If you love unmolested longbeds, don't look!!!.......or

[shawno72]

x2

[black_sheep454]

Man I loved it long, but it's gonna be even better short
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[davepl]

I'm ambivalent about cutting down trucks (ambivalent in the literal sense). I had planned to cut down my Longhorn but decided I preferred to preserve history and the cool factor of the Longhorn over cloning something else. So speaking as someone who "almost did it", here's why:

I think its painfully obvious, but never see it mentioned: the highly optioned and big block trucks that you can find today are generally long beds. People want a "desirable" option set on a short bed, but you can't find them, so they take a long truck and cut it down.

The irony of it is that a big-block, AC truck cut down is -not- an original shortbed, big block, AC truck in any sense. So it would make just as much sense to take a stripper shortbed and add the options you want, it's no more or less authentic.

I'm sure I'd be guilty of it too... had I cut down mine, my sig would claim it as a shortbed, bucket seat, big block, tach, AC, etc. But it wouldn't be one.

Maybe its that short frames of any description are getting hard to find (you can buy the beds repop'd, so that's not it). But when I was searching for a "good" shortbed, I never found one in years, but I found plenty of shortbed plain janes I could have started with.

My sentiment is the same on value... maybe a cut down longbed will sell for more than a longbed will, but it still won't be worth what an original shortbed would. And I'm not even sure I'd want someone else's frame fabrication (not directed at the original poster, I have no idea how well it was or wasn't done).

[CC69Rat]

When I cut one .. I claim it.




.. Uh , .. well .. not like that. .

[JCD]

All kidding aside..

It IS your truck, do with it what you will..
If you want to make it a swb then only you should decide that..

I wanted to address a question that I'm sure has been addressed before..
What will this do to future value of the Truck?

I've watched as First Gen Camaros and Mustangs, and most other cars of the 60s went from 200 dollar old cars to 30,000 dollar prima donnas..

Most of the blame for this can be put on the high rollers at the desert auctions wanting to reclaim the cars of their youths.. and don't care what they had to pay.

But what happened was, it convinced every Yahoo in 50 states that their 6 cylinder Dart was worth enough to send their kids through college.

When it does happen, and it will.. Future truck buyers are going to be picky.

Sure you may be selling a swb big block truck with all the options, but a quick look underneath, never mind the VIN, will tell them it's not an original small base truck.

Only the future will tell, but hacking a foot or two out of the frame may be doing a real disservice to the Trucks themselves.

J.

[69 gmc]

There was a warning in the title so that there was no need to try and convince him otherwise.

[Big Block 454]

Originally Posted by JCD

All kidding aside..


What will this do to future value of the Truck?

I've watched as First Gen Camaros and Mustangs, and most other cars of the 60s went from 200 dollar old cars to 30,000 dollar prima donnas..

When it does happen, and it will.. Future truck buyers are going to be picky.

Sure you may be selling a swb big block truck with all the options, but a quick look underneath, never mind the VIN, will tell them it's not an original small base truck.

J.

I believe cutting down a long bed will increase the value as long as it's done right and photo documentation would help. Just look at the classifieds and you'll see the price dif between short and long beds. Also, if someone is looking to buy your shortened long bed, they likely wouldn't even be there if it was still a long bed.
Something I've always wondered about is; I remember when model A and model T cars were 20-30 grand restored and now that the old guys that were into them are dying off the demand isn't there and I've seen nice ones for 10k.
Do you suppose that will be the case with classic American cars and trucks because the younger generation seem to be into rice burners?

Originally Posted by 50bomb

Which is better shortbed or longbed? fleetside or stepside?c10 or c20?

I can't say which is better. I think it's more of a preference. But as I said, just look at the classifieds and you'll see which are bringing more money. Not sure if that makes a short bed better, but you'll certainly get more $ for a short bed 1/2 ton so maybe...

[mud.man.rj]

I agree a short box is worth more to sell than a long box, lots of them around. I recently came back from a car show with about 1,000 cars, all outdoor too and have to say the rice id dying, most of the young guy's are buying classics or hotrods and when talking to them they said rice isn't holding it's value and gets no respect so slowly turning it around, oh ya.

[sleepertruck72]

No comments here, just waiting to see pics

[C/10 King]

Enough said.

[50bomb]

I say its ALL GOOD. I have seen alot of your post and the work you have done to know it will be done right and safe. Which is better shortbed or longbed? fleetside or stepside?c10 or c20? Its like beating a dead horse. THey all look good in MY OPINION. Stop bashing each other and lets stick together as truck guys! One day we might run in to each other on the highway to help out a fellow trucker who is stuck. GOD BLESS AMERICA as well as LONGBEDS AND SHORTBEDS

[VA72C10]

I love all 67-72's blazer, jimmy, short, long, longhorn, panel, burb, flatbed, wedgeback, camper...you name it. They all are cool and all have their place.

