Body Swap

[MeanGreen]

Ok so I've tried searching the site for any possible ideas or solutions and for some reason it wont let me search. Anyhow, I'm contemplating doing a body swap on my 1997 XLT 4x4. What I am thinkin about doing is swapping my Expy body onto an older model truck or bronco frame. The reason for doing so is that I will be getting a new let vehicle soon and would like to have a nice mud toy. I live in East Texas and am wanting to get back into mud racing. I feel that swapping the body will be a little easier and cheaper than doing a straight axle swap or anything of that nature to set up for big axles and tires as well as lots of power. I have readily available a '78 Bronco as well as a '81 F-150 . Anyone ever done or even heard of this kind of swap? Any info is greatly appreciated.

 

[FordandPolaris]

I have never heard of someone swapping the expy body onto a different frame. I would think it would be a lot more hassle than swapping to solid axles personally. Two members here have done the SAS that I know of, southernexpy38's and samrider777. Best bet is to get in contact with them and see what they have to say.

 

[MeanGreen]

The main reason I'm looking into this frame swap is because my truck came from somewhere that it snowed quite a bit and the frame on my Expy is pitted terribly with rust. In some spots its really bad. Not in any high stress points but I know the frame probablty wouldn't be able to handle the SAS swap.

 

[FordandPolaris]

Well like I said, I have never heard of someone doing the body swap, but if you do go ahead and do it, we would all love to see it happen!

With that being said, I live in MN (it snows here on occasion...) and the only concerning rust on my truck is on the body itself. My frame is rusty, but not compromised. I know samrider777 lives somewhere in Canada and I am sure his frame is rusty too. I would get in touch with them and they will know a lot more than me.

Otherwise post some pics of the spots on the frame that are concerning you. The main problem I can see with doing the body swap is just getting things to line up. The Bronco for sure is going to have a shorter wheel base than the expy, so the fenders probably will need modifying. However I am sure you have factored that in already.


EDIT: This is samrider777's build: http://www.expeditionforum.com/f52/expedition-2000-sas-1-ton-19712/index2.html#post157682