Yep, you read that right... I'm looking to do the exact opposite of what most people with a 73-87 Chevy want to do. I have a '78 Scottsdale with a 14-bolt full floater with 4.56's, which would be great if I had a 4WD that I intended to build as an off-road truck. However, it's a 2WD, and I have no intention of converting it to a 4WD unless I swap the body to a 4WD chassis. My truck's going to be strictly an on-road truck, and I'll be hauling nothing larger than a pair of dirt bikes with it, so one way or another, the big axle's gotta go. If I do swap for a half-ton, I'm sure I'll end up getting one with 5- or 6-bolt hubs, and if that's the case, I'll have to swap out the front hubs too. If I go this route, will I be able to swap a half-ton axle in directly in most cases, and will it be feasible for me to swap in matching bolt-pattern hubs for the front end?
My other option would be to buy a half-ton 4WD, which I can do for $300, as I know where I can get a '76 GMC Sierra Classic. The body on my 3/4 ton truck's in much better shape, and the half-ton 4WD comes with a flatbed, so I could just swap the cab from the 3/4 ton to the half-ton if I decide to buy it.
Which will be the easier and/or less expensive option for me?
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