It shrank!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Livrat · 04-24-2007, 11:37 PM

After looking hi and low for a short wide bed for the 68 I am building and only finding ones that needed way too much work, or were way out of my budget, I decided to cut a long one down. Here are a couple of pics. Tell me what you think of my first attempt. Now its time to work out the damage in the lower right corner.

Man is it fun cutting em up!!

CG · 04-24-2007, 11:39 PM

Hey that looks great Mark. I need to stop by and check it out.

Bus Ted Knuckle · 04-24-2007, 11:42 PM

Awesome work, so exactly how much did you cut out in front of the wheels, and behind the wheels?

*72CSTC5* · 04-24-2007, 11:46 PM

Looks good man. I am going to have to find me some LWB beds and start cutting them all up. What were your measurements by the way?

Livrat · 04-25-2007, 12:02 AM

The front was cut 12 inches.. and the back 8 inches. it even uses the factory mounting holes.. I couldn't believe how straight forward it all was. the front lined up perfectly.. the rear took some pushing and shoving.. I ended up cutting the rear portion down to just below the body line then angled the cut toward the wheel well to make the differences line up easier

Bus Ted Knuckle · 04-25-2007, 12:07 AM

I'm getting set to do this, and those are the most awesome pics I could have to show what to do and where to do it, I swiped 'em to my computer.

What did you use to do the cutting?

you do really good work

Livrat · 04-25-2007, 12:16 AM

Thank you for the compliments,
95% of the cutting was done with a cut off blade in a skill saw the rest was with an angle die grinder and also a straight die grinder

Bus Ted Knuckle · 04-25-2007, 12:19 AM

Sweet, that makes me want to go cut mine down right now...in the rain...in the dark...

OK maybe I'll wait till this weekend

**BAD4X4** · 04-25-2007, 12:22 AM

Mark that looks great!!! What a fine job you did. You'll never be able to tell. But we all will know, HA,HA............

stllookn · 04-25-2007, 02:46 AM

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET...u da man!

GREASEMONKEY72 · 04-25-2007, 02:55 AM

good job dude, always love when its bare metal, just looks friggin awesome

**Yukon Jack** · 04-25-2007, 11:51 AM

Looks like you've done a great job!

pharcydekm · 04-25-2007, 12:01 PM

That is some SWEET @SS work!!! Welll Done. I bow down to you almighty sheet metal god!!!

Idaho Outlaw · 04-25-2007, 01:12 PM

I don't think I would have the gutt's to try that! Great job.

arkracing · 04-25-2007, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livrat

95% of the cutting was done with a cut off blade in a skill saw

Looks good - got any pictures of the area that you welded after you ground it all down - the outside of the bed?

Skill Saw

- got any pictures of that, seems dangerous

oh and what type of electric Cut-Off grinder is that? - do you like it compared to an air cut-off?

Livrat · 04-26-2007, 12:20 AM

Thanks for all the compliments guys!!

arkracing...
I do have a couple more pics of the outside after grinding.. it does look better from distance .. go easy on me as I am not an expert on sheet metal welding.. MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE..

Sorry no pics of the skill saw.. never dawned on me to take any , Its just a normal 7.5 inch saw with a cutoff blade make for skill saws..

The electric die grinder is a Hitachi.. Yes I do like it much better than an air one.. not much slows it down unlike the air grinders, the downside is it can not get into tight places.

AuggieStyle · 04-26-2007, 12:44 AM

great job looks fantastic pics were a plus thanks this will help a lot.

TRUCKER-TRUCKIN' · 04-26-2007, 04:24 AM

Nice job, when I welded aluminum fuel takers we used skil saws and regular tooth blades for cutting out our welds, they had to be continious welds so you got real good real fast its tough holding one of those over your head very long. lol great job.

**special-K** · 04-26-2007, 06:40 AM

Awesome execution.I like the jog at the bottom to bring the taper more together.It looks like minimum plastic is required.Your welding looks good to me.I`ve had bodymen scared to weld mid-panel ever since I`ve been working on stiff.

arkracing · 04-26-2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livrat

Thanks for all the compliments guys!!

arkracing...
I do have a couple more pics of the outside after grinding.. it does look better from distance .. go easy on me as I am not an expert on sheet metal welding.. MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE..

Sorry no pics of the skill saw.. never dawned on me to take any , Its just a normal 7.5 inch saw with a cutoff blade make for skill saws..

The electric die grinder is a Hitachi.. Yes I do like it much better than an air one.. not much slows it down unlike the air grinders, the downside is it can not get into tight places.

