Long bed/short bed, how about no bed!

[mopar346]

OK, yesterday I started my conversation from a flat bed to an extended long bed. First order of business was getting rid of the flat bed. It weighed rigth at 2000 lbs. so I got almost $200 out of the deal. I still need to cut some blocks off the frame and cut the tommy lift off of it. I already have a really nice long bed box with the inner fenders removed. It is the same color. I removed the inside dually tire so I can sit the bed in place and get the holes in the frame right and then I will be able to measure and cut about 2 inches out of each side to fit the tires. The tires measured 47 inches inside to inside the bed 48 inches, I figure with 2 inches I will have plenty of clearance, I will however measure again before cutting. Once that is done I will start fitting the extention to meet the cab, still gotta find a donor box to get the 2 ft from. Should be interesting, wish me luck.

[mopar346]

Cut the tommy lift off and cleaned up all the left over welds from the flatbed, then sat the long bed on it. It is sitting on 2X4s to hold the back up off the frame until I shorten it, you can kinda see it sticking out under the taillights. Probably gonna have to lose about 4 inches, once that is done I will sit it flat and drill the mounting holes in the frame, fit the inside tire and open my tubs up as needed. Gotta find the another long bed to donate the inner fenders for splicing and the 28 extra inches for the bed. So far so good.

[battlewagon]

try here for replacement parts:
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=28

[frog210]

Looks like your missing a piece lol

[mopar346]

Originally Posted by battlewagon

try here for replacement parts:
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=28

Thank you, I didn't actually see the front section of the bed. My thought is to find a used one with a good front half and wheel wells.

[str8axle55]

Cool, I was just thinking about doing this the other day. Interested to see how it turns out.

[mopar346]

I had to drop 3.5 inches off the back of the frame, lined up and marked the holes and drilled for the bed bolts. I only did 4 cause we were doing an axle swap in the CJ and time was short. 3 of the 4 lined up perfect and the 4th was about a half a hole off so I left it for the moment. I fly out in the morning for 2 weeks and then I will get back to it. It ended up 29.25 from the cab on the nose on both side, so from all I can tell I am lined up straight. I will know more as I extend the bed to meet the cab, worse case is I hog a few holes out, but I guess it is gonna work.

[spencer_41188]

looka like a good welding truck. bild a little flat bed to fill the gap and put a good welder on it. looks like it would work lol

my 80 has a 12' flat bed on it now, im gana put the box i took off the 87 on it and fill the gap with a welder

looks like its coming along id like to see pics when its done!

[mopar346]

Well that would work, but I don't have a welder that big or then need for a mobile welder. Guess I could start another career. Here are some photo shop pictures Chevy Man5 did for me.

[UKNOWME]

Please don't do that to that truck!

[mopar346]

Yea, the photo shop made me question it as well. I didn't want to shorten the frame so I was trying something different. The beauty is that I will have a chance to see it before I fire up the welder so I can always change directions. I seriously think bigger tires will help tremndously. This might fall under the category of just cause you can don't mean you should.

[zirk]

Doesn't look horrible, definitely different. I think i would look cooler if you put a dually bed on. Just to break up some of that straight. Interested to see how it turns out!

[Car'n'Guitars]

Would look cool with a tandem axle, also not trying to sidetrack, but what happened to your passenger side cab corner and rocker?

[SunSoaked]

Hmmmm......

[mopar346]

Originally Posted by zirk

Doesn't look horrible, definitely different. I think i would look cooler if you put a dually bed on. Just to break up some of that straight. Interested to see how it turns out!

Dually axle is 70 inches WMS to WMS, C&C is 63, housing is the same but I would have to change backing plates, hubs and axles. Not really interested in doing that, but yes it would break it a bit.

"Would look cool with a tandem axle, also not trying to sidetrack, but what happened to your passenger side cab corner and rocker?"

Actually thought about a tandem axle but decided against it, not interested in putting that much work into it. The rocker and cab corner are there. It looks like it ran up on a stump or something and bent it up, rocker is solid, cab corner has some rust at the bent. At some point a will put a seam clamp on it and pull it back in place and make the needed metal repair. I have a cab corner I cut out of a donor truck if needed. It should pull out pretty good with minimal putty.

Yea, it does kinda look like a weiner dog, still say longer legs would help.

[Car'n'Guitars]

Cool good luck with this truck, I look forward to how this turns out.

[superwade57]

Looks like a good start to an extended cab long box to me
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[JRANGER]

should be interesting

[mopar346]

Originally Posted by superwade57

Looks like a good start to an extended cab long box to me
Posted via Mobile Device

That's what my brother said, but again, I aint interested in that much work, it would be cool though and look awesome. I am just trying to make a hlaf decent looking tow rig.

[frog210]

Get a crew cab and put it on that bad boy, buy or make a custom tool box and put it there
Make a extended cab, spare tire location?
Find a 62-87 longbed stepside, and pull the box part, but leave the the fenders as it
Spare bed for when the miss gets mad at you lol
Stacks like a diesel
Put a second engine on their lol
Just tossing ideas
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[PAWS 72]

Put a big truck sleeper on it