Are there bed differences between types and wheelbase?

[mjshealy]

Hello all. I just recently acquired my first 67-72. I have been coming to this forum for answers on a lot of things, thank you all for sharing knowledge and helping me learn. My new truck is a 1969 C30, no badges other than Bowie on hood and "Custom/30" badges on the fenders. I have gathered that it is a camper special, at the front of the bed it has that factory seam with 8" front bed extensions.
I just removed the longhorn/camper special bed, it is beyond repair. The extensions are in decent shape, so I cut them off at the seam and bought a regular long bed. My plan was to attach the extensions to the new bed front and put it on, but it appears to be different. My extensions are 8" long, where I read everyone else posting they're 6" long. Also, the new bed appears to have different bed supports that mount to the frame, as it is taller in the rear, and also the wheel openings are in a different spot.
On the old bed(without extensions) I have about 33" from the front of the bed to the bottom beginning of wheel opening, on the new bed I have 36".
The longbed appears to be a regular longbed with 6" extensions, so what is different? Am I just going to have to cut 3" off the front of the bedsides? And why are the bed rails/supports taller?

[Steeveedee]

Not sure about the heights. Maybe there is a difference in them if the truck has a wood bed or a steel bed? Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

[mjshealy]

Could be. It's a 1 ton longhorn/camper special, the longhorn bed is wood, the regular long bed is metal. That still doesn't make sense though, that would mean metal beds have a different shape frame. It seems to me that I need to take the front bed plate off and cut three inches off both bedsides and weld the extensions on...but the bed is still sitting an inch or so too high in the back. And now I'm worried that I'm going to find more problems, I can't find anything for the longhorns so I hope not.

[AussieinNC]

8' long beds came in both metal and wood, so do Longhorn...(and SWB for that matter).

The wood bed rear most cross member is different to the metal ones, with a height difference of approx 3/4" to 7/8".

The height difference is to permit the difference in thickness of the wood bed and the metal beds.

If you check out this link, Item 5 in each of the bottom frames...they are different...

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=14

[jocko]

Does it have the SPID still? I don't believe you have a Custom Camper, based on your description of the badging. Longhorn does not mean it's a Custom Camper (The term Camper Special didn't come until the square body years btw, but for 65-72, they were called "Custom Campers" if RPO Z81 if the truck was so equipped - it's just a badging thing that requires certain suspension options). Anyway, if it were a Custom Camper, the Custom/30 badge would be superseded by a CustomCamper30 badge on the fender (and you'd have a Z81 on the SPID).

I was under the impression that Longhorns only came with wood beds - but don't know for certain. Would like to see a metal one if there's one out there.

[dozerbill72]

Check that your new bed is sitting cleanly on the frame, that there are no old bolts or pieces of the old cross sills holing the bed up. I have all the pieces in the early stages of the same project as you. My 8' foot steel floor bed sets cleanly on the Longhorn frame but is 5"ish short at the front. You are correct that the extensions are roughly 8" long and that you would have to cut the front off the new bed. The Longhorn bed are 8'6" but it's a combination of the extensions and shorter bedsides. I was under the impression that all Longhorns had wood floors. With that being said I haven't got to the part of seeing how the front header from the steel floor fits up to the wood floor extensions. You will have to fill the front of the floor with something, I was going to try to cut my front cross sill and floor loose and just move it forward than fill the gap. Good luck and share some pics of your progress. It sounds like your moving faster on yours than I am.

[AussieinNC]

Chevrolet never produced a steel floor Longhorn, due to cost factors, they were all wood floors.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Chevrolet never produced a steel floor Longhorn, due to cost factors, they were all wood floors.

I know that mine has the oak bed. I had to take out all the old plywood and put in new, due to the old camper shell leaking water, when I put on a new shell. The oak was fine (and painted Hugger Orange!). Interestingly, this truck was a Longhorn from the factory, but the "Longhorn" scripts are not on the bed sides, and there are no holes. (1970, in case no one looks at my sig). I met my wife to be almost 38 years ago, and I'll bedammed if I recall if that script was on it back then. My father-in-law had it repainted not long after my wife and I met; the body shop may have welded the holes shut, because they also painted the lower portion orange where it should have been white. I'll have to look through some old pictures of them camping back in the day, to try and work out what happened. Did "Custom Camper" make the "Longhorn" script deleted? I wouldn't think so, but one never knows.

