Rusted frame help

[Benny MCc]

84 Nissan 720 King cab 4 wheel drive the cab in the bed is touching so of course the frames all rusted anything that don't or anybody know what kind of donor frame I could use maybe a Ford ranger or an S10 anything helps

 

[thisismatt]

What?

[iceman510]

Sounds like his cab and bed are hitting, indicating frame sag from rust.  He's looking for a suitable donor frame to rebuild the truck.

 

My suggestion in Missouri would be to find a 720 not rusted.  I knew a guy had two 720 4x4s in his yard near Hermann, MO.  That was maybe twenty years ago though. 🤨

[datzenmike]

Getting all the suspension and drive train components onto an S10 frame, including the body, would be a daunting task. Find another '83 and up 4x4 and begin there. It's really the only way. Some of the stuff could probably be left on and just the drive train and body swapped. If applicable, weld up the frame while it's apart so it lasts longer.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Some things are just better when left stock. Swapping frames between manufacturers is not as simple as it sounds. Guys do it all the time, but a lot of those swaps won't last a year and they look like shit.

 

What about a D21 frame swap? More readily available and a straightforward swap, isn't it?

[datzenmike]

The D21  transfer case is combined with the 5 speed where the 720 is separate and has it's own drive shaft to it.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Cool, get that trans and t-case and have a better drivetrain!

 

But the body mounts are close, right?

[Benny MCc]

Any thoughts on making a tube chassis from the back end where it's all rusted at, anybody have any experience with that ?

[banzai510(hainz)]

Find another truck in Washington Calif with no rust. Save your time Money and heartache

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

5 hours ago, Benny MCc said:

Any thoughts on making a tube chassis from the back end where it's all rusted at, anybody have any experience with that ?

Yes, I have built custom tube chassis, and it is a lot of work.

 

What is it you're trying to achieve? If you're looking to have a truck just to drive around, then keep it simple. If you want something a bit different, big tires, low gears, lots of suspension travel, sure, go ahead and back-half your truck.

 

To do something like this right, it will need to be square, plumb and straight. Can you manage a project like this? It means setting it up on STURDY jack stand, leveling it out before any cuts are made and then not moving it one inch until the job is done. Not doing it this way will most likely result in a frame that doesn't measure out right, and the truck will sit weird and drive poorly.

 

If you're just trying to build something because it's fun, go for it. You'll learn a lot during the process.