Shortening a Longbed

[SRH916]

I have a 1975 C-10 LWB. Its a Heavy Half and its been sitting in the drive way for a while. Just been cleaning it up and saving up cash to get the project really started. There is some damage to the bed that I am not fond of paying to get fixed, and every trip to the pick 'n' pull I keep seeing trucks with really nice condition short beds. all the long beds seem to be beat to hell :\

I've been thinking about it so how hard would it be to make my long bed a short bed? I have seen the article on 73-87.com, but it sounds too easy... Anyone done this, and any advice or tips/tricks?

Thanks in advance,
Jared

[Mickey_D]

Jared, it's funny you should ask. I just saw a show on Speed Channel about this very thing. The hardest part of it is the bodywork to the bed (which you wouldn't be doing if you bought a short bed) and next is the driveshaft, which if you picked the one up out of the truck you got the bed from solves that problem.

The frame is just a matter of measuring VERY carefully and cutting out 12 inches of it, moving the rear cab mounts, then welding it back together. Just remember not to hack the frame with two plain cuts per side, it needs to be a notch cut so the welds putting it back together are strong enough.

[Malo83]

Project Get Shorty in the July 07 issue of Custom Classic Trucks has an article of them shortening a 71 longbed to a shorty, lots of pics.

[78chevstepside]

Thinkin a nothched cut is not required. The filler material of welding wire or rod is stronger then mild carbon steel. A 100 percent pentatration weld should be obtained. Generally problems with welding is operator error. I happen to be a welder by trade.

[SRH916]

What frames are the same for the earlier trucks? (67-72)

[Mickey_D]

What I meant by a notch cut is to cut half way down the frame rail, then cut horizontally back 12 inches, then continue the downward cut. Then cut the match to it out of the back part of the frame. That way when it goes back together there's a 12" section of cross brace between the two parts of the vertical cut. They did that on the Truck U (I think) show where they did a long bed to short bed conversion and they said that it increases the strength of the weld-together 3 times as strong versus just making a single vertical cut and welding it back together.

[SRH916]

where can i find the july 07 issue of CCT? I cant find anything on their web page.

[lolife99]

Actually,... since the 73-87 trucks are leaf spring,... you can shorten the wheelbase directly behind the cab without messing with the cab mounts. (like you have to with the 67-72 coil spring trucks) Maybe some one will chime in,.... that has done this,... but I think the wheel base gets shortened 14 inches on the 73-87 trucks. Plus you have to trim the frame in the rear also. Someone has done this before, on this board. Try to search the 73-87 section or the suspension section. I think the numbers are different than the 67-72 trucks. The tech article on www.73-87.com was the one I remember. Here's a link for everyone.http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/chas...lwb_to_swb.htm

[Captkaos]

There is a guy on my forum that is about to start doing this on his 74 LWB. His post today said that tomorrow is its last day as a LWB.