PROJECT: Its about time ..70 3/4, 4x4

[skchevota]

Ok back in 2006 I started a thread called rolling thunder. since that is what my friends had named my truck, at the time I was cutting her down to a short bed,she already had a cummins/nv4500 in her for a few years, and a 4x4 conversion from 10 years prier, well plans changed, I started a shop, money was tight and things got parted out for other projects so the truck went into cold storage.
A little history on the truck... my dad bought it in 71 and had a cab over camper installed for a family camping vehicle. it was a c20 customcamper with a/c, a bigblock, th400 and leaf sprung dana 60. I grew up riding around in this truck as it servrd as our family car as well. in 89 my dad passed away so the truck became mine. I was 13 at the time but I made repairs , rebuilt the front end , engine and had it painted. I learned to drive in this truck, courted my wife in this truck and it served as a daily driver until 06 when I bought a new crew cab diesel . the truck had under gone many changes through the years but was left to the wayside as life can do.

A few years ago I started slowly collecting parts to put her back on the road.
I cought a break in 2009 when I came across a 2007 dodge 2500 megacab 4x4 chassis, axles, and suspension. the chassis only had 10k on it and was in like new condition, the truck had suffered a wiring fire and was parted out. I picked it up for cheep, so cheep, I sold my old axles and that payed for it.

so my plan became wanting to do a crew cab short box. I collected parts over the last few years to do this. I also picked up another cummins, a 48re, and a np271.

I decided recently that as much as I like crew cabs , there would be pretty much nothing left of my dads truck if I went that rout. so thatputs me where I am today. recently I moved my business into a bigger shop but it has les outside storage. I had to move the chevy over to the new shop and it was just taking up room. so I decided it is time to get started.

[skchevota]

so the first step was getting the cab up on the frame, locating it and fabing up some mounts

[skchevota]

I decided to have the front axle one inch further forward than stock.

[skchevota]

the rear mounts I used a factory urethane rear 3/4 tone mount on a 3/8 thick c shaped bracket welded to the frame. I will add some gusseting as well. The front mount I welded a leg together to use the dodge mount

[skchevota]

keeping with the them of "dads truck" I am considering forgoing the cummins and going back big block. This is a 2004 8.1l that is fully rebuilt , has a upgraded cam and all the injection. I also have a 4l80e for it as well.
what do you think??

[skchevota]

now for some frame shortening. I decided to go as a standard 8 foot long bed. as much as I love the look of the shorty's, this truck started as a long bed so I think its fitting. besides if I ever want to tow our 5th wheel with it a short wheel base would be sketchy with a 30 foot trailer

[skchevota]

oops. where did that chunk go!i took out 30" of frame. I decided on 130" wheel base. 1 inch further forward in the front, 1" in the rear because they always look to far forward to me> and one extra inch between the cab and bed, I always had issues of the two contacting each other off road

[skchevota]

push the two half's together, trim, grind , hammer and clamp to fit right. measure, re measure, and measure some more. then tack. then mesure a bunch more. finally , a little weldy weldy and voilà. A long bed

[ThreeQtr]

Ok. How is she sitting these days? Anymore work done ?
I like what you are doing, but since you have a daily driver, my thought would be make it more like it was when your Dad had it. Only with the modern big block for a nice weekend cruiser.
Still would like to see it though, whatever way you decide. Looks like you do quality work. Watching from FL.