Can a lwb steel bed be shortened?

[avejoe]

Here are the things I would like to do with my truck since I am now going to be keeping it for a while:

Replace the cab. How difficult is this swap?

Convert to a swb. My existing beds side (tool box) are in real good shape. The floor, headgate and tailgate are almost perfect. Is it possible to cut the front (nearest cab) of a metal bed deck to covert it from a lwb to a swb? Is the wheel tub to tailgate measurement the same between a lwb and a swb?

I know I would need new sides to go to a swb.

Would anybody be interested in the tool box bed sides (local deliver only)? I could e-mail pixs.



Thanks

[CG]

i wouldnt mind a set of tool box sides as long as they arent all rusted out....where in cali are you?

[walker]

Cab swap is not too bad. Pull the doghouse off then it is four bolts, and a thousand little wires, tubes, and hoses. Jack it up, put some 4x4's under it and roll the frame out. You can also use a hoist and straps and lift it from the top.
Best I recall, to shorten the bed you need to remove some from both sides of the wheel wells. It's your truck and you can do with it what you want, you don't have to shorten it to factory specs. There is a truck on ebay right now that had a chop job done on it that they removed all the material from behind the wheel wells. It doesn't float my boat, but to each his own. Do it however you want.

[bebop52]

Yes you can cut a long bed floor down to a short bed . It has to have a section cut out of the front and then be welded back together and the same done to the rear.I have seen it done.If you make the cut in the right spot "over a cross sill' the bottom side doesn't require any finishing.You only need to grind the weld smooth on the top and you cannot tell it has been shortened.I will get the measurements tomorrow and send them to you.You need to make this cut with a cut off tool and be careful not to cut to deep and cut the cross sill.