Any downside to using a truck frame other than size?

I can get a titled 1973 C20 3/4 ton truck for very, very cheap. Engine is a blown(Looks like block is cracked) 350, otherwise it is complete.

I'm guessing that if I picked that up to use I probably couldn't:

1) Lower it all that much
2) Have to cut the frame to fit the top/cab/whatever would go on top.

Good news is that any SBC would bolt right in.

Am I missing anything?

Length & weight probably the only things I can think of. Several guys on here have C'd or Z'd truck frames! All depends on what you're trying to build.

Toad

BlackMetallic said:

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2) Have to cut the frame to fit the top/cab/whatever would go on top.
Am I missing anything?

Click to expand...

Or, widen the cab/body of what you want to put on top

Welcome to the world of do what you got to do when you got to do it! Sometimes it's a choice on cheap, sometimes on size, sometimes on strength or frame features. If you have a body or cab style in mind, do some research to find the dimensions and then find a frame that would fit pretty good or would be easy to change to fit. You'll see alot old older trucks with smaller cabs being fitted to small truck frames like S-10s and Rangers. Why? because they fit pretty well...
Sometimes a frame is chosen because of it's features like IFS for fendered vehicles...they don't look that good on open fendered rides but if you can hide the BS, they make good cruisers with up to date suspensions.
If you are only considering a frame because it's titled, you may want to check with the DMV in your area. It might be exciting to be pulled over in a Model A and only have a registration for a Chevrolet frame.
Cruise the build threads here and see what guys are doing. It will give you unlimited ideas of what "can" be done. Some people will tell you it's not that hard to build your own frame. Then you fit it as needed for whatever you're building. Back to the first sentence....there's talent here that will show you that just about anything can be done! You're building a hotrod or rat if you like...do it the way you want it, but be safe! The guys here will tell you when you're screwing up with safety.

I used an 'off road' chassis on my Healey. it took a lot of gas cutting and welding and engineering to get it to not look like a 4x4......

Obviously some will be easier than others, but I had to change spring mounts, Zee the front end, relieve the chassis in places etc



I got it down eventually. I too used it because I thought I could utilise the paperwork, but it was not to be.

Find your body or cab, then decide on what frame you need. You could buy the Chevy and take what parts you think you might need, and sell or trade the rest for other parts.

Yeah, I'd get a cab first too. There is a pretty big contingent on here that don't care what someone else thinks of their gobbered up rods because they started with cheap/free frame.
You can lower the cheby front with spindles, but they will probably cost more than you paid for the frame.
That's a really ugly frame to go fenderless and pretty wide for a 30s-40s full fendered build. But if it's cheap and you have room, go for it, as mentioned you can still get a lot of parts you might use.

Thanks all for the input. (Sorry for late reply, just finished up 10 days in a row for work) I understand the idea for cab first, then frame, however, I'm leaning toward a truck cab anyway, and would probably need the bigger size of the chevy frame.

Much to ponder and doodle on paper before pulling the trigger.

Thanks