Looks like good welding to me. It's very tough to get MIG welds "metal Finished" - i.e. look like they were never there.

on the Skill Saw - is it a "Grinding Wheel" type blade - one of these things:
http://www.metaldevil.com/index.html
Videos here

http://www.metaldevil.com/seeing.html

Livrat · 04-26-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by special-K

Awesome execution.I like the jog at the bottom to bring the taper more together.It looks like minimum plastic is required.Your welding looks good to me.I`ve had bodymen scared to weld mid-panel ever since I`ve been working on stiff.

I was discussing cutting down a bed with the guy that builds burbs into shortie Tahoes and he suggested the Jog to make the taper easier. and it was. My first "mid panel" weld was scary to me (twenty years ago) my very first attempt was using a suburban roof on an extended cab I built.. I used the front 2ft and the rear 2ft of a burb roof and welded them together in the middle.. it was a real challenge. On the box shortening project I figured the worse I could do is end up with a bondo bucket trailer and have to go find another $100 parts truck for another bed and start over..

Livrat · 04-26-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arkracing

Looks like good welding to me. It's very tough to get MIG welds "metal Finished" - i.e. look like they were never there.

on the Skill Saw - is it a "Grinding Wheel" type blade - one of these things:
http://www.metaldevil.com/index.html
Videos here

http://www.metaldevil.com/seeing.html

Thank you for the compliment.. I have never been happy with my sheet metal mig welds, I want the "metal finished" look.. I guess its time for a Tig and learn how to use it.

The cut off blade is a normal style abrasive cut off.. similiar to these.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...5691_200335691

hyarbour · 04-26-2007, 10:11 AM

Nice looking project LivRat. I never understood why GM didn't build an extended cab; I'm sorry but to my the crew cabs were fugly.
Howard

Bamm · 04-27-2007, 05:24 PM

Nice metalwork Livrat. It gives those of us in search of short beds a little to think about. Thanks, .....Jerry

NONHOG · 04-27-2007, 05:57 PM

Where do you buy "the metal devil blade"? looks worth trying
p.s. where did they move "the unfinished nationals" ?
always a good show !

04-24-2007, 11:37 PM	#1
Livrat Member #1049 Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Troy Montana Posts: 3,940	It shrank!! After looking hi and low for a short wide bed for the 68 I am building and only finding ones that needed way too much work, or were way out of my budget, I decided to cut a long one down. Here are a couple of pics. Tell me what you think of my first attempt. Now its time to work out the damage in the lower right corner. Man is it fun cutting em up!! Attached Images

04-24-2007, 11:39 PM	#2
CG BlahBlahBlah Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wa. Posts: 20,021	Re: It shrank!! Hey that looks great Mark. I need to stop by and check it out.

04-24-2007, 11:42 PM	#3
Bus Ted Knuckle Son of a gun Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas Posts: 1,636	Re: It shrank!! Awesome work, so exactly how much did you cut out in front of the wheels, and behind the wheels? __________________ Bill BEATERS ARE NEATER

04-24-2007, 11:46 PM	#4
72CSTC5 Account Suspended Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Deer Park, Tx. Posts: 2,522	Re: It shrank!! Looks good man. I am going to have to find me some LWB beds and start cutting them all up. What were your measurements by the way?

04-25-2007, 12:02 AM	#5
Livrat Member #1049 Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Troy Montana Posts: 3,940	Re: It shrank!! The front was cut 12 inches.. and the back 8 inches. it even uses the factory mounting holes.. I couldn't believe how straight forward it all was. the front lined up perfectly.. the rear took some pushing and shoving.. I ended up cutting the rear portion down to just below the body line then angled the cut toward the wheel well to make the differences line up easier Last edited by Livrat; 04-25-2007 at 12:05 AM.

04-25-2007, 12:07 AM	#6
Bus Ted Knuckle Son of a gun Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas Posts: 1,636	Re: It shrank!! I'm getting set to do this, and those are the most awesome pics I could have to show what to do and where to do it, I swiped 'em to my computer. What did you use to do the cutting? you do really good work __________________ Bill BEATERS ARE NEATER Last edited by Bus Ted Knuckle; 04-25-2007 at 12:09 AM.

