C30 CC to a SWB C10 info needed

[Junkpyl]

haven't been in here for a while due to life getting busy and truck stuff had to take a backseat.
I have recently saved a very clean 1968 Chevy cab and chassis from the crusher. Had I waited 2 weeks longer, it would have ended up with the truck I needed some parts off of. I already have a nice daily driver C30 flatbed and the running gear on the 68 is pretty haggard so I have been thinking what to do with it.
I was out working a few weeks ago and came across a SWB fleetside bed that was laying on the ground in a field. I asked the landowner if he wanted to get rid of it and he said yes, $25 and it's yours!!
Did I mention the bed is the same original silver as the truck? So I have made up my mind to create a short bed shop truck because the patina on this truck is really nice.
I have converted 3/4 to 1/2 before but never a one ton. I assume the half ton control arms and hardware will bolt right up to the crossmember with no issue but the rear section of the frame is my concern. Normally a long to short conversion would mean removing a section of frame under the bed and cab area but since I need to change the spring hangers to the later style and ditch the cast iron ones wouldn't it be easier to just move the hangers forward on the frame and drill new holes? It's going to be a static drop with a flip in the back and spindles and springs in the front. I know I will have to notch the frame and maybe relocate the pads on the axle to match the width.
Any suggestions?

[hugger6933]

I have a suggestion but you may not like it find a short roller and move the stuff over to. I have two longs that I am changing to shorts and instead of cutting and all of the other I am just putting short frames under them. I don't have a lack of tools or the lack of know how either I own a body shop. I f I am not mistaken you will have to come up with your own rear design as the rear rails if that was a cab chassis was stright.

[special-K]

Doesn't the frame make a big rise behind the cab?

[67chevy1series]

the frame rails are huge! i would just put a 1/2 ton frame under it...

[Tx Firefighter]

I did the exact same deal a few years ago. For me, it was easier to use a short frame.







Then I faked the patina on the bed to match.

[Junkpyl]

Thank you for the responses everyone. I would prefer to find a swb rolling chassis and swap everything over but they seem to be hard to find and pricey when they do surface. I had to sell my welder and all of my fabrication tools to fund a move back to Arizona to accept a job so I'm limited to what I can do right now. Tx Firefighter, your truck looks awesome! Pretty much exactly what I was building and had to sell as well to fund the trip but mine was based on a longhorn.

[BlacklandCamper]

Y'all keep "converting" 3/4 and 1 ton truck to half ton short beds, the value of our original long beds will go up.

If you dont want that flat bed, I'd be happy to put it on my C20.

[Junkpyl]

Originally Posted by BlacklandCamper

Y'all keep "converting" 3/4 and 1 ton truck to half ton short beds, the value of our original long beds will go up.

If you dont want that flat bed, I'd be happy to put it on my C20.

They just might LOL. I've always been a longbed man myself and was going to slap a longhorn bed on it like the one I had to sell but my spare longhorn bed is still in Arkansas and this shorty I found matches the truck like it came off of it. I can keep the patina.

It didn't come with a bed or you would be first in line.

[WIDESIDE72]

Keep looking for a factory swb frame. They are still out there. I have bought and sold one 67, two 69's and a 72 in the past few years. Just sold a rolling 69 for $400. I kept a 70 that i swapped 72 front crossmember and rear axle out of a lwb under.h

[special-K]

You could always find a C/10 lwb frame and shorten it. They can be had easier and cheaper than a swb.

[Joesjunk]

I like the factory silver on that 1 ton, lets see the silver box you found. Im a sucker for 1 tons, but if you have a short box that matches the patina it would look pretty good made into a pickup

[Junkpyl]

Originally Posted by special-K

You could always find a C/10 lwb frame and shorten it. They can be had easier and cheaper than a swb.

I have considered that but I sold my welder and all of my fab tools to fund the trip back to AZ. living on a limited budget as to what I can do with this truck right now until I can throw more money at it. The only body work I will need to do is hammer out what I can and scrub it with some CLR so that will save me a heap of money.

[Junkpyl]

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

I like the factory silver on that 1 ton, lets see the silver box you found. Im a sucker for 1 tons, but if you have a short box that matches the patina it would look pretty good made into a pickup

Not the greatest picture but its buried in my garage.the bed is really nice overall. It was dropped on its rockers so they need to be pulled back down and hammer out a few spots of damage. The gate is fairly wasted but I'm still going to try and massage it a little. I even got the rear step bumper with the Flagstaff dealer stamp in it as well. Both trucks came from the same dealer here in town. Wish the frame was still with the bed.

