How to shorten 51 short bed 10"

[R&B51]

Trying to figure how to install rolling chassis and driveline from C6 corvette into my 51. Question today (know I'll have more for all you guys in the collective old truck hive mind and may be a long time before I have any wisdom to add, respond with) is:
how would you guys shorten wheel base by 10"?

Talking to local drive shaft specialists said "no touchee" that torque tube, so my initial plan to extend tube/shaft won't work.
Someone on these boards gave me a link to Speedhunter example of possibility on my build. Not a lot of details but when I went back to look at the truck I could tell they cut the 10" out of bed in front of rear fender. Don't really mind the compact look.

http://speedhunters-wp-production.s3...8/AY0F0395.jpg

[YukonXL04]

If your using the drive line from a vette, having a torque tube or not isn't going to matter. Your going to change the whole driveline over. So you could see if you can't find a way to move the whole driveline foreward a few inches then shorten the front of the bed the rest, or just take the whole 10 inches from the bed.

Not sure if I am understanding right though

[mr48chev]

I've been involved in two truck that had long beds cut off at the second post and shortened just about that ten inches.

Here is one of then and I'll dig for more photos.

[R&B51]

Assumed wouldn't be a lot of room forward, you might be right on a few inches (really don't want to box firewall and eat foot room in cab), definitely would like an extra inch or two left in that bed.
How would you shorten frame?
Will have to work out ride height and hope for about 2-4" drop
Will try to box and X brace frame based on what I've seen some guys do this site and frames on market.

[R&B51]

YukonXL04: Not sure I am making sense. I'm assuming I already have a short bed. On the bed, there is about 4 inches from fender to back post and not quite 12 inches space from front of fender to the front post. I would sure like to see any links you have on moving the drive for train forward a little bit.
mr48chev: thanks for the pic. I assume you have to cut 10 inches out of the frame somewhere between the axle and I have seen guys mention under the cab.
I can understand cutting a long bed down to short bed, is that truck in the picture shortened even further than a standard short bed? Or is it a short bed that has been cut further maybe for an S 10 swap?
I think I really ought to stand in front of a truck that has been shortened like this and make sure I like it in person before I do it. I just really would like to make this won't happen for a lot of other reasons.

[mr48chev]

It might end up being one of those "you can't get there from here" things.

First thing: Measure from the center of the front wheel well on your truck to the firewall and see where that centers on the Corvette chassis. My guess is that at least half of the engine will be behind the firewall.




Looking at those shots from two different Ebay adds for rolling chassis It looks like you are going to have your hands full creating some sort of framework to mount the cab and bed on and then have to put a pretty serious recess in the firewall to get it to work.

That's way more challenge than this old fart wants.

[pugs]

why don't just have the vette frame sitting there leveled out and set at ride height, then set the cab over top of it and down as low as you may need then hang the front fenders and go from there.

[65sub]

I'd go back to the original plan and stretch the torque tube. A good welding shop should be able to tig weld a section into it

[_Ogre]

old trucks are notorious for having too much of the engine hanging over the front axle
ideally you'd use the motor as is over the front of the vette ifs for handling and weight distrubution
this will put the motor into the cab quite a bit, making servicing of the motor a challenge

easier solution would be to mount the motor centered in the engine bay of the truck and not change the firewall
this would require extending the torque tube, not sure why a drive shaft shop couldn't do this
the pic shows the torque tube and aluminum drive shaft (ignore the carbon fiber shaft)
you'd have to extend the outer tube, cut and splice. easy peasy
the drive shaft would need overall tube replacement, you can't add on to a drive shaft
any drive shaft shop would be able to cut off the ends and tig in a new tube, assuming you can find a longer tube



that said, shortening the bed is not that difficult
cut the bed and the running board to match, then cut the back of the bed to fit aesthetically

[R&B51]

65sub and Ogre: thanks guys, I'm eating all this advice up. I'll call and see if I can find a shop will do it, lengthening the torque tube is what I wanted to do and what the heck, if it doesn't work I guess I can pull the torque tube and transmission, put a different transmission on the back of that LS3 and a regular driveshaft back to standard rear end? If not, we will shorten the frame in bed and drive a super stubby! Doesn't seem to look too bad in that link to speed hunters.

[R&B51]

Just called another driveshaft shop. Inland truck parts here in Tulsa was glad to do it he estimated 200 - 300 bucks max depending on the cost of the aluminum tubing. I like this lots better then a chop in the frame and bed! Thanks for your advice on this men.

[R&B51]

Any detailed threads or measurement advice on where to set this LS3? I definitely see the advantage of having it a little further back, I might be OK with a little bit of a box in the firewall. Maybe having it a little farther forward and not having to box the fire wall would be OK since it is a lighter all aluminum engine?
Interesting, from what I can tell and unless I making a mistake, looks like this truck and the Corvette are about the same vehicle weight?!
One negative about this set up, from what I've seen on images of other trucks with LS engines, looks like they sit way down low in the engine bay. Might have to make some kind of intake/engine cover that makes it look a little better.

[dsraven]

Check onli e for a build of what you are doing there. I have seen one just cant remember what it was called. The guy built a tube chassis.

[dsraven]

Check out truckin magazine 57 chev stepside black gold. Pics of how he built a frame and made it work.

[R&B51]

Somebody on this site shared link that you've gotta see:

http://www.ironworksspeedandkustom.c...cat/cat132.htm

I keep pulling it up and enjoying it.
Realistically, I'm shooting for using my frame and doing more like the link below:

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassis...iy-frame-mods/

[R&B51]

And might as well see the dress on the girl:

http://www.ironworksspeedandkustom.c...cat/cat133.htm

[R&B51]

I'm amazed by what you guys can do with some steel, paint, rubber and gasoline.

[R&B51]

dsraven, is that the black gold you were talking about?