I am in Connecticut. A few miles and then more than a few km's separated from Manitoba. Although damn...I want a road trip.

edit: I would be as willing to drive to Canada as anywhere down south though (Montreal is hardly more than 5 hours away) if I could find a good deal on the right frame. I just want to get this thing "done" (as in driving) before winter. If I can get a frame, clean it and coat it and prep it well, replace all other necessary components (brake lines and fuel lines probably...etc), and put it all together by the winter, I will be satisfied. If I can get my 318 done and in by the winter...I will be ecstatic.

 

Time to check with the local wrecking yards--they can put out the word on the parts networks and may be able to find you one.

You need a 4wd frame '93 to '96. I'd probably look for a whole truck, tho, somewhere down in Dixie (the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten.) You'll be ahead with nice clean, rust free parts rather than trying to transfer your rusty parts over to a new frame.

 

I did put in a quote request at car-part.com.

I've been looking casually at whole trucks, but I cannot buy one until I sell my other Subaru (my own rule--not going to have 4 cars...).

We will see. It will be a project no matter what.

 

What is different in the frame from 93-96 versus the earlier ones? I thought a 91+ frame would work.

I have a 92 parts truck sitting at my place right now, the body is rusty, but I thought the frame was in decent shape. The thing is I'm in the midst of tearing my truck apart, and don't have the space right now to tear the parts truck apart. Also, even though this one is in good shape for Manitoba, you could probably find a better one down in the south.

 

Yeah I thought the '91 and up would work too.

From what I've been seeing, it's really hard to identify the rust free zones. I think the general consensus is that Arizona (Brian in Tucson... ) has never heard of rust. But it seems that steel in some other southern states doesn't fare as well. It definitely depends on proximity to the ocean and the amount of salt used on the roads. I guess those are the two main factors.

 

I suggested 92 & after because those were the Magnum years--I'm all about not having to do a lot of adapting.

Yeah, never see snow here and we're 600 miles from the ocean. Here's an example--I don't know if the frame is even for sale & it's a 2wd frame anyhow. But this one is the rule rather than the exception.

http://tucson.craigslist.org/pts/3946937936.html

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to load the frame on a flat bed, have it media blasted, and powdercoated like they do on TV?

I think you would do okay, rust & corrosion-wise, with a truck from anywhere in the south, exceptions would be coastal areas and New Orleans & especially Gulf Coast where flood damaged stuff is still around.
Mechanical problems might be another thing, tho. It would be important to me that the thing would be drive-able--I would be inclined to fly & buy, so driving it home would be part of the package. In these days of digital pics & videos, you could get a pretty good idea of how the thing looks and runs.

My little V8 project engine had a you-tube video of it starting and running. I could see it before I made the drive to Phoenix to buy it.

 

Thanks Brian. The thing is that my truck is mechanically doing very well. The transmission shifts perfectly and the 4 wheel works perfectly and I actually love driving it. I do not want to go to an automatic. The V6 burns a minimal amount of oil and runs great, and I have a 318 which I will hopefully run well after a refresh and reseal. So it wouldn't really be important that I get a truck that runs.

 

Brian and others, do you know how much work would be involved in adapting an LA frame for a Magnum engine? Obviously the engine mounts will need to be changed for the Magnum engine, but do the frames have any other significant differences? I'm all for as little adapting as possible, but I might have found a good 1991 candidate.

 

Magnum engines have the LA mounts, so you should be able to put your Magnum engine in there using the LA engine mounts. That's what I'm doing putting a Magnum into my 1991.

 

Thanks! Just to make sure I understand, are you saying that the Magnum engines have the mounting points for LA engine mounts as well as the Magnum engine mounts? So all I would have to do is get the motor mounts for an LA engine, bolt them up to my Magnum and be good to go? Sounds too good to be true, I was almost positive there would be fabrication/welding involved. (note: I wouldn't be opposed to fab/welding work but I can't do it myself)

edit: I could also just not be a lazy bastard and go look at the 318 hanging in my garage...wow. I'm dumb.