Any info. on chassis swaps?

[BIGmansM]

I was wondering if anyone has done a chassis swap for their M37? Have you seen it done? Do you think it would be possible without breaking the bank?

Could someone please provide some M37 chassis info for me:
What is the wheelbase? What is the wdith Hub to Hub (would be better info.)
What is the track?

What do you think the limitations would be with a swap like this? I personally think the engine bay is small on these trucks compared to some fo the new trucks out there.

[m-37Bruce]

I have seen a few pic's of the 37 plopped on a cheby Blazer, K-5, it wasn't a pruty sight. It just wasn't a good match-up?

[jeepdud]

Please don't take alot of offense to this answer but I would expect some. If you are to lazy to look up the track and wheelbase how are you going to put forth enough effort to research and drop a body on a different frame.

[M37UK]

Surely it would be easier to just buy an old rust bucket M37 and take the chassis from that?
I'm sure you could pick one up for a few hundred bucks.
This would be cheaper than the alternative of finding another chassis and all the work that would be involved in making it fit.

[SOTVEN]

Please don't take alot of offense to this answer but I would expect some. If you are to lazy to look up the track and wheelbase how are you going to put forth enough effort to research and drop a body on a different frame.

A VALID POINT THERE JEEPDUD, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE AT TIMES WHO PAY OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK (GOD FORBID LOL)

[rixm37]

Well said Sotven. I was reading about a build in Hot Rod and in the first paragraph the owner of the vehicle talked about how his build budget of 100,000 had been exceeded by the shop he was working with to build his rod.

So ya there are guys out there who just put up the dough.

Having said that. I have been looking at a couple of chassis . 80's Blazer is a little short and short bed pick ups are a little long so either way you are gonna have to cut the frame. I haven't really looked at witdths yet . I have been thinking it would be fun to put an M body on a modern frame.

This picture got me thinking about it. I think the one used in this pic is a Blazer .

[cuz]

They remind me of the Ford Pinto bodies on the Blazer frames. Great exercise in art but a lot of money thrown at a limited use novelty. But there are folks who like to build those oddities and have fun with them.

[Master Yota]

The chassis doesn't make the size of the engine bay - the sheetmetal wrapped around it does. Any engine will fit between the rails and under the hood with enough thought given to the process. I've got a 428 Cobra Jet under my hood, and Josh has a twin turbo Dodge 400 under the hood of his. Both of us are running 1 ton driveline under the original frame rails. Virtually any V8 will fit with out too much fuss. About the only engine thats a real pain to install would be a Cummins 6bt due to the length. But that would require cutting the sheet metal out of the firewall, not changing the chassis.

WMS to WMS an M37 is 72" wide. The wheelbase is about 114".

A standard GM Dana 60 front with single wheel hubs is 69" wide. A corporate 14bolt rear is 67" wide. A dana 60 with the dually wheel hub is 78" wide, while a Dually C14 rear is 72" wide.

As for a chassis to swap under an M37 body, a fullsize jimmy or blazer is about 106", a toyota truck (regular cab s/b) is 112". Most fullsize S/b trucks are around 118" depending on year and manufacturer. Long box trucks are usually at 125" or longer. The wheel base of an IH scout travellall might be close, but I don't know what it is. Even if it was close, it would be a down grade in the strength department. None of the newer trucks (pre - 2000) have a chassis that is really any stronger that what is under the M37 to start with. Plus swapping it over just adds more work as the engine bay size is still goverened by the sheetmetal, and now you need to build 13 body mounts, instead of two engine mounts, a tranny mount, and some suspension mounts.

IMO you'll be miles ahead and less frustrated by just using the M37 frame.

Hope this helps.

[rixm37]

Great information M.Y.
You and Josh have shown what can be done with the M37 and it's stock frame. Between you two, there is a step by step guide to building a great truck right here on the forum.