Looking forward to seeing what you end up with! And if you're thinking under 2k in costs, I'd say you'll get at least 4k in value...if not more...and be able to sell twice as fast.

I'm personally looking for a cheap longbed right now to use as a part chaser/occasional driver because of the utility...but if I run across a cheap short bed I'll pick that up instead because I know I can sell it for almost double when I get ready to sell it down the road...

[VA72C10]

And for those comparing trucks to muscle cars (I see this comparison on here all the time)...I guess it's a remote possibility...but not likely at all.

Only super low mileage or super original unrestored and really nice trucks demand money...or those restored to show quality are selling for top dollar...and not longbeds...mainly short. I've seen under 10,000 mile original short beds sell for 10-15K and the same longbed struggles to bring 5K....it's just the market...

One example: There was a really nice longbed for sale local to me and also on ebay for over a year...they had over 20k in just parts receipts not counting purchase price and they did all the labor on it (and did a nice job)...yet couldn't even sell it for 9K (started at 15 and worked down to 9k)

And the real comparison would be 2 door cars vs. 4 door cars (think short to long) in the collector car market...a nice 2 door sells for thousands more than an equally nice 4 door. On some of the highest dollar cars (rare antique cars), it can be a couple hundred thousand dollar difference...

[C/10 King]

Richie is soooooooo slow......"How slow is he??? I just went by his house right now, today is his day off and all he did was remove the back bumper.

[Boog]

Originally Posted by C/10 King

Richie is soooooooo slow......"How slow is he??? I just went by his house right now, today is his day off and all he did was remove the back bumper.

What's the rush? The sooner he gets done, he's just done.
Oh and cut that sucker. Whack it! And don't look back.

[special-K]

I think I might be guilty of building a shortbed out of a longbed,but I'm not sure. What do you go by? I know the cab I bought was originally a '72 Longhorn out in California cuz I saw the matching bedsides among the parts the guy was selling. The frame is a '71 shortbed I bought in Florida. I have a '71 Chevy 1/2t longbed title/VIN-plate,so far. But,it's going to be a '67 GMC with the grille I got from Wyoming,fenders from Kansas,and small letter tailgate from Oregon. The bedsides are from California and Texas,but the cross sills and wheel houses are from Arizona. I'm calling it a '67 GMC shortbed.
All I now for sure is this truck is taking as long as Rene's cousin Richie would take! And,should have nice boobs when it's done

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by special-K

I think I might be guilty of building a shortbed out of a longbed,but I'm not sure. What do you go by? I know the cab I bought was originally a '72 Longhorn out in California cuz I saw the matching bedsides among the parts the guy was selling. The frame is a '71 shortbed I bought in Florida. I have a '71 Chevy 1/2t longbed title/VIN-plate,so far. But,it's going to be a '67 GMC with the grille I got from Wyoming,fenders from Kansas,and small letter tailgate from Oregon. The bedsides are from California and Texas,but the cross sills and wheel houses are from Arizona. I'm calling it a '67 GMC shortbed.
All I now for sure is this truck is taking as long as Rene's cousin Richie would take! And,should have nice boobs when it's done

So basically, you will have a "Mutt" with breast enhancements?!?!?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

So basically, you will have a "Mutt" with breast enhancements?!?!?

Something like that:

[LEEVON]

Johnny Cash's truck?

[CC69Rat]

Aww man.. She's hungry.

[AdMiMc]

Cut it! I'm cutting mine.

[leddzepp]

If you don't want to cut it, do what I did...swap it. I bought a 72 SWB rolling chassis and a clean original paint SWB fleetside bed and "converted" my truck to what you see in my avatar.

It cost LESS for those 2 things than it would have cost to replace the suspension and brake components on the original truck itself (72 3/4 ton).

[j ripper]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

If you don't want to cut it, do what I did...swap it. I bought a 72 SWB rolling chassis and a clean original paint SWB fleetside bed and "converted" my truck to what you see in my avatar.

It cost LESS for those 2 things than it would have cost to replace the suspension and brake components on the original truck itself (72 3/4 ton).

This is the smartest way to go about it in my opinion.
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[Gene]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

If you don't want to cut it, do what I did...swap it. I bought a 72 SWB rolling chassis and a clean original paint SWB fleetside bed and "converted" my truck to what you see in my avatar.

It cost LESS for those 2 things than it would have cost to replace the suspension and brake components on the original truck itself (72 3/4 ton).

X2 This is the way I went also.

[Grande Rojo]

before and after pictures of my truck. I cut down the bed too..

i've got a welder and a sawzall....