Crewella - My '81 crew cab, short bed 1/2 ton

[Tow Me]

So I've posted a couple posts here and there, but never a project thread. I know I should have done this earlier, but I'll start now.

Here's the background on my truck. I had seen this 3/4 ton crew cab sitting on a side street for years. It already had a shortened frame and bed on it. It never moved so I figured it had issues. One day I finally knocked on the guys door. He was eager to sell it but never advertised it. It had a broken driveline/yolk and the motor had a blown head gasket, he possibly ruined the motor from overheating it. He did not build the truck. It only ran for 6 months before it broke down and it been sitting ever since. The builder was a local racer and he used to haul his race car. The owner's wife said he would be stupid not to sell it to me for $1000. I offered him $500 and he could keep the nice 8-lug rims and tires. He agreed.

I towed it home and it sat for a few months. After looking it over, we found the 3/4 ton frame was nasty. The fab work was shotty and the bed didn't sit right. It just had cut springs in the front and the rear leaf springs were just moved up on the frame and welded into place. See the frame pics. I was planning to swap out the front suspension and the rear end to make it 5-lug... while using the current frame. Since the frame was a little scary we decided to think of other options.

After seeing a crew cab truck with flat bed on a Suburban frame, my dad got the bright idea to mate a 2wd Suburban frame with a 2wd short bed truck frame. We found a free gutted 2wd Suburban in a nearby town and traded some parts for a stripped short bed truck frame. After lots of measuring and checking, we cut the Suburban frame right at the second cab mount where the frame is straight. I have never heard of anyone doing this, but it worked like a charm. After welding it up, we placed the cab and front clip on the new frame. Every bolt slid right into place. Set the bed on it and it was perfect as well.

So now the truck is a 1/2 ton crew cab with a short bed. I put some drop spindles on it and used the cut 3/4 ton springs for now. I bought axle bracket to flip the rear and I'll probably look at getting some shackles or hangers to go a tad lower and adding a notch. I'm running 7" rallies in the front and 8" ones in the back. I'll powder coat them black or charcoal. I also have a 91 grill/core support for it and power mirrors on the way.

So that's where I am now. Thanks for check this out.

[Tow Me]

For some reason these photos aren't showing up for everyone. Check out my gallery to see all of them.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Glendon.Simpson/Crewella02

When I first got her. Trailer mirrors are going first.

[Tow Me]

Got the rims back to the old owner and looked over the frame. Kinda scary!

[Tow Me]

Pulled the cab and front clip off in one piece.

[Tow Me]

Got the new frames clamped in place. There were left a with a few inches on each frame before the final cut was made.







Made the final cut.

[Tow Me]

Now we have the body back on the new 1/2 ton frame.

[Tow Me]

Lowered the rear and one side has the drop spindles in place.

[menace121978]

wow! nice truck!! and awesome work... but the 1st 15 pics are red x's and a few farther down. definitely want to see more!!

[LiveAnimals]

I agree, nice work. I am lovin the wheel and tire combo. Ready for more

[Tow Me]

Thanks guys! I can't wait to drive it. I just ordered some power mirrors.

Here's my web album if you can't see the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Glendon.Simpson/Crewella02#

[Tow Me]

Here are my mirrors.

[joe231]

Man you must have read my mind...or maybe my post

I was just asking on my 1980 build thread if the sub frame and the crew cab frames had the same body mounts.....by reading this I'm guessing the answer is yes?
this is very much like what I was pondering doing with the sub front frame and the short bed rear...so you used the front and mid cab mounts on the sub frame and attached the short bed frame with the rear cab mounts?
I was even thinking about cutting the sub body and mating the back of my standard cab to it to make a crew-cab....dunno how much work that would be....but the 2wd subs seem to be a dime a dozen around here with very decent bodies....

can you post some after pics of the finished frame splice?

[Tow Me]

Cutting the back off of a suburban and adding the truck cab sounds like a lot of work.... I would like to see someone make an Avalanche out of an 73-91 Suburban. Ever heard of that?

As for the frame. Yes.... we used a 2wd Suburban frame and right around the middle cab mount bracket is where we cut the suburban. Thats were the frame is straight. I believe that where the single cab truck has its front cab mount.

Sorry the photos are blurry. Thats all I have from the frame.

Before the




Here is where the frame was cut and the cab mount bolts back on.


Inside of the frame on the backside of the cab mount.

[blazentrout]

Originally Posted by Tow Me

Cutting the back off of a suburban and adding the truck cab sounds like a lot of work.... I would like to see someone make an Avalanche out of an 73-91 Suburban. Ever heard of that?

I have, i was stupid enough to weld a pickup cab back on/in a '78 suburban. Then i got really stupid-dont ask. its not done up like a avalanche but as a uni-body short box. I'll dig it out of the corner and snap a pic. give me a couple of days. It looks like you got a good start.

[Chevy623]

Originally Posted by Tow Me

Cutting the back off of a suburban and adding the truck cab sounds like a lot of work.... I would like to see someone make an Avalanche out of an 73-91 Suburban. Ever heard of that?

Not mine..

[WillieloRidez]

That is sweet. I like the integrated rear cargo doors for the back window

[Tow Me]

That Avalanche pretty neat. A roll down rear window would be ideal, but the split window is unique.

As for Crewella, I don't have photos, but I had a new driveline made. The rear end needs a new slip sleeve and wheel bearings.

I also picked up a "below the rails" Better Built tool box on Craigslist for $125. I might powder coat it black.

[joe231]

That looks nice!

maybe i missed it, did you guys box the frame or add any extra plate at the splice?

I have thought about the Avalanche...it seems like a lot of work also....you would need to shorten the body and frame behind the rear wheels to make it look right IMO, and come up with some custom type of rear wall with a window in it....it would be very cool with a power rear window though

[Tow Me]

We didn't box it in. Its just got a fishplate on the back side. It was cut at a 45 so it will be plenty strong. When I do the rear notch, i'll box that in.

[joe231]

cool man, one more question...is the fish plate bolted or welded?

[joe231]

something like this?



here is one with the stock wheelbase



and stock wheelbase and the rear end shortened

[LiveAnimals]

That's awsome

[joe231]

the last one is probably closest to the actual dims of the Avalanche

[Tow Me]

I like it! The 3rd one works for me.

The fish plate was welded in.

[joe231]