NC-car-guy Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Has anyone done this? I had an hour phone conversation with a gentlemen who I sold some parts to on eBay. He's not on this forum, but I'm trying to talk him into joining. He has a 425 nailhead in his 55 super. He used a 91 chevy caprice rear subframe assembly to open his driveline. Apparently a couple notches in the stock frame and you can slide the whole subframe assembly in the stock buick frame and weld it in...... I was wondering if anyone else had done this? I will continue to pressure this guy and see if he can post lots of photos!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 There have been people who have done full frame swaps, which gains modern brakes and powertrain items in the mix, rather than just the "rear half" of a modern frame. There is an archived thread or two in these forums on that. One of our late members put a '79 Cadillac Brougham frame under his '48 Roadmaster Riviera. He said the frame mounts were pretty much in the same place on both frames. This got him factory rear disc brakes, Cadillac Boranni wire wheels, the 425 Cadillac powertrain AND a rear sway bar. Other than the Cadillac wire wheels and rear sway bar, until you saw the car up close, it looked correct. He re-did the upholstery in the "loose pillow" design and had the factory tilt column. It made a nice car. I'm not sure how you'd do an archive search in here, but perhaps Google might find it? Given that the Oldsmobile frames were similar to Buick frames, I'm wondering how much trouble it might be to put an Olds rear suspension to a Buick frame? Leaf springs rather than coil springs, plus the "open" driveshaft (which would need some adaptation to the tailshaft housing of the transmission). NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buickkuhn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 There was a local guy here in Michigan that was a owned a 1940 4 door buick with original wheels . The whole car was sitting on a 1976 chevy caprice frame , I was told by him only major mods made was cutting frame down at both ends . When I read these stories makes me happy my 41 buick special is a great driver . Good luck to all with the ambition to do these swaps . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPARTSMAN Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 I'm in the process of putting a '55 Buick Special on a "78 LeSabre frame. Had to lengthen the frame and modify front and rear. Body mounting was the least of our worries. Had to build the rear section from behind the rear springs to the back of the body from square steel stock. Front mods were to section the front frame horns. IIRC lengthened about 6" Had to fabricate a mount for the master cylinder. Steering was probably the easiest part, a column from IDIDIT, a coupling, two u-joints and a steering shaft, good to go. Mounted the column to the I.P. with a heavy duty muffler clamp, aligned with the original bolt holes. Engine had to be set back in the frame toward the firewall about 6", fabbed mount plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted April 29, 2016 Author Share Posted April 29, 2016 WOW. The person I'm referring to just got on here, Chuck56R. Hope he starts a thread on his build! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMPARTSMAN Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Subframing my front end and changing the rear suspension on my car was ruled out early on. Back of the frame had previous severe damage that was poorly repaired before I got the car. While the frame was solid and rust free the rear crossmember was badly damaged and backyard repaired and I had some issues with the frame rail being kinked and the body mounts at the rear being "engineered" in place. Because I wold have used leaf springs on the rear I was not real comfortable due to misalignment. In fact when we removed the body there was about an inch height difference corner to corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 1, 2016 Share Posted May 1, 2016 Chevy S10 Pickup with the extended cab has a 122" wheelbase, same as your Special. Pretty simple frame. Coil springs w/ unequal length A-arms up from with leaf springs in the back. Lowering spindles and lowering kits are available from most anyone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiKi5156B Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Saw this post while perusing on a Sunday morning. I've got a 53 super restomod with an 81 or 2 olds cutlass front clip.Narrower track than original. I used CPP 2.5 dropped spindles and 1/2 coil cut. Discs and calipers are 77 impala copcar.Powerbooster master cylinder from same car..Rear is 66 elcamino withframe brackets made to match the 4 link.Rides beautifully and stops so hard it'll suck your eyeballs out. Rich 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 On 4/30/2016 at 8:07 PM, RivNut said: Chevy S10 Pickup with the extended cab has a 122" wheelbase, same as your Special. Pretty simple frame. Coil springs w/ unequal length A-arms up from with leaf springs in the back. Lowering spindles and lowering kits are available from most anyone. Hmmm. I have a 95 with a blown engine out back... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiKi5156B Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Yep 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 All this subframe swapping sounds great but simply couldn't stand to loose my 322, or at least maybe a later nailhead. In short, what could be done to allow that? