68 crew cab dually "shop truck" project

[race-rodz]

this is a back burner project, but i figured it was time to show a couple pics. i have worked on the project 8 hours in the last 6 months, so dont look for a completion or even progress pics anytime soon.

started out as a 68-72 cab, 68 front clip, longbed 4x4 chassis. the 1st plan was a crew cab shortwide, 1 ton diffs, cummins powered sittin on 42's with air ride linked suspension. but, i have another lifted 72, nowhere near as big as this truck was gonna be, and it really sux climbing in/out on a regular basis...like running errands in town. i really need a tow rig, something capable of hauling a 5th wheel toy hauler, or a tag enclosed trailer... big lifted trucks sux ass for towing... so i made a change of plans.

basic idea is similar to this truck by grant kustoms, mine will lay out(air ride) on 22" 10 lug dually wheels, have a 5.9 cummins with twin turbos, and a 4l80e trans.




the cab is a regular cab, stretched 32", burban front doors, and roof skin. the rear doors are cut down front "truck" doors, as i wanted the rounded corner on the rear door, like a factory built truck, not a cut down burban with a cab "back" put on. its a true 4 door, not the typical 3 door. also wanting something a bit different....there is no center post between the doors, the rear door is "suiced" and the front door closes against a post on the front edge of the back door. like a newer quad cab truck, with full size rear doors. the cab was scaled exactly the same as an 05 duramax crew cab, as they have about the best looking proportions. im going for a "factory oem" look for the body.






and this is the "starter" engine, 80k mile 5.9 12 valve cummins, i will get the truck driving with this, then swap it with another 5.9 i have, which will be sporting stacked twins, worked over bosch pump, o-ringed block and head, should make well over 1200 ft/lbs...and i will spin it 4k rpm (stock 5.9 turns about 2500rpm)

[PBFAB.COM]

Looking forward to some progress and build pics... with all the "spare time" you have!

Good to see you posting stuff over here.

[race-rodz]

think we can make that c4 crossmember work with 1 ton spindles?

[PBFAB.COM]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

think we can make that c4 crossmember work with 1 ton spindles?

I also make a DropmemberC10 that utilizes all the C10 stuff... it would do the job nicely.

[RunninLo]

I've talked to bob a few times about that truck and the really sick 'burb he was doing. The dually started out as a 'burb with two truck cabs pieced in to make the back cab wall. The bed is a long bed with stepside fenders. It sits on a mid '90 c3500 drivetrain. If memory serves correct He said he used the floor pan from the 3500 and just trimmed it to fit the custom cab while body dropping it in the process.
Bob Grant is considered by many to be a sheet metal god and along with his brother-in-law Steve Nielson ( Alter Images,Can Do Spec.) really turned the mini truck community on it's head during the 90's

Josh
^mini-trucker in a previous life

[race-rodz]

i also talked to them about it before i started the cab project. i found several crew cabs, but really didnt like the "look" of the chopped burban...plus only being a 3 door, just didnt do it for me. i wanted this to look really "factory", the bed will be the same, fenders will changed a little bit...but will still be obvious 67-72 fenders. im collecting every step side fender i can find at the moment, figure i need a total of 6, 4 for sure, the other 2 just in case.

i plan on spending some serious time on it starting the mid of november, i wanna be driving it DAILY come spring time.

[RunninLo]

well it looks like you've got a great plan and put a lot of thought into it. I'm sure it will be one hell of a towin machine when all is said and done. Good luck and don't forget the pics.
Josh

[gringoloco]

Looks good. I'd like to see some detailed shots of your center latching setup for the doors. Sounds pretty trick. Watching this one...

[67_C-30]

I've got detailed pics of how I did my fenders on my dually if they will help you at all. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254096

[Musclerodz]

hey Chris, welcome to another place the waste the day away.

Mike

[race-rodz]

Originally Posted by Musclerodz

hey Chris, welcome to another place the waste the day away.

Mike

this is exactly why i dont have a computer at the shop yet, nothin would get done............. be too busy lookin at car porn and planning projects instead of workin on them.

I'd like to see some detailed shots of your center latching setup for the doors.

they arent there yet, but a mini-bearclaw latch fits perfectly into the top of the window frame, and there will be another on the bottom.... these will be "cable" mounted to a handle inside the door jam(dont want a rear passenger to accidently open the door before the front door is opened.... with friends like mine...stuff has to be idiot proof) the front door closes against the "post" on the front of the back door... basically rear door is latched top and bottom, front door latches to the rear door..... just like a new truck.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

they arent there yet, but a mini-bearclaw latch fits perfectly into the top of the window frame, and there will be another on the bottom.... these will be "cable" mounted to a handle inside the door jam(dont want a rear passenger to accidently open the door before the front door is opened.... with friends like mine...stuff has to be idiot proof) the front door closes against the "post" on the front of the back door... basically rear door is latched top and bottom, front door latches to the rear door..... just like a new truck.

