LWB to SWB cost MODESTO, CA

[chevy209]

I am looking to shorten my 72 c10 longbed. I have called numerous shops in my area and they either give me their hourly rate or quote me over $3000. If anyone can help me out with a contact info to a shop or person within a couple hours drive of modesto I would greatly appreciate it. I would like to be under $2000 to shorten bed and frame. Or I can remove the bed and have just the frame shortened for a cheaper price. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[richards72chevy]

Did the prices over $3000 include all the body work to the bed as well and the paint work?

[First c10]

For me I think the cost is 75% bed work. The frame is pretty easy. I plan to shorten my sons. The part that slows me done Is the body work of the bed.

Good luck!

[mfwcar11]

i got a friend in a****er that knows a guy. pm Email ur # to weaverracing04@yahoo.com

[RManson]

I grew up in Modesto and just did this job on my '68, so you've hit a bit of a soft spot for me! My advice is to buy a welder for under a thousand and a pair of bedsides, right around a thousand, and do the short conversion yourself. Learn to weld and you're off and running! All for less than a shop would charge you to mess it up. You can save the tailgate and front panel from your long bed. If the local shop hasn't done a short-to-long conversion before, chances are you could do it just as well provided you follow what a number of people have posted about doing so, myself included. Shoot me an email if you have any questions: ryan.manson@sorc.com.

Good luck!
-Ryan

[JOHNORO]

Originally Posted by chevy209

I am looking to shorten my 72 c10 longbed. I have called numerous shops in my area and they either give me their hourly rate or quote me over $3000. If anyone can help me out with a contact info to a shop or person within a couple hours drive of modesto I would greatly appreciate it. I would like to be under $2000 to shorten bed and frame. Or I can remove the bed and have just the frame shortened for a cheaper price. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Get a hold of the C10King (Rene) he has a cousin that was doing these
and they were coming out great and ask him for the C10 club discount ... in fact he is not to far from you in At Water ca

Originally Posted by RManson

I grew up in Modesto and just did this job on my '68, so you've hit a bit of a soft spot for me! My advice is to buy a welder for under a thousand and a pair of bedsides, right around a thousand, and do the short conversion yourself. Learn to weld and you're off and running! All for less than a shop would charge you to mess it up. You can save the tailgate and front panel from your long bed. If the local shop hasn't done a short-to-long conversion before, chances are you could do it just as well provided you follow what a number of people have posted about doing so, myself included. Shoot me an email if you have any questions: ryan.manson@sorc.com.

Good luck!
-Ryan

Great advice as always Ryan, and great to see you on the forum...

[Madtrucker]

If your bed is solid sell it, I got $1,100 for mine. Bought a short bed, new drive shaft, and cut my frame, put about $900 back into it.
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[chevy209]

Thanks for all the replies. And the quote for 3000 did include the body work. As for buying a welder and doing the frame Id really like to leave that to a professional. I have a small mig welder and very little experience with it but i could give the bed a shot and if I mess up buy a short bed. My bed is in pretty good shape no rust and just one dent but I couldnt see getting more than a few hundred bucks, longbeds are a dime a dozen around here.
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[RManson]

Don't underestimate the amount of sheetmetal work that is involved in shortening the bed sides! You mentioned not having much experience with your MIG welder. If that's the case, save yourself a whole lot of headache and buy a set of shortbed sides. You have to shorten the bed in two spots on both sides, oh, and each bedside is double walled. That's four vertical seams on each side that need to match up perfectly to get it right. I thought about doing it this way for about two seconds before I stepped up and bought a pair of bedsides from Brothers.

If you're patient, the March issue of Custom Classic Trucks has the story where I chopped my long bed frame down to a shortbed. Goes on sale 2/19.

There are also a few great threads on this forum that will help you out.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and post some pics!

-Ryan

[chevy209]

I figured I would take a shot on the bed and if i totally jack it up i can go out and buy an entire shortbed in good shape for less than the cost of the bedsides. Im trying to do this as cheaply as i can. My truck is in good shape but i plan on building a nice driver out of it, not a show piece. Thanks for all the advise and wisdom, and i will post pics and start a thread as soon as it gets off the ground.

[Square_78]

I think cutting it all straight would be the hardest part especially with the dual wall and they layers being so far apart. I just know I would screw that part up and have HUGE gaps when i went to weld it back together... I think finding a good shortbox is the best idea. Bed sides are $1000 and then you still have to cut and shorten the rest. If you can buy a short bed in good shape for $1000-1500 then that would be the way to go. Problem is that they dont exist where I live. I've been looking for years and never come across one for sale.

[RexDodge]

I did this to my 71 C10 last year. The easy part is the frame. Be patient, measure for square many times as you put it back together. The surprise for me was the shape of the bed sides. They actually narrow slightly at the front and rear. When you take the sections out (two each side) and pull it together it is most noticeable at the rear lower body line. That will test your sheet metal skills and patience for sure...but it can be done by folks with average skills and get decent (not perfect) results. If you enjoy that type of work go for it. If not, save the hair and farm it out. My .02!

[chevy209]

Ok so if we took the bed out of the equation what do you guys think would be a reasonable price to have the frame shortened and reinforced, driveline brakes and exhaust shortened? How much to drive it in with the bed taken off and drive it out a swb frame?
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[richards72chevy]

I realy cant say a good price but i would be more concerend about the shops reputation.When i did prep wok at a bodyshop he used to take in work on old cars just keep us busy.It wasnt done real fast but something to do when collision work slowed down.I used to work at willys paint and body in oakdale.

[john@thepier]

I would think that you should be able to buy a short frame ($300-$500)and aftermarket complete short box ($2000). Look around before you go through all the chopping and welding and $3000

[chevy209]

One of the main reasons I wanted to go the route of having the frame cut is because of space. I rent a duplex without a garage and I just don't have anywhere to dismantle a truck. Not to mention my landlord would flip out. I don't posses the confidence or a welder powerful enough to do the frame myself. A couple of board members are trying to get me in contact with people that would do this for a decent price in my area but having more options is always ideal. Thanks in advance for any replies
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[chevy209]

And this is not something I need done right away. If anyone could take this on as a side project to do during free time I'm ok with that.
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[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by JOHNORO

Get a hold of the C10King (Rene) he has a cousin that was doing these
and they were coming out great and ask him for the C10 club discount ... in fact he is not to far from you in At Water cali

Yeah get ahold of that dude!

I personally think shortening your frame vs buying a short frame is the way to go because you still have your original VIN stamp on the frame. While here we can get away with it I have heard horror stories of cross state sales where vins do not match and well we all know how friendly california is in these issues. I think C10king said in another thread somewhere they run about $2000 to cut frame and bed.