Why convert to short bed?

[Tx Firefighter]

You guys bickering over long vs short beds while the we have much larger issues to contend with. Like, what's up with those men who have hair buns and wear women's jeans ?

[96blazr]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

You guys bickering over long vs short beds while the we have much larger issues to contend with. Like, what's up with those men who have hair buns and wear women's jeans ?

EXACTLY!! "man buns" = Doucheflute. And they're starting to wear Rompers too. manbun, womens jeans and/or rompers; turn in your "Man" card.

And I've owned my 68 SWB since 04 and the Short Fleets have always looked better to me. My first "Antique" was a 1960 SWB. My Daily driver back in the 80's was a 86 long bed and while it did it's job and I got my monies worth out of it, for a Hot Rod I've always loved the 68 SWB. That's why I own one and always will. The SWB market has been HOT for the last 3 to 4 years, so it makes sense that conversion kits have come out and are all the rage. I say "fine with me", cause it makes a true SWB more valuable.
Short wide, Long wide, short step, narrow step: I love them all

[Tx Firefighter]

And, just for the record, I wear no man bun or skinny jeans and my project for next week is to cut a LWB 74 C10 down to SWB.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

And, just for the record, I wear no man bun or skinny jeans and my project for next week is to cut a LWB 74 C10 down to SWB.

What the hell is a man bun? Eh... maybe I don't want to know.

[kelz702]

A picture of me with a man bun changing the radiator in my 72 long bed.

[kingNothing]

I bought a 72 Cheyenne Super long bed last summer. I have debated about making it a short bed. However I use it as a daily driver and find the long bed handy.

[Tx Firefighter]

It's a nice long holiday weekend for working on my old trucks. So I started preparations today.

Chop-chop ! This thing is about to get hit with the frame shrinker and lose 19 inches of length overall.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

It's a nice long holiday weekend for working on my old trucks. So I started preparations today.

Chop-chop ! This thing is about to get hit with the frame shrinker and lose 19 inches of length overall.

you should leave the exhaust full length after your 19" surgery!

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Maximus

you should leave the exhaust full length after your 19" surgery!

You made me think of a Cholo Glide.

[flashed]

Kevin ,I want to see that ,love your builds .

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by flashed

Kevin ,I want to see that ,love your builds .

Thanks man. I appreciate your compliment. I don't really do build threads anymore though. The internet is going to melt down if they ever see what I'm doing to this truck so I just mostly keep it to myself anymore.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Thanks man. I appreciate your compliment. I don't really do build threads anymore though. The internet is going to melt down if they ever see what I'm doing to this truck so I just mostly keep it to myself anymore.

Are square bodies different? It was 20" when I cut my 71 bed down, or are you doing something different?

We're truck guys, I loved your build threads? **** the haters

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Are square bodies different? It was 20" when I cut my 71 bed down, or are you doing something different?

We're truck guys, I loved your build threads? **** the haters

Square bodies are 14 out of the middle of the frame and then off the back it's anywhere from 4-6 depending on who is doing it. I'll go 5 off the back.

[flashed]

I understand but Im really glad you are back.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Never knew people chose to vary those. If I wasn't putting the bed on my factory shorty frame, I thought it would have been cool to only take 10" out of the front and 6" out of the back.

[Tx Firefighter]

The 14 in front of the axle is a non negotiable. Then you have to trim the ends off the back of the frame rails. There is a fair bit of leeway as to how much you take off them.

I got the middle of the frame cut and and welded today. Tomorrow I'll do the back and finish up with shortening the brake line and wiring.

[tutone]

Been reading the responses to this thread and some are great as well as some that are food for thought. I can't remember who said that the cutting of a long bed made his original short bed worth more. I have a different opinion on value . I don't think a cut down long bed has any more of an impact on short beds than crushing a Nova. Cutting down a long bed could only serve to raise the value of other long beds. Now of course there were millions to start with so the value increase would be marginal at best. What does have an impact on factory short bed chevies, is supply vs demand. Based on simple economic principles, there are more people wanting them, than there are trucks available for purchase. Hence, the price rises and those of us that possess the skills necessary to safely shorten a long bed into a shortie, can do so at a tremendous savings. Not for profit as some have indicated by paying less for a cut truck. If you want a rollback, then you are buying a frame altered truck. That's just one example, of course. So bottom line I will believe that it is a matter of simple economics combined with the love for the smooth lines of the short bed. If you want a long bed, buy one and drive the wheels off it, you want a short bed, buy one, you might just have to save up til you can afford it. Or, convert to a short bed like me, simple.

[SoCoC10]

I recently moved a 71 Cheyenne long bed out of my garage and moved in a 71 CST Blazer. With the even shorter wheel base of the Blazer, I have a ton of space now! I have room for a pair of front and rear bumpers, front and rear wheel houses and a set of four rally wheels.

[profe56]

I do not remember if I read it here.
are the chassis 67-72 and 73-87 the same?
if this is true,instaed of cut a long bed chassis could we use one short bed 73-87 if there are more available than 67-72?

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by profe56

I do not remember if I read it here.
are the chassis 67-72 and 73-87 the same?
if this is true,instaed of cut a long bed chassis could we use one short bed 73-87 if there are more available than 67-72?

They are pretty drastically different between the two eras of trucks.

And short bed 73-87 trucks are about the hottest thing going nowdays so finding a chassis is getting increasingly harder. There are a lot of us cutting 73-87 trucks down now due to the difficulty of finding a decent starter truck for reasonable money.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by SoCoC10

I recently moved a 71 Cheyenne long bed out of my garage and moved in a 71 CST Blazer. With the even shorter wheel base of the Blazer, I have a ton of space now! I have room for a pair of front and rear bumpers, front and rear wheel houses and a set of four rally wheels.

BINGO!!! There's your answer. People convert long beds to short beds for greater garage space. It's purely a practical decision for those with shallow garages or a whole bunch of junk!

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by special-K

BINGO!!! There's your answer. People convert long beds to short beds for greater garage space. It's purely a practical decision for those with shallow garages or a whole bunch of junk!

That's the only reason I cut mine down . I used to have to climb through the bed to get to the other side of the garage. Now, I have 20" of clearance and can even work on the engine with the garage door shut. What luxury!

[Boog]

Well there ya go. All figured out now. Cut 'em down and get a trailer for your hauling needs and get more room in the garage too.

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by Boog

Well there ya go. All figured out now. Cut 'em down and get a trailer for your hauling needs and get more room in the garage too.

Oh, did I mention that the extra bed floor pieces can be used for additional storage in the garage as well? No scrap left unused!

[special-K]

A lot of you young boys are so used to looking at your own era trucks that you think proper proportions are short bed/long cab. Anything other than a regular cab is an adaptation to what a truck is. They have become half car/half truck, with passenger capacity taking space from hauling capacity and those are the odd truck proportions. A short bed double cab is a big car with no trunk lid...that is, till you go out and buy a hard bed cover. I can haul more in my station wagon (Suburban). A long bed isn't out of proportion, some people's perspectives are