'56 GMC Long to Short bed - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bills59 · 10-27-2009, 02:41 PM

What would be involved in making a 1956 GMC 1/2ton long bed into a short bed?

1lowdiesel · 10-27-2009, 02:59 PM

some cutting... welding... rewiring... cussing you know the normal custom stuff.

63 & 64 Bowties · 10-27-2009, 03:01 PM

You mean just the bed? Are you putting it on a different frame?

bills59 · 10-27-2009, 03:02 PM

The truck had a 8ft flatbed on it however I was wondering what would be involved in putting a short box on it or just throw on a long bed

1lowdiesel · 10-27-2009, 03:09 PM

ha i was just messing around.

if the truck had a pick up bed on it then they put the flat bed the mounts for the bed should still be there.

to run the SB you would need to take a section out of the frame then weld it back together. shorten the drive shaft or just get a new one. relocate fuel tank behind the axle. shorten brake cables and lines. remount the short bed.

OrrieG · 10-27-2009, 04:55 PM

Can't you just relocate the spring perches and rear crossmember farther forward and trim the back rails too. The frame rails are parallel. Depends on your level of confidence, welding ability and if you want to see the welds and fish plates.

Norselander · 10-30-2009, 05:39 PM

The easiest thing to do is remove the difference in wheelbase from the frame rails just behind the cab going back. No tank relocation is necessary if you intend to keep the tank in the cab. The driveline will need to be shortened and you -may- wish to adjust the pinion angle of the rear axle.

This is a pretty straight forward mod on '55-59 trucks because the frame rails are essentially parallel and in the same plane (where you cut). On earlier trucks the frames grew narrower towards the front and on older trucks the frames dipped below the cab.

Fish plate and box the cut.

kalirodding · 10-30-2009, 07:05 PM

Theres a guy out in Sacramento that will do it for $1500. If you want his number PM me. He cuts the frame and bed. I think all you have to do is the drive line and reflare the brake lines.

10-27-2009, 02:41 PM	#1
bills59 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Turlock,CA Posts: 31	'56 GMC Long to Short bed What would be involved in making a 1956 GMC 1/2ton long bed into a short bed?

10-27-2009, 02:59 PM	#2
1lowdiesel Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: central jersey Posts: 763	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed some cutting... welding... rewiring... cussing you know the normal custom stuff. __________________ 69 4wd V6 20k orig miles!! 05 ccsb 2wd Diesel 500hp bagged and soon to be stock floored. 01 rcsb chevy 2wd 6bt cummins :devil:> build xtremediesel.com

10-27-2009, 03:01 PM	#3
63 & 64 Bowties and a few others Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 5,638	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed You mean just the bed? Are you putting it on a different frame? __________________ Bill US Army Vet -193rd Infantry BlueRidgeMuscleCars.com “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Gandhi

10-27-2009, 03:02 PM	#4
bills59 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Turlock,CA Posts: 31	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed The truck had a 8ft flatbed on it however I was wondering what would be involved in putting a short box on it or just throw on a long bed

10-27-2009, 03:09 PM	#5
1lowdiesel Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: central jersey Posts: 763	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed ha i was just messing around. if the truck had a pick up bed on it then they put the flat bed the mounts for the bed should still be there. to run the SB you would need to take a section out of the frame then weld it back together. shorten the drive shaft or just get a new one. relocate fuel tank behind the axle. shorten brake cables and lines. remount the short bed. __________________ 69 4wd V6 20k orig miles!! 05 ccsb 2wd Diesel 500hp bagged and soon to be stock floored. 01 rcsb chevy 2wd 6bt cummins :devil:> build xtremediesel.com

10-27-2009, 04:55 PM	#6
OrrieG Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 8,800	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed Can't you just relocate the spring perches and rear crossmember farther forward and trim the back rails too. The frame rails are parallel. Depends on your level of confidence, welding ability and if you want to see the welds and fish plates. __________________ 1959 Chevy Short Fleetside w/ 74 4WD drive train (current project) OrrieG Build Thread 1964 Chevelle Malibu w/ 355-350TH (daily driver) Helpful AD and TF Manual Site Old Car Manual Project Last edited by OrrieG; 10-27-2009 at 04:56 PM.

10-30-2009, 05:39 PM	#7
Norselander Clunker Farm, Proprietor Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Coastal Northern California Posts: 124	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed The easiest thing to do is remove the difference in wheelbase from the frame rails just behind the cab going back. No tank relocation is necessary if you intend to keep the tank in the cab. The driveline will need to be shortened and you -may- wish to adjust the pinion angle of the rear axle. This is a pretty straight forward mod on '55-59 trucks because the frame rails are essentially parallel and in the same plane (where you cut). On earlier trucks the frames grew narrower towards the front and on older trucks the frames dipped below the cab. Fish plate and box the cut. __________________ Drew Chief Junk Jockey

10-30-2009, 07:05 PM	#8
kalirodding CLASSIX Truck Club Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Lodi Ca Posts: 318	Re: '56 GMC Long to Short bed Theres a guy out in Sacramento that will do it for $1500. If you want his number PM me. He cuts the frame and bed. I think all you have to do is the drive line and reflare the brake lines.

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