Idea for spotting fake shortbeds

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by cleanfreak

Has it been posted here that some frames do not have the vin stamped in them?

My brother's 70 GMC shortbed Sierra Grande frame does not have any numbers stamped into it. Not on the front driver's frame rail or under the cab. Looks to be all original, just never stamped.

[no1udknow]

Originally Posted by Livrat

I mostly agree with you, except for one item that I did not notice for many years, not all longbeds have the curve you mention, 1967 "only" longbeds are not curved in the lower front wheel well.

I guess I should take a look at that since the drivers bed side is a 67, and the passenger bedside is a "who knows?" .... so the wheel well corners likely dont match

[DarkFlounder]

My first thought was "Jeez, these aren't Shelby Cobras or GT500 Mustangs. Is there really a market for faked shortbeds?"

My next thought was "Great, those of that that prefer longbeds won't have to worry about getting our desired trucks bought up."

Final thought was "But if all the longbeds are being cut up into shortbeds, then we're going to run out of longbeds!"

[CG]

All of a sudden that 67 long box I have filled full of scraps and junk becomes worth more than just a storage container lol.

And Im pretty sure the GMC's didn't have the frame stamped. Never owned a GMC, but I think Ive read it here on the board a time or two.

[pat english]

Another good tip woulkd be to look for the rear cab mounts to be bolted on.most poeple use nuts and bolts when relocating the rear cab mounts.

(I have a chopped frame.I love it like its a real shortbed though...)

[Primered_69]

Originally Posted by pat english

Another good tip woulkd be to look for the rear cab mounts to be bolted on.most poeple use nuts and bolts when relocating the rear cab mounts.

(I have a chopped frame.I love it like its a real shortbed though...)

and mine our bolted in as well...good catch

[R.L.]

Well mine's cut down and I'm just as proud of it as if it were factory but if you want to know if it's been modified look at the frame, you'll see if it's been cut and wielded. You know you need to look under it before you buy it anyway. If it matters to you then you'll know.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by RManson

What about the longbed truck that's been swapped with an aftermarket short wheelbase chassis and shortbed? Worth more? Worth less? Worth inbetween? lol

Personally I couldn't care less as long as the work was done right. Then again, I'm not the type of person who loses sleep over "non-original" appointments.

I would be more concerned about botched body and sheetmetal repairs as those can get expensive. Swapping a frame is kinda easy.

I can tell you first hand that there are some that don't care. I took a 71 LWB, put the cab and front end and a factory short bed on an original 4x4 SWB frame and converted the truck to a 4wd. After an extensive restoration I sold the truck and fully disclosed all the modifications to the buyer. I'm not going to say how much I sold the truck for but I got all my money back that I invested. He was thrilled, I was thrilled.

[yellow&white72]

I think as long as the work is done right and the truck is safe there is nothing wrong with a cut down truck. I cut my truck down about 5 years ago and put a real swb on it and have never had a problem.

[LEEVON]

So this all begs the question...if it is done well enough that you couldn't possibly figure it out...does it really matter? ; )

[Chuck Burg]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

So this all begs the question...if it is done well enough that you couldn't possibly figure it out...does it really matter? ; )

If Its done right, it will have fish plates welded over the cuts on the frame. It's not if you can't tell, its was it done right.


This is how its done.

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

[HemiChallenger71]

I have nothing to add other than I could never understand the fascination of a short bed over a long bed.

[schwoch1]

Originally Posted by HemiChallenger71

I could never understand the fascination of a short bed over a long bed.

Ya know, I was wondering the same thing myself. My '75 F100 is a short box but my old GMC was a long bed, sometimes it's nice to have a short bed, sometimes its nice to have a long bed. I would of bought either truck no matter the length of the box!! Just my opinion!!!

Mike

[hamjet]

I like the LBs and SBs from that era, but to see the trucks today with exdended cabs and a 4 foot box look hidious to me...

[68shortwide]

Depends on how you wanna use the truck, lwb for a hauler or lifted, or even low slung look. shorty if you want it to handle and be fast look nice as hell (me )

[Lees68GMC]

QUIZ Quaestions, Is this 68 Chevy a Real or FAKE Shortbed? Which is the REAL Shortbed?, the 68 C10 or the 68 GMC? Doesn't really matter to me when the quality of the work is Great.

[73737373]

I am not an advocate of doing anything to a truck that it didn't come from the factory with. I realize that's kind of a reactionary point of view, but understand those that do modify for whatever reason and whatever those modifications happen to be. I am in awe of the many many talented individuals on this forum that have the skills and discipline to make their trucks look terrific; short bed or long bed. Value is in the eye of the beholder and that's the key, but one thing will always remain constant; well done work will always be worth more than shoddy work.

Personally, I wouldn't walk across the street and pee on short bed truck if I saw it burning, and the only reason I keep my 68 shorty is because I've had it 31 years, but I think a well done long bed truck will be worth more than a PoS shortbed.

Again, I applaud all of you have done things "right" w/your trucks. It upsets me to see the hacker work and the landscape (and Craig's List) littered with what were once perfectly good trucks that are now nothing more than piles of parts because soemone didn't know what they were doing.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 73737373

Personally, I wouldn't walk across the street and pee on short bed truck if I saw it burning, and the only reason I keep my 68 shorty is because I've had it 31 years, but I think a well done long bed truck will be worth more than a PoS shortbed.

Wow. I hope your truck never catches on fire.



K

[73737373]

Yeah, that was probably pretty strong, wasn't it? Hope no one was too offended....not my intent.

[Kennuck]

What about real swb converted from Stepper to Fleet? Thoughts?

[aventur1]

Kennuck
I've been asked that several times with comments of it would look better although I like the stepper. Since mine is lifted I use the step a lot to get into the bed.

[leddzepp]

I'm going to cut up my SWB and make it a LWB as Cdowns usually suggests

[no1udknow]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

So this all begs the question...if it is done well enough that you couldn't possibly figure it out...does it really matter? ; )

Reminds me of a question I've heard before...

"if you didn't know she used to be a dude would it matter?"

[zamboni2354]

LB vs SB for me is just personal preference...and my personal preference may sound weird but for a lowered 2wd truck I like the short bed and for a taller 2wd or 4wd truck I like the long bed. The proportions just seems more balanced....

Regarding whether a shortened long bed has the same value of an original sb truck, For me personally it would lesson the value to an extent. I think of it this way, if I saw two identical looking trucks and one was a chopped LB and the other an original SB and the price was the same I'd buy the original SB every time.

jeff in long beach.

[CUSTOM/10]

X2..... Well said !

Originally Posted by zamboni2354

LB vs SB for me is just personal preference...and my personal preference may sound weird but for a lowered 2wd truck I like the short bed and for a taller 2wd or 4wd truck I like the long bed. The proportions just seems more balanced....

Regarding whether a shortened long bed has the same value of an original sb truck, For me personally it would lesson the value to an extent. I think of it this way, if I saw two identical looking trucks and one was a chopped LB and the other an original SB and the price was the same I'd buy the original SB every time.

jeff in long beach.