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 1 hour ago, MrEarl said: All this subframe swapping sounds great but simply couldn't stand to loose my 322, or at least maybe a later nailhead. In short, what could be done to allow that? Motor mounts can be made..... How much money you got?? HA HA HA 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 7 hours ago, MrEarl said: All this subframe swapping sounds great but simply couldn't stand to loose my 322, or at least maybe a later nailhead. In short, what could be done to allow that? You'd also need a bellhousing adapter for a modern transmission. No sense keeping the Dynaflow when going to an open rear end frame. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiKi5156B Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Same with mine. I bought it this way but I'm on the lookout for a 401/th 400 to put in as soon as my 40 is done.Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Bendsten's makes adapters for both the 322 and 364/401/425 to bolt up to transmissions that have a Chevy bellhousing (The 200-4R has a universal BOP / Chevy bell housing). The kits for '63 and before also include a new flexplate and crank hub adapter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 1 minute ago, RivNut said: Bendsten's makes adapters for both the 322 and 364/401/425 to bolt up to transmissions that have a Chevy bellhousing (The 200-4R has a universal BOP / Chevy bell housing). The kits for '63 and before also include a new flexplate and crank hub adapter. When I had that 6.2 diesel in the 55, this was one of my hangups. I had to trade the PNDLR for PRNDL. Anyone make a kit for that? HA HA HA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Look at the website for Shiftworks. http://www.shiftworks.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 20 minutes ago, RivNut said: Look at the website for Shiftworks. http://www.shiftworks.com/ Cool, but of course includes zero buick stuff, but gives one hope that it is possible.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Early powerglides had the same shift patterns as a dynaflow; there are adapters for them. Here's a link to some column indicators that would probably work on your '55. http://www.shiftworks.com/lens.htm#nova Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I have seen a lot of subframe swaps over the years and have really only seen one that impressed me. This Chevy was built in Illinois. I don't know who did it but I arranged for a friend to purchase it. It has front and rear 1964 Buick Skylark subframes grafted in. Both the Chevy and the Skylark had 115" wheelbases. That is a big item. I have seen cars with subframes from non-matching wheelbases that handled poorly and needed to back up twice to turn into a driveway. Look up "Ackerman Principle" before you gather up parts. The Chevy had a 350" Olds engine, modest power and a great driver. By using the mid-'60's frame the builder didn't have to deal with the large frame horns we see on the safety bumper cars. That made attaching the sheetmetal and bumpers a lot smoother. I like modified cars, but when it comes time for me to buy a car I have over 100 years of models and styles to choose from. Finding what I like in an original package hasn't been so hard that I had to do all that work of sorting things out. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Perez Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 On 4/30/2016 at 8:07 PM, RivNut said: Chevy S10 Pickup with the extended cab has a 122" wheelbase, same as your Special. Pretty simple frame. Coil springs w/ unequal length A-arms up from with leaf springs in the back. Lowering spindles and lowering kits are available from most anyone. I KNOW MY COMMENT COMES AFTER CLOSE TO 5 YEARS OF YOURS BUT HAD NOT GOTTEN INVOLVED AT 77 YRS. OLD IN SUCH A CRAZY ENDEAVOR. I HAVE HAD A 53 BUICK 4 DR. SPECIAL SINCE 2001 IN STORAGE. IT WAS IN STORAGE PREVIOUSLY SINCE 1954. I AM GETTING A 1996 EXT. CAB WITH A WHEELBASE OF 122.9 AND THE BUICK IS 121.5 SO I DO NOT THINK IT WILL BE A PROBLEM IN REDUCING IT THAT LITTLE. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS: HOW GOOD CAN THAT BE OF A CLOSE MATCH TO MOUNT THE 53 ON IT. I SEE YOU HAVE MADE TWO COMMENTS ON IT RECOMMENDING IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY MAJOR HEADACHES I WILL ENCOUNTER. I HOPE YOU SEE THIS COMMENT SOON, TODAY IS MAY 10, 2021 AND I AM BUYING THE S10 PROBABLY IN ABOUT 5 DAYS. I HAVE A CHOICE OF A 4 DR. ENVOY SUV 2004 OR THE S10 EXT. CAB. WHICH DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE A BETTER CHOICE? PLEASE LET ME KNOW, THERE ARE NO COMMENTS ANYWHERE EVEN IN OTHER SITES OF PEOPLE PUTTING A BUICK ON AN S10 CHASSIS, EVERYTHING IS OLD CHEVY TRUCKS ON S10's NO PASSENGER CARS. IT MAKES ME FEEL A BIT SCARED. THANKS AND GOD BLESS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 @Manny Perez Manny. I have no personal experience with this swap. A friend of mine put a 51 Chevy pickup on an extended cab S10 frame fairly easily. If I were you, I would take LOTS of measurements and do comparisons of the body mounts, etc. Chose the one that's best or look at sub framing you original frame in the front. Check out the front subframe on a Chevy Astro van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Perez Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWER. I THOUGHT YOU KNEW IF IT WOULD FIT AS YOU RECOMMENDED THE S10 EXT. FRAME ON A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. BACK TO SQUARE 0. I DO NOT WANT TO WELD A FRONT CLIP. I RATHER STICK WITH AN UNDISTURBED CHASSIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 The Astro subframe bolts on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 22 minutes ago, RivNut said: The Astro subframe bolts on. "Bolts on"? That's a dangerous phrase... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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