[mjshealy]

I was under the assumption that "custom camper" and "longhorn" were the same thing. I know this is a camper special/custom camper, I got it off an older lady, it was her father's truck, he bought it brand new. She still has the camper for it, it's huge and kind of looks like an old airstream rv. By my measurements, looks like I just need to take 3" off the bed and change or modify bed supports. It is fully loaded, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, upgraded suspension front and rear, Eaton HO72 rear axle. 307 with turbo 400. I plan on getting the camper once I get the truck running reliably.

[mjshealy]

I just measured, it is a 133" wheelbase. It had an 8'8" wooden bed that is demolished, small tree fell on the drivers side, and they put two layers of plywood over the wooden bed,with a thick rubber mat on top of that. Held in moisture and ruined all metal and supports underneath. Frame is perfect though! It also had 3 gas tanks, I deleted the extra tanks due to the rough shape, only running interior tank.

[mjshealy]

I was hoping someone had knowledge on converting a regular longbed to a longhorn bed, or knew of a site or post about it. I guess I'll just go off of my dimensions and hope nothing will be crooked or fit wrong. It has been repainted the factory green, so I don't know if those badges were removed.

[Steeveedee]

What I see here in general is people cutting long beds down to make short beds. Keep your eyes peeled, some of the experts on here will be able to help.

As for "Custom Camper" and Longhorn, one can get the Custom Camper package even short bed trucks. Longhorn only refers to the added bed length, which of course requires a different frame and wheelbase.

...and "Camper Special" is used by the "blue oval" boys, not the "bow tie" boys.

[mjshealy]

Ok, but I have the 133" wheelbase with an 8'8" bed, I'm not attempting to argue, it's just the VIN is ce3, indicating one ton, and I know it was a "custom camper" because the lady I got the truck from had the whole camper sitting next to it. That's how it was purchased brand new. I just didn't know there was a difference between a 133" wheelbase, 8'8" bed truck... I thought all those were considered longhorns, but I guess not. In that case, I have a custom camper with a 133" wheelbase and an 8'8" bed. And I will call it custom Camper now, the last thing I want to do is come off as a Ford guy. LOL.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

8' long beds came in both metal and wood, so do Longhorn...(and SWB for that matter).

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Chevrolet never produced a steel floor Longhorn, due to cost factors, they were all wood floors.

Don't those two statements say opposite things? Agree with 2nd.

mjshealy - do you have the SPID in the glovebox still? Believe it or not, carrying a camper has nothing to do with it being a Custom Camper - two independent things. If it is a Custom Camper, then someone has removed your nameplates and replaced them with Custom/30s. Again, the SPID will verify whether it is or not. If certain it's completely original, then that would mean it isn't a Custom Camper, sorry. Not a big deal though. The top one is the fender nameplate you would have if it were a Custom Camper (Z81 RPO on the SPID). SPID sometimes words it as "Special Camper" (not Camper Special, which is the wording Custom Camper evolved to in 73)

[mjshealy]

If it isn't a 127" wheelbase, then doesn't that mean it's either a longhorn or custom camper? I didn't think there was a regular c30 that was a 133" wheelbase, but I could be wrong. I have the SPID in the glove box, but seems like its missing a lot. I'll attempt to post it.

[mjshealy]

Here it is

[AussieinNC]

Originally Posted by jocko

Don't those two statements say opposite things? Agree with 2nd.

mjshealy - do you have the SPID in the glovebox still? Believe it or not, carrying a camper has nothing to do with it being a Custom Camper - two independent things. If it is a Custom Camper, then someone has removed your nameplates and replaced them with Custom/30s. Again, the SPID will verify whether it is or not. If certain it's completely original, then that would mean it isn't a Custom Camper, sorry. Not a big deal though. The top one is the fender nameplate you would have if it were a Custom Camper (Z81 RPO on the SPID). SPID sometimes words it as "Special Camper" (not Camper Special, which is the wording Custom Camper evolved to in 73)

Yep, the old man here had a brain f@*t...longhorns only ever came with a steel bed...even after I posted the second response, it didnt dawn on me...must be getting on...

