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ford frame swap

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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:12 PM
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91 tonka's Avatar
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From: latrobe pa
ford frame swap

hey guys idk if im doin this right but i need a little help. i have a 91 pickup short bed and i was looking to swap the body to a f150 short bed frame i would like to know whatim getting into with wireing problems and more. i want to put eather a 302 or a 351w carb. in it no fuel injection. i know its not going to be easy but if you guys have any advice it would help me alot. thanks

Last edited by 91 tonka; Jan 20, 2010 at 07:15 PM.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:13 PM
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...why?

You won't have wiring problems, you'll have to make cab mounts..
Your toyota frame is stronger than any chevy or ford frame on the market lol.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:17 PM
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ummmm, I'm not sure that's been done enough or documented enough to give ANY advice on

every body-to-frame swap I've ever seen was a red-neck hack job that nothing electrical worked on anyway




deinately good luck with that one




why don't you just drop a 302 between the Toyota frame rails? THAT'S been done before; I think there's a member on the forums here running the setup



welcome to YotaTech







Last edited by iamsuperbleeder; Jan 20, 2010 at 07:19 PM.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:22 PM
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well i want something that will destroy all my buddys with there full size chevys. the front end of my frame is starting to get pretty bad. i got the truck from my uncle and completely redid the body but i didnt have time or money to do the frame up front. trust me i love the truck now but i need someting with more power
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:26 PM
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I think you would be better off mounting a late model chriscraft or bayliner on that bad boy. It could be like one of those amphibicars of yore. Get out the old measuring tape. Seriously though I think the wirein' would be the least of your worries. Sounds like one of those projects that sit and det dinked with every now and again, then sit some more, then turn into a nightmare. Repeat. 2 cents over and out.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:27 PM
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the truck was deffinetly not taken care of befor i got it. the frame isnt a lost cause what could i do to strengthen it and drop a 302 in it everyone i talked to about doin that around here just laughed at me
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:34 PM
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and another thing wouldnt the power of the 302 twist my drive shaft what all would i have to do with suspension and the tranny and all that
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:41 PM
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LOL.
Nothing, a stock 302 isnt that big of a powerhouse.
The toyota axles will be fine, and you can keep the 5 speed in it, or find a different manual tranny.

Do a solid axle swap. Your truck will be 10x more aggressive, and probably more stout than any chevy or ford of that era. I know for a fact that chevies and fords from the late 80's/early 90's have weak frames. Toyotas have frames that are boxed in, while chevy frames are all open channel. They twist and flex hardcore compared to toyota.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 07:42 PM
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Go back and read what superbleeder and peow have just written. then use the search.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 11:50 PM
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I can't imagine anyone wanting to swap in a limp-dick Ford C-channel frame... swap in the motor instead.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 12:09 AM
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i have a 350 in my yota and i use stock tranfer axles and drive shafts it makes about 345 hp and 300 torque and i did the conversion 2 years ago and the only thing i have had to do is replace the rear pinion seal once toyota axles are just as strong as any ford or chevy half ton
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 01:09 AM
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I feel your pain man, Pa is all about Domestic trucks. If you dont have a Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, with 6'' lift sitting on 38'' you'll get laughed at. But i think the jokes on them!

You could try to reinforce the frame, if you can weld and have a welder, but by the way you're talking it sounds like a lost cause. Put up some pics of the frame rust, it might be fixable.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 01:41 AM
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no a 302 would not twist your drive shaft the stock 302 is only at 225hp stock and ford gets their hp numbers off the crank so take 15 to 20 percent of that off anf that will give you the final hp number you will be fine. next the newer fords frames are fully boxed and the strongest ones on the road and i got my information off youtube its called carinfo and they test yota,ford,chevy,dodge all the same time and same way. next off it would be a hack job to put a yotabody on a ford frame? next whos gonna know you got a ford frame with a yota body unless you tell them and more ppl are going to laugh at you. to add strength to your frame now you could get the rust off of it and box the entire frame up and that will give you the best strength. and with that way you wont be fighting electrial problems and among other things that would come with it

Last edited by fireman1559; Jan 21, 2010 at 01:43 AM.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 11:15 AM
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From: latrobe pa
ok thanks guys this helps
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 11:20 AM
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From: Pineland S.C./ Scott Depot W.V.
Find and old ford with V8, solid axles, and complete tranny transfer cases, and do a SAS under your Yota.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 11:24 AM
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Ya, keep the yota a yota...find a wielder and box in the frame and go for it. Worst case find another yota and build up.

If you want to wait a bit I'll have a frame that I need gettin rid of. 88 Pickup. I believe it has 4.56's but not 100% yet rear is wielded and it's sittin 35's. I'm takin the tranny and manual hubs.

Let me know if your interested in it at all...
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 02:00 PM
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From: Lake City, Fl
Originally Posted by fireman1559
...next off it would be a hack job to put a yotabody on a ford frame?...
well I wasn't speccifically saying that it would be a hack job, I'm just saying that all the body to frame swaps I've seen have been half ass... I have yet to see one done up right, where someone REALLY put some time and effort to tie the two completely different vehicles together to make it one vechicle that's better than the other two could have ever been separately


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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 02:55 PM
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I was under the impression there was no RIGHT way to put a different frame under a different truck, lol.
Any way you do it is going to be horrible.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 03:20 PM
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I think almost everything that needs to be said on the topic has been said. I still feel the need to write about it, for some reason.

In my opinion, it would be more sensible to swap another good Toyota frame, if yours is that bad. If you can't find a good one in your area, take a couple days and a trailer, and get one elsewhere. I would rather spend time on the road getting the right part, than take the time to do your project the wrong way. BlazeN8 has a 302 in his 'Fordota', so you might ask him for some advice on the swap. Good luck with your truck. In the end you will be glad you stuck with the Toyota frame.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by malteserunner
In my opinion, it would be more sensible to swap another good Toyota frame, if yours is that bad.
I'm not that far...Hell I'll pull it all apart and you can have the frame, I just need time to get it apart.
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