That sure will make it easy to vacume out after your buddies finish their lunch back their.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Frizzle Fry]

Got the DVR set to record this channel

[Rokcrln]

I am already colecting parts in my head for teh new family truck mobile But think C5, crew cab, super short bed

Kevin
LFD inc.

[race-rodz]

i just happen to have a finished "super" short bed, the cab and bed will fit on a standard lwb frame after moving the rear suspension back about 10ish inches.

dont ya just love changing plans midway

[Rokcrln]

So let me ask you this, what are your plans for reinforcing the structure of the cab? You are making one very large opening that will take alot of stress if ever involved in a decent wreck. In the build in my head I forsee sleeving the inside of the upper rail from front to back as well as some extra support just in the curve of the head liner. This will also help in making a very solid mount for the upper bear claw latch. The lower rocker is easy since you have unlimeted room under, in and behind the rocker.

I have built a 4dr crew cab long bed 4x4 out of one of these years for a customer but have always wanted one for my self and now that I have my son I think I need a bit more room But like I said it would be a 2wheel drive set up for the street with about a 5'-6" bed and ful power everything with an LS style motor. I like your idea of the rear suicide doors and it will be alot less work than making new B posts to look stock for a 4dr.

I am thinking for a real stock look it would be fairly easy to graft the C pillar jamb to the front of the rear doors at the B pillar location. This will give all the contours needed for the look as wel as a good seal to the front door. I am sure you have already gone over all this but I drive several hundred miles a day for work so I do alot of building while sitting in trafic Cant wait for up dates. Have fun with it!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[race-rodz]

the reinforcing in the top rail is still being thought about, the 1x1x.125 tube runs front to backand is plug welded every 2"....this was as far as i got on it, basically it was enough to hold it together so i can move it around. im thinkin something similar to what you describe, there will be no metal "headliner" in the truck. #1 i need access to hammer weld the roofskin, #2 i want the headliner some kind of sculptured deal done in suede. basically i will make a composite headliner panel, then wrap in suede. the truck will be a light pearl green, think VW beetle...but different, with light tan leather/suede int.

yes, i used a cab lower "c-pillar" for the curved part of the door jam on the front of the back door. i will take some more pics of the rear door, kinda show what i did.

so far the donor parts used are...

2 68-72 cabs, 1 is streched, the other used for the rear floor(factory seat will bolt in), and lower door jam parts.

1 "perfect" lwb... used it to cut into 47 parts, and put back together as a super shortwide, wheel arch offset rearward 2" from being centered(i think it was 5.5'...dont remember)

1 "almost" perfect lwb... was straight with rust around the arches... new dually bed.

1 68 front clip..... minot mods, rust repair and clean up

1 70 burban... front doors, door jams for front of rear doors, roofskin.

2 stepside fenders.... cut down for dually fenders

2 good truck doors... cut down for rear doors

2 junk truck doors.... needed parts of the window frames for my rear doors

door glass will be 1pc front and rear, front doors will have late model pwr extending mirrors in the front "lower" corner of opening.

chassis.... i have 2 lwb 3/4 ton frames, i think im gonna cut one long on the front, 1 long on the rear and put em together so its 32" longer under the cab. the whole deal will be boxed and beefed up... the "hot rod" cummins should make around 1200 ft lbs. the step notch will incorp a 5th wheel hitch. i have a 10 lug dana 80, and matching 10lug front, from a class A motorhome.... and i also have 8 lug 1ton parts.... still kickin around which way i wanna go. if i run the machine 8-10lug adapters, they will set the wheel inboard about 3"....which is really needed to tuck them under it. so as kewl as the real 10 lug stuff is, i think its easier and better overall to use regualr 1 ton parts. besides... i can start driving it with 16" alcoas and not spend 6K on wheels up front.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

the reinforcing in the top rail is still being thought about, the 1x1x.125 tube runs front to backand is plug welded every 2"....this was as far as i got on it, basically it was enough to hold it together so i can move it around. im thinkin something similar to what you describe, there will be no metal "headliner" in the truck. #1 i need access to hammer weld the roofskin, #2 i want the headliner some kind of sculptured deal done in suede. basically i will make a composite headliner panel, then wrap in suede. the truck will be a light pearl green, think VW beetle...but different, with light tan leather/suede int.

yes, i used a cab lower "c-pillar" for the curved part of the door jam on the front of the back door. i will take some more pics of the rear door, kinda show what i did.

so far the donor parts used are...

