70 gmc DIY build

[Ben IV]

So I had everything back together and took it for it's maiden voyage as a short bed. I know the long bed guys say short beds don't ride as good but there isn't much difference. But it stops better and spins the tires better.lol I'm going to need a posi of some sort. But I'm pretty Damn happy with it. Except the stance that is.

[lolife99]

Looks perfect!

[Ol Blue K20]

Looks great

[Ben IV]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Looks perfect!

Thanks looked like a 4x4 though.😂

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looks great

Appreciate it.

[SCOTI]

Nailed it!

[Ben IV]

Couldn't live with the rake so I installed a set of drop shackles which leveled things out nicely. That will have to do till I get everything together to lower it for real.

[Kronald_70GMC]

That looks much better! How low are you planning to go?

[cornerstone]

And just like that... he's done..... lickety split...

I know some guys that take that long to do a brake job!

Very impressive work and speed!

[T2true]

I'll be following this build, for sure.

[Ben IV]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

That looks much better! How low are you planning to go?

4..5/6 that's what I have on my panel and like it.

Originally Posted by cornerstone

And just like that... he's done..... lickety split...

I know some guys that take that long to do a brake job!

Very impressive work and speed!

I'm just now caught up. Was mostly at this point when I started the thread.

[kvn1011]

Originally Posted by Ben IV

Couldn't live with the rake so I installed a set of drop shackles which leveled things out nicely. That will have to do till I get everything together to lower it for real.

looking good!

[Ben IV]

Been a while since I've updated my progress because there hasn't been much. Just been enjoying it though I did change the tires. Put the tires from the 70 on my panel so I ran the chrome smoothies for a few days while getting the 4 nub 15x6.5's painted up. 2 were on the truck 2 were on the original owners winter tires so I was running 2 5.5 wide and 2 6.5 wide and didn't realize it.

If someone told me when I got my first c10 at 14 that some day I'd be running wheel covers and white walls I'd have told them they were crazy. But I love the look now.

[Ben IV]

Picture with the smoothes which did look good and really filled things out in the back. Plus put a sport bumper on it. Couldn't find an original that matched the truck so I just bought a new one from the guy I've been buying parts from for the last 20 years.

[chewychevy67]

Originally Posted by Ben IV

Been a while since I've updated my progress because there hasn't been much. Just been enjoying it though I did change the tires. Put the tires from the 70 on my panel so I ran the chrome smoothies for a few days while getting the 4 nub 15x6.5's painted up. 2 were on the truck 2 were on the original owners winter tires so I was running 2 5.5 wide and 2 6.5 wide and didn't realize it.

If someone told me when I got my first c10 at 14 that some day I'd be running wheel covers and white walls I'd have told them they were crazy. But I love the look now.

That is absolutely perfect. I love it

[Ben IV]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

That is absolutely perfect. I love it

Thanks, the pictures do it too much justice though.

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by Ben IV

So onto welding the frame back together. First a little background on myself. I've been working in industrial steel fabrication more than a decade and have welded on everything from oilfield trucks to pressure vessels for refineries. I chose straight cuts because I see no need for the "z" cut. I've done straight cuts in various types of materials that hold 10's of thousands of pounds so it's good enough for a half ton pickup.

So here's a bit of a P.S.A on what I feel is the proper way to do it. First thing you need is a welder rated for the thickness you're welding (220 volt machine). You need mig wire with shielding gas. I'm using 75% argon 25% co2 with .035 er70s-6 wire. Even though I have welding experience I took the pieces of frame I cut out and cut them to make multiple joints to practice on which I highly recommend. It will allow you to get your machine dialed in and work on your travel speed.

When it comes to prepping the 2 halves of the frame you want to put a bevel on the inside of the frame rails almost to a point and leave about a 1/16" gap between the front and rear rails when they go back together. This is to achieve full penetration welds. You want to weld the inside of the frame rails first then grind into the back side of your welds on the outside of the frame with an 1/8" grinding disk to make sure you're achieving full penetration and welding to nice clean steel. When you knock down your welds don't go crazy, stop when they are flush.

First picture shows the prep and fitup you want. Second shows how running a few practice joints helps get things dialed in. My first weld had porosity from the ceiling fan being on. If you get any porosity you need to grind it completely out before continuing. Third picture shows the penetration on the outside of the frame. As you can see the first weld didn't burn all the way through the second and third is what you're looking for. Last picture shows the first weld ground into the weld then the weld after finishing.

Hopefully I wasn't too preachy or long winded but I see a lot of sketchy scary welds on frames. If cutting down your truck is your first welding project I strongly recommend watching some quality how to videos and getting some scrap to practice on before moving on to yourframe.

Wow. Ben, would you like to come to Arizona for a visit? I'm about to do this to my frame. Haha.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Looks perfect!

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looks great

Originally Posted by Ben IV

Thanks looked like a 4x4 though.😂

Appreciate it.

What is your plan for the drop?

[Ben IV]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

Wow. Ben, would you like to come to Arizona for a visit? I'm about to do this to my frame. Haha.

If you're in Arizona look up Metaloxfab.

[Ben IV]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

What is your plan for the drop?

Shooting for 4.5/6 not sure exactly what I'm going to get in the rear yet. It's a leaf truck so I bought new saddles to weld on instead of spending more money on a flip kit. Already have about everything I need. Bought a whole front end from a squarebody so I can rebuild everything before I tear my truck down.

[Ben IV]

Picked up a front end to rebuild and have accumulated most of the parts I'll need. For the front cpp drop spindles and 6 lug rotors. UMI 2" drop springs. Moog everything to rebuild the front end PST polygraphite control arm bushings. Delco master and brake hoses, front end has all the brake lines and proportioning valve on it so I'm planning on using them. Also bought a Redhead quick ratio steering box. For the back I bought new perches spring plates and Ubolts from Roughstuff specialties. I already have 1 to 2" drop shackles in the rear I can leave them or go back to the stock shackles depending on what flipping the axle gives me.

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by Ben IV

If you're in Arizona look up Metaloxfab.

Definitely looks like they do really nice work. I shot them a PM on Facebook for an estimate.

[68Gold/white]

Bumper looks good!!!

Which color of blue is that???

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

Definitely looks like they do really nice work. I shot them a PM on Facebook for an estimate.

It's pricey but money well spent vs. potentially screwing up nice/clean sheet metal.

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

It's pricey but money well spent vs. potentially screwing up nice/clean sheet metal.

Well, I actually have a short bed for my truck, so no sheet metal work needed, luckily. Just would like some nice welds on my frame. If they weld like Ben, that's a couple pretty easy straight cuts and some welding. Shouldn't be too bad, I wouldn't think.

And back to regularly scheduled programming of Ben's build....

[hewittca]

Very awesome work on the shortbed conversion, definitely learned some things that I could have done different/better if I were to go back and do another.

With the caps and white lines, your truck looks a lot like my new one! You are beating me to the drop, so I'm following along for inspiration! Keep up the good work (and keep us posted).