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Posts: 24
Joined: Tue May 15, 2018 2:04 pm
Chassis Chop
I'm restoring a '48 KB1. I'm dropping a sbc 400 in it with a 700r4 behind it. I've got a Ford Exploder 8.8" axle for the rear end. Here's my dilemma, I started out wanting to use the original chassis, then moved toward an S10 chassis so I could have all the conveniences of disk brakes and rack and pinion steering on the front end. I've moved away from that because I don't like the shallow bed that that chassis requires. So then I graduated toward a Dodge Dakota because from what I've read, you only have to give up a couple inches of bed space. But you've still got to remount all the fenders, cab, etc. onto that chassis, which intimidated me a bit. So now I've read a couple posts elsewhere about chopping the front end of an S10 so my cab and bed would still mount just fine to the old chassis, and I'd have all the bells and whistles on the front. Would still have to do some work to mount the front fenders and grill, but not as intimidating as the rest.
My question is, have any of you tackled a project like this and how difficult is it. Seems to me like getting things lined up exactly would be the hard part, but once that's done overkill on the welding would have me a nice optioned truck. Needless to say, I've changed my mind so many times on this subject a can't even remember what I'm working on anymore. Any and all opinions and help is greatly appreciated.
BTW-Mamma didn't give me a budget to include a Mustang II front end. I can only wish.