2 68-72 cabs, 1 is streched, the other used for the rear floor(factory seat will bolt in), and lower door jam parts.

1 "perfect" lwb... used it to cut into 47 parts, and put back together as a super shortwide, wheel arch offset rearward 2" from being centered(i think it was 5.5'...dont remember)

1 "almost" perfect lwb... was straight with rust around the arches... new dually bed.

1 68 front clip..... minot mods, rust repair and clean up

1 70 burban... front doors, door jams for front of rear doors, roofskin.

2 stepside fenders.... cut down for dually fenders

2 good truck doors... cut down for rear doors

2 junk truck doors.... needed parts of the window frames for my rear doors

door glass will be 1pc front and rear, front doors will have late model pwr extending mirrors in the front "lower" corner of opening.

chassis.... i have 2 lwb 3/4 ton frames, i think im gonna cut one long on the front, 1 long on the rear and put em together so its 32" longer under the cab. the whole deal will be boxed and beefed up... the "hot rod" cummins should make around 1200 ft lbs. the step notch will incorp a 5th wheel hitch. i have a 10 lug dana 80, and matching 10lug front, from a class A motorhome.... and i also have 8 lug 1ton parts.... still kickin around which way i wanna go. if i run the machine 8-10lug adapters, they will set the wheel inboard about 3"....which is really needed to tuck them under it. so as kewl as the real 10 lug stuff is, i think its easier and better overall to use regualr 1 ton parts. besides... i can start driving it with 16" alcoas and not spend 6K on wheels up front.

Sounds like an awesome plan. I can't wait to see this progress.

[Rokcrln]

like your plan if feels well thought out. Any idea if a newer 99+ truck track width is the same as the 67-72's. If so an extended cab long bed would be just about right for what I am thinking 3/4ton frame with factory anti lock brakes, stronger frame modern componets and still enough of them in the wrecking yard without frame damage.

I was doing some work on a blazer project thias week end and after spending a few hours cutting open the rockers and getting everything ready for blasting before replacing all the damaged parts and I had an idea. The rocker boxes do a good job of adding stiffness to the convertables and is really only 1/8" brake shape sheetmetal. I was thinking this would do a real good job of adding plenty of stiffness to the large open span of a sucide 4dr

As for the head liner and doing a sculped design I think the easy way would be after the cab is all fabbed up if you can flip it over then use card boadr to rough out the shape that you want and cover it with foil then fiber glass it. It would only take 3 good layers to give you a real good base for covering. I would add a layer of 1/4" foam under the card board before glassing to give a little bit of space for dyda mat or insulation between the finished roof and headliner.

Well a few more days of comuting and I should have mine all built and painted

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

like your plan if feels well thought out. Any idea if a newer 99+ truck track width is the same as the 67-72's. If so an extended cab long bed would be just about right for what I am thinking 3/4ton frame with factory anti lock brakes, stronger frame modern componets and still enough of them in the wrecking yard without frame damage.

I'm sure about the 99+ trucks, but 68gmcdually put his on a '92 C3500 chassis. Here is his build thread.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=149156

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

chassis.... i have 2 lwb 3/4 ton frames, i think im gonna cut one long on the front, 1 long on the rear and put em together so its 32" longer under the cab......

That's how I built my crewcab frame, except it has a short box.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=226302

[IvelDesigns]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Got the DVR set to record this channel

what he said...

wife better not delete this one to make room for her "shows"

[race-rodz]

well i did a lil "work" on the chassis over the weekend, basically hauled it in the shop and stripped it down to bare rails. i think the new plan is to use 6x3x.250 tube from the front frame Z to the bed kick-up section.... im probably just being lazy, but it looks much quicker and easier than splicing, boxxing, and grinding the 7'ish section of frame. do the math, thats 28'+/- of welds that dont need to be delt with.

so, there will be an extra stick of tubing on this weeks steel order, frame jig should be clear in the next couple weeks just incase i get some "free" time.

[Rokcrln]

Do me a favor and post up a pic of teh frame jig. I am getting ready to build one for my shop and want some more ideas.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Frizzle Fry]

Here's some inspiration for ya