1961 Chevy Viking Front Clip Question

[lexington]

I'm not a car person, so I was hoping for some advise on a vehicle before purchasing anything for a project.

QUESTION: Can I replace the front clip of a 1961 Chevy Viking 50 Short school bus with a 1957 GMC font clip?

I don't really like the square box look of the 61 chevy viking font clip and would like to change it with a 57 GMC pick up truck. Please let me know if these years and models can be swapped easily. I would probably out source the work and have a body shop do the front clip switch. Might anyone know how much a font clip switch would cost?

Thanks for your advice! I really appreciate it!

[ol trunt]

Far be it from me to say "it can't be done" but those two front ends share only the fact that they are both front ends
It will take a lot of fabrication to make the swap but once it is done you will have a '57 Chevy look alike.

[Stu & Filo. T]

This is the very reason why God created welders & grinders

[lexington]

thanks for the advice! I guess nothing is impossible with the tools we have....

SO... is there any older front clips I may look into that would be an easier swap??? I am not a fan of the Square look of the 61 chevy viking. BUT i am interested in the rounder 50's trucks. I would be open to any suggestion for a more classic curvy or rounded...

Thank again for every ones expertise!

[ol trunt]

Nope

[bansil]

what does the front of bus look like?

Is it just a bread box with 60' clip?

if it's a flat front end with a windshield and a big hole for engine in the firewall....could any frontened just cover the hole up?

if tires line up in the fender wells

like this picture?
Apache

Viking

[lexington]

Yes the bus looks exactly like the White Bus seen in the above example pictures... The bus has small fenders as show on the white bus.

Any ideas as to what other front clips can fit?

[timbuk]

put a 62-66 hood on it thats the easiest http://s249.photobucket.com/user/timbuk ... b.jpg.html[img][http://s249.photobucket.com/user/tim....jpg.html/img]

[Tango]

Since most of the earlier Skoolies were simply a flat firewall with a breadbox behind it, you can mount just about any front end you are willing to do the work for. Obviously one that is sized closely to what you started with will likely give you a head start, but as noted above, just about anything can be made to fit with enough work. Beyond starting with the width, check the wheel cutout location relative to the firewall as well.

And keep in mind that whatever you mount, doesn't necessarily have to go on the way it came off. It really wouldn't be difficult to weld all the pieces of any given front clip together...then hang the whole thing as a lift style, forward tilt front end. Could well be a lot less work in fact. Only one seam to have to line up!

Just thinkin' out loud.