pair of poly fuel tanks (my bed isn't a dual tank bed, so I'd be constructing a crossover filler neck as well)
What I hope to do, if I buy the truck, is get the entire 4wd chassis ready for my '83 body, without making my truck undriveable til the last possible moment. The '76 has a good 4 core radiator, I'd like to use that radiator with the '83 mounts if thats possible. I've also still got my '84 longbed 2wd I'm parting out, I can scavenge some of the stuff like the cab mounts if i need them, from that truck. I know I'll either need to modify the front frame horns on the '76 frame to fit my '83 bumper, or build my own bumper (which I'd like to do eventually). I'm certain I'm forgetting something important..
I would be doing the frame cutting with a sawzall, and welding with a 10-200 amp AC stick welder..The cut would be offset, for strength, and I know to check for square very frequently while working on it..
If theres anything I missed, or if anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to chime in. The '76 comes at a potentially flexible price of $600, and its my uncle's truck that hes had since the early-mid 80s..so I've got a LOT of the history available to me.
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