Welding up Longhorn seams.

[davepl]

So I finally have to fish or cut bait on my decision to weld up the bed extension seam on my '70 Longhorn.

From an objective viewpoint, they're ugly, and a cheap and hacky solution from GM. Fixing them will yield a much cleaner looking truck, and I think that's what I'd prefer.

Subjectively, though, I'm sure some people balk at welding them up. I'm doing everything else original, and not deviating from stock in any other major irreversible way. So it'd make sense to leave them, if only they weren't so ugly (sorry, Longhorn owners, but I'm one of you). I opted not to shorten this truck because it's a great example of a Longhorn, but there are others. This isn't the last one out there.

I have to remove the travel tank doors, and it'll probably be cheaper to make the seams solid than to re-create the GM seam where the travel tank doors used to be.

So, "Show Your Seams" or "Make it Right"?

[71sierragrande]

Weld em

[davepl]

Originally Posted by 71sierragrande

Weld em

That's what the old threads said too, I'm just curious to see if the public concensus on this has changed over the years.

Because once I carefully ask for, study, and deliberate on whatever everyone else tells me, I'm still going to weld them. But I want to know in advance if I should feel bad about it :-)

[ole dollor]

i am kinda like you on the seams. they are ugly . i also never understood why the factory did not cover them up better, i see no reason to not cover them up and i think it would look better. but i am not a good enough body man to do it.

[jocko]

my vote is leave em as is. call it "iconic". That's how people tend to refer to something that was ugly 40 years ago (kinda like "she has a nice personality"...). Plus, if you leave them as is, there's no way to screw em up! An unwelded panel will not warp.

In all seriousness, they are kinda ugly, but they've grown on me as actually identifying a truck as a longhorn. I see the seam before I see the Longhorn nameplate. It will kill resale if that is of interest to you - only those that like the idea of welded seams would even consider it - and that number will be small in the overall market. But, assuming you're planning to keep it - which I bet you are judging by all the cool stuff you've been doing on it - or, even if it's just what you want to do, go for it! The idea of an 8.5 bed with no seams is cool.

[SS Tim]

Still vote to keep them. But having to remove the doors does change the issue and at that point I don't think it matters.
One thing to consider is that the metal there is just a simple roll flange that already has a lot of built in stress. Will welding that up cause uncontrollable distortion or worse a cracking problem in later use as the bed racks? Here are some pictures (from longhorn70gmc) to ponder and are more for metal workers not familiar with the joints. After all David, you have a bed to poke and peer into.

[Sicklajoie]

Leave them!

[Duncan and son]

As they were, not as you wish they were...

[CG]

OMG!!! Why dont you just cut the dash while your at it!!!!!



*snicker*