04-25-2007, 12:16 AM	#7
Livrat Member #1049 Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Troy Montana Posts: 3,940	Re: It shrank!! Thank you for the compliments, 95% of the cutting was done with a cut off blade in a skill saw the rest was with an angle die grinder and also a straight die grinder

04-25-2007, 12:19 AM	#8
Bus Ted Knuckle Son of a gun Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas Posts: 1,636	Re: It shrank!! Sweet, that makes me want to go cut mine down right now...in the rain...in the dark... OK maybe I'll wait till this weekend __________________ Bill BEATERS ARE NEATER

04-25-2007, 12:22 AM	#9
BAD4X4 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: La pine Oregon Posts: 1,668	Re: It shrank!! Mark that looks great!!! What a fine job you did. You'll never be able to tell. But we all will know, HA,HA............ __________________ 1972 Cheyenne K-30 6"lift {502 PROJECT} 1972 Cheyenne K-30 8"lift 454 450hp {Ol'Blue} 1972 Cheyenne K-20 Custom Stretch 6" lift 454 1972 Custom Deluxe K-20 4" lift 2007 GMC Crew Cab Diesel 6"lift {The Tow Rig 2017 Ford F-350 Crew Cab 6.7 6"lift (Wife's) 1977 El Camino SS Grandpa baught new 1986 K-30 Crew Cab 502 1955 Chevy 2-Door gasser 454 550hp{project} 1956 Chevy Bel-Air 2-Door hardtop 572 700hp 1979 Ford F-350 All Original 4x4 (Wife's)

04-25-2007, 02:46 AM	#10
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	Re: It shrank!! SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET...u da man! __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

04-25-2007, 02:55 AM	#11
GREASEMONKEY72 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bakersfield,CA Posts: 7,893	Re: It shrank!! good job dude, always love when its bare metal, just looks friggin awesome __________________ -steven Alte Seele S.S. "Allison" '72 C/10 LWB 350SB/TH350 - DD PITBULL IS NOT A CRIME

04-25-2007, 11:51 AM	#12
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,686	Re: It shrank!! Looks like you've done a great job! __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

04-25-2007, 12:01 PM	#13
pharcydekm Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 146	Re: It shrank!! That is some SWEET @SS work!!! Welll Done. I bow down to you almighty sheet metal god!!!

04-25-2007, 01:12 PM	#14
Idaho Outlaw Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chukar Hunting Paradise Posts: 80	Re: It shrank!! I don't think I would have the gutt's to try that! Great job. __________________ 1972 Chevy LWB K10 Custom/Deluxe Earth first! We'll log the other planet's later.

04-26-2007, 12:20 AM	#16
Livrat Member #1049 Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Troy Montana Posts: 3,940	Re: It shrank!! Thanks for all the compliments guys!! arkracing... I do have a couple more pics of the outside after grinding.. it does look better from distance .. go easy on me as I am not an expert on sheet metal welding.. MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE MORE PRACTICE.. Sorry no pics of the skill saw.. never dawned on me to take any , Its just a normal 7.5 inch saw with a cutoff blade make for skill saws.. The electric die grinder is a Hitachi.. Yes I do like it much better than an air one.. not much slows it down unlike the air grinders, the downside is it can not get into tight places. Attached Images Last edited by Livrat; 04-26-2007 at 12:20 AM.



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04-26-2007, 12:44 AM	#17
AuggieStyle Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Dallas,TX. Posts: 499	Re: It shrank!! great job looks fantastic pics were a plus thanks this will help a lot.

04-26-2007, 04:24 AM	#18
TRUCKER-TRUCKIN' Rally Wheel Club Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings,MO Posts: 97	Re: It shrank!! Nice job, when I welded aluminum fuel takers we used skil saws and regular tooth blades for cutting out our welds, they had to be continious welds so you got real good real fast its tough holding one of those over your head very long. lol great job.

04-26-2007, 06:40 AM	#19
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,851	Re: It shrank!! Awesome execution.I like the jog at the bottom to bring the taper more together.It looks like minimum plastic is required.Your welding looks good to me.I`ve had bodymen scared to weld mid-panel ever since I`ve been working on stiff. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-26-2007, 10:11 AM	#23
hyarbour Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fairview, ks Posts: 203	Re: It shrank!! Nice looking project LivRat. I never understood why GM didn't build an extended cab; I'm sorry but to my the crew cabs were fugly. Howard

04-27-2007, 05:24 PM	#24
Bamm Cowboy Fan for Life!!!!!! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Amelia, Virginia Posts: 2,921	Re: It shrank!! Nice metalwork Livrat. It gives those of us in search of short beds a little to think about. Thanks, .....Jerry __________________ 1967 ShortBed Fleetside 3/4 Drop 350/700R4 Tilt wheel 18 x 8 Torque Thrust II's Future mods: All new gauges & wood bed My Zip is 23002 I ship UPS, USPS

04-27-2007, 05:57 PM	#25
NONHOG Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Marana, Arizona Posts: 3,455	Re: It shrank!! Where do you buy "the metal devil blade"? looks worth trying p.s. where did they move "the unfinished nationals" ? always a good show ! __________________ "I feel the need for speed!"... as soon as I am done with my nap.

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