[Junkpyl]

Just an afterthought, I'm on the fence as to what to do with the original cab lights. I would never take them off if it was to stay a dually but I'm having a conflict because its going short bed. If I remove them it's going to affect the patina because of the good paint under them and having to fill the holes. Opinions?

[special-K]

I wish I was moving back to Flag. I lived in Mountainaire over 30 years ago. Loved it. Didn't take me long to end up with 4-5 old GM trucks to play with,either! I'm jealous!

[Junkpyl]

Originally Posted by special-K

I wish I was moving back to Flag. I lived in Mountainaire over 30 years ago. Loved it. Didn't take me long to end up with 4-5 old GM trucks to play with,either! I'm jealous!

That's awesome! I love Mountainaire. I'm sure it has changed substantially since you left but it is still a small town type environment. I lived in the valley from 76 to 2010 then moved to Mena Arkansas to help my mother but couldn't find any stable work. Moved to Flag to take a job July of 2012. Love it here.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Junkpyl

Just an afterthought, I'm on the fence as to what to do with the original cab lights. I would never take them off if it was to stay a dually but I'm having a conflict because its going short bed. If I remove them it's going to affect the patina because of the good paint under them and having to fill the holes. Opinions?

Those look to be recent additions (?)


Is that surface rust or primer on top?

If you have access to a welder, you could plug those holes and wire wheel the paint off and prime like the rest of the roof or let it go for a little while and it will be surface rust like the rest very shortly!

If you dont have a welder to plug the holes i would leave the lights as is or you could buy some trim plugs for the larger holes and silicone the small screw holes. Be sure to keep an eye on them if the truck is parked outside.

[WIDESIDE72]

That will be a cool truck as a swb 1/2 ton! I am going a similar route with a turquoise (?) 70 Longhorn. The cab and front sheet metal are excellent but the bed is pretty beat up. I already have a 72 swb chassis, and light green step fenders. Unfortunately the bed sides i have are dark blue/surface rust and tailgate is white. I will call her "Patches".

[WIDESIDE72]

Oh, forgot to mention drivetrain is the original 78k mile BBC 400 that was propane powered for majority of its life and a 400 auto (might get swapped to 700r4 since i have 3.73's in the 1/2 ton rear.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I did the exact same deal a few years ago. For me, it was easier to use a short frame.

Then I faked the patina on the bed to match.

Im trying to make out what it says on the door...

Do you still have this truck?

[Junkpyl]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

Those look to be recent additions (?)


Is that surface rust or primer on top?

If you have access to a welder, you could plug those holes and wire wheel the paint off and prime like the rest of the roof or let it go for a little while and it will be surface rust like the rest very shortly!

If you dont have a welder to plug the holes i would leave the lights as is or you could buy some trim plugs for the larger holes and silicone the small screw holes. Be sure to keep an eye on them if the truck is parked outside.

I believe they are the originals or a very close match to the originals due to the holes are not altered from stock. haven't researched them too much.

The primer\surface rust is original. I had some questions as to the color and research found that GM used red oxide on the cab and doors and black on the front clip and bed. Doesn't make sense to me but what do I know

You can clearly see the difference in the picture of the truck between the cab and clip.

[WIDESIDE72]

If i ever come across a 3/4 ton with a nice cab and coils in the rear, my plan would be to swap it to a swb frame and leave the 8 lug suspension (either that or find a swb chassis with leaf springs.)

There is a light green truck that i have seen on here that they did this with.

[WIDESIDE72]

[QUOTE=Tx Firefighter;6459327]I did the exact same deal a few years ago. For me, it was easier to use a short frame.




Then I faked the patina on the bed to match.

BTW, be careful not to exceed the capacity of your cab lift by leaving the front sheet metal on!

[Junkpyl]

The scrapyard spray painted yard identification numbers on the door and some kind of permanent paint marker on the hood. I already took it down to clean metal on the hood trying to remove it and the lettering is still there. anyone have a suggestion as to how to remove the spray paint from the doors without damaging the patina? I want to create a logo on both sides and then distress it but have to get rid of the graffiti first.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Junkpyl

The scrapyard spray painted yard identification numbers on the door and some kind of permanent paint marker on the hood. I already took it down to clean metal on the hood trying to remove it and the lettering is still there. anyone have a suggestion as to how to remove the spray paint from the doors without damaging the patina? I want to create a logo on both sides and then distress it but have to get rid of the graffiti first.

I assume you tried paint thinner?