Long gone are the days when you looked for a solid foundation or frame on a truck when you were buying it. With aftermarket companies creating front clips, rear-end setups, and entire frames now, all you really need to find is a good cab and a clean pink slip. If you are a drag racer and want to rip the 1320, there are companies out there making four-links and front-end stuff to keep those rear tires hooked and the front end up. If you want to tuck huge wheels and plant the sheetmetal flat on the ground, there are even more companies making big step notches and control arms for that. Even if you want to carve up the corners and chase down Vettes, there are tubular control arms and coilover conversions to be had.
What if you're one of those people who wants his cake and to eat it too? Then check out what Jim Meyer is building in his shop. Jim has constructed the ultimate set of rails for the '60-'72 Chevy trucks. Jim also makes other models, but we will focus on the top dog of classic trucks right now: the C10. One of the best things about buying a prebuilt chassis is you don't have to do a bunch of geometry and welding: You can just order what you want and slip it under your ride. So if your welding and fabricating skills are surpassed by your abilities to install parts, this might be the best option for you. If you fancy yourself a fabricator, Jim can also sell you front and rear sections that you can butt up to your factory rails; either way, there is something for everyone.
Let's go into some of the cool features of the replacement chassis. First off, all of the chassis are jig-built out of mandrel-bent, 2x4-inch, 0.120-inch-wall box tubing with 2x5-inch main framerails. To make installation easier, the cab, core support, and front bed mounts are all in the stock locations. Plus, the new chassis moves the fuel tank out of the cab to the rear of the frame like the factory Blazers-no more smelling gas on fill-up. Your cab and bed will fit without modifications to the bed floor. The chassis can be ordered with just about any optional modifications, including a remote-operated air suspension system. You can also choose to make the truck really low and order up to a 10-inch step over the rear suspension and a 4-inch step up over stock. Combine these steps with the air suspension and you're on the ground. If you want your ride down in the weeds, this is the only way to go. There is a lot more to talk about, but we might as well do that next to the photos. So read on, and until next month: Happy wrenching.