please Help frame question

[mats1985gmc]

I gotta a 1985 GMC 2wd 1/2 ton LWB. I just found out my frame is bent in two places. I would like to shorten this truck to a shorty. So I am looking for a SWB frame to swap. I found a 1978 short box frame. I could not find the exact answer on old posts so I am asking again.  will my cab and front clip bolt up to a older frame? Thanks for the help. I just dont want to run in to major problems later.

[zieg85]

Yes it should bolt up fine.  You need to have the bushings (rubber mounts under cab and core support)to match the frame.  Other than that the front frame where the bumper mounts to is different but a sawzall will fix that right up.  It will be obvious to you once you see them side by side.

[zieg85]

One more thing, a long bed truck came with 20 gallon gas tank/s as well as 16 gal.  Short wheel based trucks only had 16 gallon

[mats1985gmc]

Thank you for the help! What are the core supports. do you mean rad support. or is that something you can buy or have to cut off the other frame

[Blazin]

Radiator core. Radiator support, & core support are one in the same. It will bolt right onto your mounts. Like Zieg said though you will need a cab mount bushing set to match the year span of the frame 73/80.

[mats1985gmc]

Will my suspenion bolt up to the new old frame?

[mats1985gmc]

Thanks alot for the help. You guys are always awesome!

[mats1985gmc]

So I got the donor truck almost torn down to the frame. I am going to blast it and paint it. Should I remove all the rivets from the brackets and braces to blast or just leave them on?

[Irish_Alley]

if you dont you will just be covering up rust

[mats1985gmc]

good point. thanks! Any advice busting out those rivets?

[mats1985gmc]

Air Chisel?

[Irish_Alley]

i didnt have much luck with a chisel. so you can torch the heads off then punch the rest out

[mats1985gmc]

OK So I will have two halves of the frame and all the braces to blast. once blasted and painted will i have alignment issues putting it back together? Is there a trick to it.

[Irish_Alley]

might be a little tight fit due to the new paint. and some braces are real tight to begin with so you might have to work with it and start at one side and work your way down then go back and re tighten everything. if you feel like it use something to lock the nuts and bolts in place like tread locker, you could use lock washers but you will chew up your nice painted frame