75 p/u 3/4ton
Question:
> Major welding and fabrication time. > Find an old Burban(70’s) with an NP205 transfer case. It’s a big heavy > mother, but it’s also bulletproof. Then you’ll need to take the X-member > from the burban and make some mods to it also. Take both drivelines, the > front one might not need to be modified, but the rear one probably will. > There’s lots of fab/mod work in this operation, but if you’re into it, you > can probably be successful at it. Just plan it all out well. > Sam
If he gets the parts off of a 4×4 of similar year, no welding and/or fabrication is required. All the necessary mounting holes are already tapped in the frame, so it’s just a matter of bolt-on. He MAY need to do some front end or rear end differential work as the gear ratios will have to match up. Agreed on the NP205, it’s a tough little sonofabitch! I’ll agree with Dean, if a 4×4 is what he wanted, that’s what he shoulda bought. However, if the thing was in awesome shape for a great price, I can see buying it as a project vehcile. — Take er’ easy, "Doc" Wrenchin’ since 1992 1988 GMC Sierra SLX aka "Chelsea" 1998 GMC Sonoma SLS aka "Ruby"
Response:
Seriously…just get a 4×4. No fabrication required. I just bought a ‘76 4×4 Chevy 3/4T for $100. Its a basket-case, but for the money, I can afford to do something with it. If I don’t mind driving in reverse everywhere, I don’t even need to fix the trans. All of the rest of the running gear is in great shape. Point is, the deals are out there, just gotta keep looking.
Response:
Having worked on these years of Chevy’s, both 2 WD and 4 WD I can tell you from experience that their are some real differences in the frame and floor of the cab that you will not notice until it is TOO LATE to turn back. From memory here are some: The floor of the cab has a higher hump section than the 2 WD (a major PITA when pulling an engine from a 4 WD frame with a 2 WD cab on it ), the front section of the frame is different, ( no holes for leaf spring mounts and spring shackle bolts, front crossmember is totally different, shocks mount different, steering gear box has different sector shaft and arm ), there is more but I can not remember right know. My recommendation if you want a 4 WD, is find a 73 thru 79 frame with running gear and the floor of a 4 WD cab for starters. If you have a lot of patience, time, and MONEY, you can do it without it looking like a cluster f**k when you are done. — Brent Popp – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello all, > I just bought a 75 p/u 3/4ton 2wd, and I’m doing a frame up restore, but I > want to convert it to 4wd, is this simple bolt on or am I looking at some > major welding and fabrication? thanks, > Adam.
Response:
Brent Popp might have said: [reformatted] >Having worked on these years of Chevy’s, both 2 WD and 4 WD I can tell you from >experience that their are some real differences in the frame and floor of the >cab that you will not notice until it is TOO LATE to turn back. From memory here >are some: >The floor of the cab has a higher hump section than the 2 WD (a major PITA when >pulling an engine from a 4 WD frame with a 2 WD cab on it ),
I’ve got a 2wd cab on mine, a 78 4wd. When I was first starting the replacement of the original tin, the lo-cal ‘off road’ shop strongly suggested I buy and install a cab lift. They’d sell me the cab lift, of course. They couldn’t help with the other things needed to accommodate a lifted cab though. Thanks, but no thanks. I found that the major (And it seems *only*) sticking point to the cab swap was the height and length the transfer case added to what’s hidden under the hump. I took the bolt-on in-cab cover from the original cab, traced its outline in the ‘new’ cab, and took out tin with a sawz-all. A few minutes with a small grinder to reduce chances of lacerating myself, a few holes drilled and a few captive nuts for screws, and Robert was my fathers brother. >the front section of >the frame is different, ( no holes for leaf spring mounts and spring shackle bolts,
I thought the holes were always there, at least back in the good old days. >front crossmember is totally different,
This I knew, and glad my job didn’t involve it! >shocks mount different, steering gear box >has different sector shaft and arm ), there is more but I can not remember right >know. >My recommendation if you want a 4 WD, is find a 73 thru 79 frame with running >gear and the floor of a 4 WD cab for starters. If you have a lot of patience, time, >and MONEY, you can do it without it looking like a cluster f**k when you are done.
