im new here and looking for information on a project i have in mind

[insanecandycane1958]

i own a 1992 1500 suburban 4x4 that runs and a 1996 suburban 1500 that has a blown engine, but has a 6inch RCX lift, 456 gears, new tow mirrors, new 35 inch tires and on and on.
so im looking for frame measurements.
i think it might be easier to remove the bodies clean up the frame and put the 93 body on the lifted 96 frame, i know it is a big project. BUT im wanting to rebuild this 1993 from the ground up kinda restoring it to like new, but with 6 inch lift +3 inch body lift. i purchased the 96 with a blown engine because i got it for less that the lift kit costs NEW.
i recently discovered a 2500 1998 suburban with a blown engine, the company that makes the RCX lift says that NONE of the lift parts would work on the 2500 frame. but i did find out that it is not that hard to put a 2500 front diff in the 1500, and the person that did it said the 2500 cv shafts fit in the 1500 front hubs.
i have a L59 engine from a vin Z i scrapped out the body on, cut up the frame but kept the entire running gear, wiring harness etc. if the scrap yard is giving me tin price, then tin is ALL THEY GET! i even kept the title!

so if i had the frame measurements of 1500 4x4 suburbans from 1993 to 1998 i could see if the bodies will swap over.
i also plan to modify the climate control so if i can shut off any outside air from coming inside for when the farmers are spraying weedkillers to kill their crops for harvest etc... i live in rural south dakota and it is my right to not be required to breathe that crap. i do NOT like the design of the interior in the 96.
it is easy to see why im "insane candycane" because everyone thinks im "bat s**t crazy, the candycane portion is derived from a tattoo that you do NOT want to hear about! got the nickname in PRISON !
thanks in advance!

 

[dbrannon79]

Welcome to the forum @insanecandycane1958 Glad to have you join us! I don't think there is much difference in the two 1500 frames from those year models other than mount points for the body or suspension. I could be wrong though. Now the earlier year frame might be a little more stout than the newer due to GM bean counters lessening the amount of steel that goes into them but for every day normal driving it should be fine.

@n8in8or is an OBS guy, but he has done some builds, he might be able to tell you if and what all is different on the two.

 

[insanecandycane1958]

Welcome to the forum @insanecandycane1958 Glad to have you join us! I don't think there is much difference in the two 1500 frames from those year models other than mount points for the body or suspension. I could be wrong though. Now the earlier year frame might be a little more stout than the newer due to GM bean counters lessening the amount of steel that goes into them but for every day normal driving it should be fine.

@n8in8or is an OBS guy, but he has done some builds, he might be able to tell you if and what all is different on the two.

thank you very much, looks like i better use the 92 frame and move the lift kit from the 96 to the 93! ill see if i can locate the members builds to see what i can learn.

 

[dbrannon79]

thank you very much, looks like i better use the 92 frame and move the lift kit from the 96 to the 93! ill see if i can locate the members builds to see what i can learn.

Again I could be wrong on the mount points. it also depends on if one or both are regular half ton or the heavy half. I would say try to get one up on a lift if available, take some good measurement on the body mount placements and their locations. then move to the other and verify those measurements and placements. GM kept a lot of things the same through the years and they also did some one off things along with vast differences under the skirt though the body styles were the same shape.

I'm sure others with more knowledge will chime in soon, of course if you have a welder, anything is possible.

 

[J_dude]

Not sure about the Burban but 96 isn’t a great year for GM trucks, first year of the Vortec and the 6.5’s went electronic then too. Not sure which engines yours have...

 

[insanecandycane1958]

the 96 has the 5.7 just a few more hp than the 92 with 5.7
my next door neighbor has a NBS 3/4 ton pickup with the 6 litre (2000 to 2005 maybe? ) it i was told it had a bad trans. maybeit could be a donor for an engine and front diff, transfer case , use trans for a core charge and the rear for a brake upgrade .
would the front diff from the NBS truck be a good fit for replacing the 8.25 in the 93? i read that one needs to cut off the top mount and re weld it and that axles shafts will fit in the 1500 hubs!
i have lots of vehicles with 16 inch rims, so i would prefer to NOT have something with an odd size tire. its nice that all my wheels will interchange except from my square body crew dually (82 gmc) and the 98 s10 blazer.

i do have a 2002 yukon xl with 35 inch mud tires (they came on the 96 and were brand new) and i have a 2002 suburban both 1500 and 4x4 and vinZ flex fuel. just put new rotors and pads on the back of both of the NBS burbs. calipers on the yukon xl.
im 65 and do a little light scrapping, and keep parts that might fit what i have.
got my first job wrenching in 1977 at an oldsmobile dealership. went to trade school to learn welding. worked on medium duty diesels some and helped rebuild a 8V71 SUPERCHARGED DETROIT that powered an air compressor we used for sandblasting. i think it was a 1050 CFM

i read lots of good info today on here
im way too disabled now, but retired back in the 1990's! always been poor hillbilly so i had to learn to build everything i wanted.

the factory never built anything that suited me, always had to build it from ground up with wore out parts! lol

 

[MrMarty51]

Welcome to the forum 58.