advice on an idea i have for a new project (97 crew cab chevy)

Edited: 5/2/2007 4:10:54 PM by lowburb

its time for a new project but before i get one i want to do some research before i get in to deep or way over my head if u know what i mean..................
well i wanted to find out what it would take to bag a 97 crew cab chevy convert it into a short wheel base, and convert the suspension into a 1/2 ton.........
what about the brake system,drive shaft,front suspension could i just get a frame and take the front suspesion off and put it on the 3/4 ton.......
i dont plan on doing the work but i want an idea on the labor what it would take thanx...

Edited: 5/2/2007 4:25:08 PM by choppedn22d

Edited: 5/2/2007 4:24:11 PM by choppedn22d

Ive thought of these many times. My idea was to buy a short bed short cab complete or ext it doesnt reaaly matter. And then buy a crewcab (cab only) from the wrecking yard and stretch the frame to fit the longer cab. If you have the dually already I would buy a rolling chassis and stretch it (and body drop it at the sametime). then buy a short bed and bolt it on. The reason for the 1/2 ton frame is the suspension is there already and the half ton frame has the mounts lower then the HD 3/4 and 1 tons. But other issues are going to need to be addresesed like strength of the half ton frame and being that long, although it might not even be an issue. Im sure there are many other ways but that was what I was thinking.

thanx for the reply one thing i think i could do is get the ass end built the basic two link step notch and change out the rear end to a 1/2 ton now the front maybe gettn some a-arms built putting some 1/2 ton two inch drop spindles then adding the rotor sounds easy im a have to call some shops tomorrow see if they can help me out some more....

I say get a burban and modify the whole rear end, suspension, cab and make a bed or like a avalanche rear end.

could use a longbed ext cab 1/2 ton frame and then make the crew cab and short bed fit on it ??