Thanks...Bill

[jocko]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

must be getting on...

You're not alone! No worries.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by mjshealy

If it isn't a 127" wheelbase, then doesn't that mean it's either a longhorn or custom camper? I didn't think there was a regular c30 that was a 133" wheelbase, but I could be wrong. I have the SPID in the glove box, but seems like its missing a lot. I'll attempt to post it.

A Longhorn is simply a 133" wb C20 or C30 Fleetside truck. As fleetsides, they had the bed extension panels at the front of the bed with the stake pockets set back in the original locations (i.e. at the 8' bed spacing, not in the forward corners of the Longhorn bed). C30s Fleetsides were all 133" wb (and, therefore, Longhorns), whereas a C20 could be had in 127" or 133" wheelbases (the latter also making it a Longhorn). C30 Stepsides also had 133" wb but were not considered Longhorns.

Wheelbase has nothing to do with Custom-Camper-ness. Custom Camper is a nameplate option only and was available on C10-30 from 1965 forward. K20s also could be ordered with the option starting in 1968(MAYBE 1967, but still waiting to see one ).

Your truck is a Longhorn but not a Custom Camper. E in the VIN denotes it as an original V8 truck, but the lack of callout on the SPID means it was a 307 originally (standard), not a 350 (optional)- and I think you mentioned somewhere above that it had a 307, so that all makes sense, could actually be the original motor.

[mjshealy]

Yes, according to the numbers in front of the bellhousing, and on the front engine pad in front of the passenger side head, it is the original 307 motor. I stumbled across the longhorn freeserver site yesterday, and found that the 31034 on the SPID denotes it as a true longhorn. The lack of custom camper anywhere leads me to believe the owner bought the truck and camper separately. Yesterday, I removed the front bed panel and cut the front bedsides back to the exact length I had on the original longhorn bed, which was 33" from the bottom of the front wheel openings to the front of the bed. I also measured the front too of the bed (stake pocket?) to the front of the side and found that it was only 1-1/4", so I marked that on the new bed, gave me the same measurement I needed on the bottom. I then took a compass and marked the 1-1/4" from the top stake pocket and marked it all the way down, and cut that amount off of the bedside. I got the driver side extension tack welded on, looks like it will work. The bed is still pushed back for working area purposes.

[mjshealy]

Now I just need to tack on the passenger side extension, install the front bed panel, and make sure everything lines up. I'm moving slow due to having a pinched nerve in my back, but I'm hoping this could benefit someone else needing to do the same thing, as I have literally searched everywhere and cannot find any bed parts or extensions for a longhorn.

[WorkinLonghorn]

Is it just me or is that wheel well off by about 6-8"?

[WorkinLonghorn]

A Longhorn is simply a 133" wb C20 or C30 Fleetside truck. As fleetsides, they had the bed extension panels at the front of the bed with the stake pockets set back in the original locations (i.e. at the 8' bed spacing, not in the forward corners of the Longhorn bed). C30s Fleetsides were all 133" wb (and, therefore, Longhorns), whereas a C20 could be had in 127" or 133" wheelbases (the latter also making it a Longhorn). C30 Stepsides also had 133" wb but were not considered Longhorns.

Good summary Jocko. I would add that the C-30 (and GMC 3500) stepsides were 9 feet long.

[dozerbill72]

Did you figure out why the rear of the bed was sitting up higher?

[mjshealy]

I haven't been able to. It looks like the rearmost bed support is an inch taller, but it's the only one that's that way. Puzzling. I will try to measure it tomorrow if my back doesn't kill me first... Lol. Oh, and WorkinLonghorn-on the bottom of my post with the picture, I wrote that the bed is still pushed back for working area purposes. After I weld the front extension on the passenger side, I need some clearance to try and pry that front bed panel in. Then I will slide it up another 4"and work on mounting it. After that, I'll be cutting out the metal floor and laying down wood, the factory bed was yellow pine, so I may just go back to that. Don't want it crazy nice or I'll never use it.