Long bed to Short bed thoughts?

[rs74]

I am looking at an 85 long bed diesel silverado that is in pretty decent shape for the most part. It does have some rust in the bed. I would like to have a long bed but thinking about a short bed instead. I have found a short bed and frame for about $300. I am thinking that if I am going to have to do body work on the long bed then maybe just buy the short bed and have it painted to match.

To cut to the chase here and opinions are probably going to be a little of each. Should I just think about cutting down the long bed or switch everything over to the short bed frame. I would probably break even between fixing and painting the long bed and just buying the short bed and painting to match the cab other than doing all the transferring of parts.

I have been looking for a 6.2 truck just for mileage purposes since I would be making it my daily driver while the K30 dually serves as the pack mule and my 85 short bed is in the middle of a rebuild. So cut it down or put switch everything over to the short bed frame.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I would do it if I planned to keep the truck.

[Just call me Sean]

I would switch the frame.

[rs74]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

I would do it if I planned to keep the truck.

Haven't bought it yet but if so it would be used as a daily driver.

[Gregski]

I don't know squat but the questions I have are, are both trucks C10, 20, 30s? Did they make diesels in each. If it is like a 20 to a 20 then you could do it but if you are going like a 30 to a 10 then that's a more complicated job I recon

plus diesels are more of a work truck and working men prefer long beds I recon, so you would devalue the diesel, if you care about that type of stuff, some people don't

bottom line these trucks are cheap and yes you can still find them, so I say fix what you got but don't do the swap, if you want a short bed find one and buy it, you will have plenty to fix on it without a frame cut or a swap

[rs74]

They are both C10 trucks. I would take gas or diesel for a daily but the diesel should get a little better mileage.

[KrazyRay]

I would do a frame swap. I have done a few where I would lift the cab/front clip and engine/trans together, roll the long bed out and roll the short bed in.

[68Timber]

$300 sounds like a good deal for the bed and frame. But is it a roller? If not, cutting the longbed may be less labor than swapping all the suspension over.

[enaberif]

The problem that some people face like myself is that short box 4x4s are a needle in a haystack and even in rough condition they go for far too much money.

You can find long box 4x4s all day long and at the end of the day cutting the frame makes more sense and is far cheaper in the end.

[Just call me Sean]

You don't need to weld to swap frames.

[KQQL IT]

If you cut the frame there won't be any vin# issues.
If the short bed frame is a roller would be easier to swap.

[rs74]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

If you cut the frame there won't be any vin# issues.
If the short bed frame is a roller would be easier to swap.

There wouldn't be any vin issues either way. There are no inspections here. Body shops swap frames all the time with no issues on collision repair.

[UKNOWME]

So is the short bed a roller? If so then do the frame swap.

[Oregoon]

Personally, I prefer long-beds, unless it's a short-narrow. I love those trucks, but only from '67 up. And I still like a long-bed fleetside better than anything. But I grew up around logging, construction and such, so my tastes always run to utility.

And even lowriders, muscle-trucks, etc, I still think a long bed looks better.

That said, there's a lot of cool shortbeds on here and ultimately, it's your truck, so you do as you please. That's always the coolest build, if you ask me... Suit yourself and be stoked on the results! I for one will be equally hyped for you!

[rs74]

Originally Posted by UKNOWME

So is the short bed a roller? If so then do the frame swap.

Yes it is a roller.

[rs74]

It no longer matters I guess. The truck sold and it wasn't to me. On the look we go again.

[andrewmp6]

Gm had the 6.2 diesel option for all trucks,If you can weld and can do it shortening the frame would be less work.If you can't weld and have to pay to have it done i would swap everything over to the swb frame.