This is essentially what I did. All GM parts, was fairly cheap actually, but did take a little time to get one or two things just so. It looks about right (Didn’t get the cab *perfectly* level and true, but hey.) and I’m happy with it, excepting I’ve got a door that’s a bear to close issue that has developed. I’m still sitting on the donor vehicle though. An ‘82 or so, slab side six foot I6 three speed with no cab. If anyone reads this, I’d love to hear thoughts on what it might be worth.
Response:
Adam I have done a frame off on my CJ5 so that is a great time to do it right. Should be fairly easy to do , if you are doing a complete frame off resto, have all the parts. The frames should be almost the same, however you probably have IFS springs up front and will need to swap in leaf springs. You probably know the Front axle has to be the same gear ratio as the rear end,, steering pitman arm, transfer case tranny, driveshafts, and gearshift linkage. If you have an auto tranny, (TH350-TH400) you can change out the output shaft and remove the rear output housing to bolt onto a tranfer case, so you might be able to reuse the same tranny. You will probably have to make an opening in the floorboard for the transfer case shifter. If you want a 4spd auto tranny retro(TH700) now would be a good time to consider that as well. It should Dennis
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello all, > I just bought a 75 p/u 3/4ton 2wd, and I’m doing a frame up restore, but I > want to convert it to 4wd, is this simple bolt on or am I looking at some > major welding and fabrication? thanks, > Adam.
Response:
Major welding and fabrication time. Find an old Burban(70’s) with an NP205 transfer case. It’s a big heavy mother, but it’s also bulletproof. Then you’ll need to take the X-member from the burban and make some mods to it also. Take both drivelines, the front one might not need to be modified, but the rear one probably will. There’s lots of fab/mod work in this operation, but if you’re into it, you can probably be successful at it. Just plan it all out well. Sam
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello all, > I just bought a 75 p/u 3/4ton 2wd, and I’m doing a frame up restore, but I > want to convert it to 4wd, is this simple bolt on or am I looking at some > major welding and fabrication? thanks, > Adam.
Response:
Agreed, and overlooked on my part. Similar years WOULD definitely have the locations for the 4×4 running gearon the frame. A 75 Burban will most likely have the NP205 T/C in it. THe front end will be the other problem, past the X-member for the T/C…I’d recommend a Dana 44 or better. Sam
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Major welding and fabrication time. > Find an old Burban(70’s) with an NP205 transfer case. It’s a big heavy > mother, but it’s also bulletproof. Then you’ll need to take the X-member > from the burban and make some mods to it also. Take both drivelines, the > front one might not need to be modified, but the rear one probably will. > There’s lots of fab/mod work in this operation, but if you’re into it, you > can probably be successful at it. Just plan it all out well. > Sam > If he gets the parts off of a 4×4 of similar year, no welding and/or > fabrication is required. All the necessary mounting holes are already > tapped in the frame, so it’s just a matter of bolt-on. He MAY need to do > some front end or rear end differential work as the gear ratios will have to > match up. Agreed on the NP205, it’s a tough little sonofabitch! > I’ll agree with Dean, if a 4×4 is what he wanted, that’s what he shoulda > bought. However, if the thing was in awesome shape for a great price, I can > see buying it as a project vehcile. > — > Take er’ easy, > "Doc" > Wrenchin’ since 1992 > 1988 GMC Sierra SLX aka "Chelsea" > 1998 GMC Sonoma SLS aka "Ruby"
Response:
Adam, You’ll need to buy a donor 4wd truck. No welding is required and any fabrication is minimal. However, restoring the 4wd truck would be a whole lot easier and then you wouldn’t have to answer the question "why did you buy a 2wd drive truck when you really wanted a 4wd truck?". Dean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello all, > I just bought a 75 p/u 3/4ton 2wd, and I’m doing a frame up restore, but I > want to convert it to 4wd, is this simple bolt on or am I looking at some > major welding and fabrication? thanks, > Adam.
Response:
Hello all, I just bought a 75 p/u 3/4ton 2wd, and I’m doing a frame up restore, but I want to convert it to 4wd, is this simple bolt on or am I looking at some major welding and fabrication? thanks, Adam.
