Shorten long bed to short bed - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

62 bigwindow · 06-29-2014, 05:43 PM

I have seen many shorten a long "bed" down to a short "bed"
But curious if any of you guys have shorten the frame as well.
I got a really good deal in a 66 GMC long bed and the front end and cab are SOLID with ALOT of new parts and seems like it would be less work to just cut the frame down and use a shortbed instead of swapping it all over to short bed chassis. I have a short bed frame just seems it would be easier to cut the longbed frame.... HELP let me know your thoughts and pictures..

donthekawguy · 06-29-2014, 06:09 PM

I think you have to cut 12 inches out from under the cab and 8 off the back. Find the old episode of Trucks and they show you how to do it. They used a 66 I think and made it a short bed.

Woogeroo · 06-29-2014, 06:25 PM

Explore your 60-66 FAQ Index and visit the Body Section / Beds

-W

Oldtruckfanatic · 06-29-2014, 06:51 PM

If you have a swb frame its easier to use it. To shorten one correctly its much easier to remove the cab anyway. That also makes it quite a bit easier to access the rivets you need to drill or chisel off to relocate the cab mounts. I have done them without removing the cab but getting good measurements, clean cuts and welds, and getting everything aligned correctly is much less hassle with the cab removed. Its just my opinion but if I had a frame to cut with rebuilt suspension and a swb frame with original suspension I'd unbolt and swap suspension and the body. Its way less work.

LostMy65 · 06-29-2014, 08:08 PM

Some really good links in the FAQ's
Some do the angle cut, but if you're off by the smallest fraction, it's compounded down the length of the frame.
In one of the links it shows a step cut of 12" which helps keep things aligned better.

earl84 · 06-30-2014, 10:42 AM

Some good links for excellent advice here. Another source for inspiration is Stacy David's Copperhead project on his Gearz show. He did an episode on shortening the frame on a 67-72. The measurements may be slightly different, or exactly the same, I don't really know, but the process is the same. Sometimes the videos just make it so much easier to visualize. Hope you are a better welder than I am, I don't think I could trust my welds to hold up to the shortening process.

06-29-2014, 05:43 PM	#1
62 bigwindow Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Mocksville NC Posts: 824	Shorten long bed to short bed I have seen many shorten a long "bed" down to a short "bed" But curious if any of you guys have shorten the frame as well. I got a really good deal in a 66 GMC long bed and the front end and cab are SOLID with ALOT of new parts and seems like it would be less work to just cut the frame down and use a shortbed instead of swapping it all over to short bed chassis. I have a short bed frame just seems it would be easier to cut the longbed frame.... HELP let me know your thoughts and pictures.. Last edited by 62 bigwindow; 06-29-2014 at 06:04 PM.

06-29-2014, 06:09 PM	#2
donthekawguy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Rathdrum ID Posts: 1,129	Re: Shorten long bed to short bed I think you have to cut 12 inches out from under the cab and 8 off the back. Find the old episode of Trucks and they show you how to do it. They used a 66 I think and made it a short bed. __________________ 66 shorty

06-29-2014, 06:25 PM	#3
Woogeroo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: tool box Posts: 3,115	Re: Shorten long bed to short bed Explore your 60-66 FAQ Index and visit the Body Section / Beds -W

06-29-2014, 06:51 PM	#4
Oldtruckfanatic Truck junkie Join Date: May 2006 Location: Reno NV Posts: 697	Re: Shorten long bed to short bed If you have a swb frame its easier to use it. To shorten one correctly its much easier to remove the cab anyway. That also makes it quite a bit easier to access the rivets you need to drill or chisel off to relocate the cab mounts. I have done them without removing the cab but getting good measurements, clean cuts and welds, and getting everything aligned correctly is much less hassle with the cab removed. Its just my opinion but if I had a frame to cut with rebuilt suspension and a swb frame with original suspension I'd unbolt and swap suspension and the body. Its way less work. Last edited by Oldtruckfanatic; 06-29-2014 at 07:10 PM.

06-29-2014, 08:08 PM	#5
LostMy65 But Found Her 25yrs Later! Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Oregon City, Oregon Posts: 10,530	Re: Shorten long bed to short bed Some really good links in the FAQ's Some do the angle cut, but if you're off by the smallest fraction, it's compounded down the length of the frame. In one of the links it shows a step cut of 12" which helps keep things aligned better. __________________ I lost my 65 - Found it 25 years later: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=426650 66 C20 Service Truck: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=428035

06-30-2014, 10:42 AM	#6
earl84 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montrose, CO Posts: 972	Re: Shorten long bed to short bed Some good links for excellent advice here. Another source for inspiration is Stacy David's Copperhead project on his Gearz show. He did an episode on shortening the frame on a 67-72. The measurements may be slightly different, or exactly the same, I don't really know, but the process is the same. Sometimes the videos just make it so much easier to visualize. Hope you are a better welder than I am, I don't think I could trust my welds to hold up to the shortening process.



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