to make a long bed a short bed?

[tadams]

on a 60-66 fleetside bed does anyone know if you can shorten a long bed to make it a short bed? not sure if all the length is in front of the wheels or a combination of in front and behind.
thanks

[k1rodeoboater]

the length is infront IIRC

...though I do hate to see it when people chop up a good longbed.

[Captainfab]

Yes you can shorten a longbed, it has been done many times. If you do a search, you will find several threads on how it is done. You will have to take 12" out from in front of the wheelwells and 8" from behind.

[jocko]

The show "Trucks" did a great series on doing this cut. But here are a few links to other threads on here. The first link is a great one about shortening the frame, second is a general discussion, but the third is a GREAT link with many additional embedded links by lakeroadster and markeb01 even has a link to the Trucks episode (highly recommended). I'm still waiting for the powerblock tv folks to make a complete build dvd for the 66 C10 they did....

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?t=123624\

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=186341

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ght=long+short

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Yes you can shorten a longbed, it has been done many times. If you do a search, you will find several threads on how it is done. You will have to take 12" out from in front of the wheelwells and 8" from behind.

I'll be checking out the links that jocko posted, but I think I remember reading that the wheel opening is longer on a longbed and also needs to be shortened.
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[markeb01]

[QUOTE=jocko;4477698] I'm still waiting for the powerblock tv folks to make a complete build dvd for the 66 C10 they did....



They actually did release a 2 DVD set covering the entire build a little while ago. Here's the link:

http://www.powerblockswag.com/Trucks...hevyc10dvd.htm

[chad64chevy]

i believe the wheel well arch is three inchs longer on a longbed then a shortbed! but if you are going to cut a long bed i would center the wheel well arch with the tires to make it look a lil better, i believe i read that its about 1.5 inches front to center the wheel arch with the tires! or move the tires back 1.5 inches but thats just my opinion if i was going to do it!

[jocko]

[quote=markeb01;5255936]

Originally Posted by jocko

I'm still waiting for the powerblock tv folks to make a complete build dvd for the 66 C10 they did....



They actually did release a 2 DVD set covering the entire build a little while ago. Here's the link:

http://www.powerblockswag.com/Trucks...hevyc10dvd.htm

Thanks Mark, Yep - that was I semi-old post, I've since bought it!! NOW, I'm waiting for them to release their CLASS SIX complete build DVD - I love that old beater... But I think they still have plans for it - and thus, more shows and no DVD yet.

Regarding the above posts - I do believe that the measurements from the show will center your 3" longer wheelwell on the resultant axle centerline correctly. Sorry, I don't have the measurements handy, but I know I've also seen some long-to-short threads around here that go into prety good detail.

[shrunken66stroker]

My thread has some details, but not the step by step that the links above have. Capn's right, you have to cut 12" out of the bed and frame in front of the rear wheels and 8" out of the bed and frame in the rear to make it a stock length short bed. The wheel arches are 3" wider but I'm leaving mine exactly like they are. I think it looks great. On short beds there's no middle stake pocket either. I filled mine and I think the guys on the "Trucks" show should have done the same.

[concretekiller]

i plan on cutting mine down, but only about 4-6 inches, in front of the rear axle. i want to make the distance from the front of the bed to the rear wheel well the same length as the tailgate to the rear wheel well.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

I'll be checking out the links that jocko posted, but I think I remember reading that the wheel opening is longer on a longbed and also needs to be shortened.
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Found the thread about the wheel openings being larger on the longbed:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=wheel+opening

So that means we would take 3" out of the wheel opening.

The agreed numbers are 12" cut out from in front of the wheelwells and 8" from behind - making a total of 20" less in length.
But if we take 3" out of the wheelwells that leaves us 17" to divvy up between the front and rear. I wonder what the front and rear reduction should be to center the wheels if we were to take the 3" from within the wheelwells?

[ChiefRocka]

I would say 10.5" & 6.5" ....
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[jocko]

Honestly, I wouldn't muck with shortening the wheel arches. And I agree that the Trucks guys should've filled the stake pocket, I mean, they sure have the tools laying around to do it! It would have no longer been centered either.

But the wheel arch - I'd be real hesitant to see it cut because I'd be concerned that it wouldn't match with a smooth flowing straight line at the new juncture. I realize the arch is pretty flat in that area, but... Consider this - back a year or so ago when the subj of swb vs lwb arches came up - you'd be amazed how many folks didn't know there even was a difference. Even after staring at pictures, some didn't believe. (it took me a while). In fact, I watched the entire Trucks series on DVD more than once, and I never even noticed it was longer on the lwb (and they didn't mention it).

I would not feel like you're gonna have something goofy if you don't cut the arch - you won't. I've never seen any of the long-to-short conversions cut the arch, just the amounts mentioned above in front of the rear stake pocket and behind the front stake pocket.

[shrunken66stroker]

This is mine with a 255-60-17 in it. If you plan on running a bigger tire I wouldn't take all the time and effort to make the wheel well the same as a stock short bed when it looks so good and most people don't even know there's a difference. As Jocko said, I wouldn't muck with it.

[BurlyCrew]

http://www.powerblocktv.com/episodes...ne-half-a-c-10

[LostMy65]

I think it's also interesting to see the rear opening in proportion to the front opening.

[LostMy65]

I like the idea of a medium length bed.
In case the link was overlooked, here is a post by Mechanic77:

Originally Posted by Mechanic77

Actually no, I was referring to the 12" removed out of the front and 8" removed out of the rear of a long bed to make it a short bed I've always thought that the short beds were just a little too short, so I'm goint to go 9" in the front and 6" in the rear to make it proportional and hopefully look right to me

Here is his thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...59#post4881959
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