Why convert to short bed?

[Swar]

Originally Posted by Maximus

I always forget that frames rot out. In cali, we get our share of rusted bodies, but i RARELY see a frame rusted. good call, its very possible that the rear was just repaired. Ya still got the I6/3OTT? Fun little combo.

Overall, I bet thousands of trucks have been dragged out of fields, just to convert down to a short bed and enjoy. those truck otherwise may still be sitting in that field, (or worse, end up in a pick-n-pull yard)
Every longbed that gets shortened may put one more truck back on our roads when it could have easily suffered a fate of rotting away or worse, being sold to China to become a new waffle maker, only to be resold back to us......

If it helps keep these trucks on the road and out of wrecking yards, I am all for it.

Do I still have the I6/3OTT? Not exactly.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=735807

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Swar

Do I still have the I6/3OTT? Not exactly.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=735807

Yea, I guess she isnt stock anymore... Sweet looking ride, Personally I like em to stay high enough to keep the bed floor in tact, but I can understand peoples appeal to slam em.

[kingNothing]

I bought a 72 Cheyenne Super long bed last summer. I have debated about making it a short bed. However I use it as a daily driver and find the long bed handy.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Spullar

Or maybe a truck of a different size?

That's what she said?

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Overall, I bet thousands of trucks have been dragged out of fields, just to convert down to a short bed and enjoy. those truck otherwise may still be sitting in that field, (or worse, end up in a pick-n-pull yard)
Every longbed that gets shortened may put one more truck back on our roads when it could have easily suffered a fate of rotting away or worse, being sold to China to become a new waffle maker, only to be resold back to us......

If it helps keep these trucks on the road and out of wrecking yards, I am all for it.

AMEN!

And as a side note.... Has ANYONE noticed the prices on good wagons now a days? It's freaking' nuts! For YEARS they were whored out, parted, and crushed to repair their two door cousins, now, there's hardly any left, and it's "cool" to drive an old wagon again, hence prices have gone nuts because there just aren't many anymore.

And I've been to Cali twice now... yes, you guys have it good!

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

AMEN!

And as a side note.... Has ANYONE noticed the prices on good wagons now a days? It's freaking' nuts! For YEARS they were whored out, parted, and crushed to repair their two door cousins, now, there's hardly any left, and it's "cool" to drive an old wagon again, hence prices have gone nuts because there just aren't many anymore.

And I've been to Cali twice now... yes, you guys have it good!

I can relate to that. I stripped a rust free Malibu wagon to repair a rusted out 2 door Malibu that I had, and then sent the wagon remains to scrap! Looking back, I want to kick myself for this and at times wish I had that wagon, especially having two kids now.

[Swar]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Yea, I guess she isnt stock anymore... Sweet looking ride, Personally I like em to stay high enough to keep the bed floor in tact, but I can understand peoples appeal to slam em.

Thanks, I know it's nice to have a functional bed, I'm making inner fenders and a removable hump over the frame to seal it up. It's still a truck and it's still gonna haul stuff when I need it to.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by hewittca

I can relate to that. I stripped a rust free Malibu wagon to repair a rusted out 2 door Malibu that I had, and then sent the wagon remains to scrap! Looking back, I want to kick myself for this and at times wish I had that wagon, especially having two kids now.

This is actually a good topic, I am going to start an off topic thread of "what car I killed and feel bad about" - at least I am TRYING to prevent a total derail of this thread lol...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...81#post7952481

Originally Posted by Swar

Thanks, I know it's nice to have a functional bed, I'm making inner fenders and a removable hump over the frame to seal it up. It's still a truck and it's still gonna haul stuff when I need it to.

Yea, I am not afraid to be honest, when I finally get around to putting some miles on my 55' pickup, it wont haul anything, but I have put my 72' F100 to serious work (hauled a pallet of bricks among other things...)

Any real need to haul something is almost always going to go to the modern vehicles...

every once in a while its more of the "trip" and less of the chore, and in those cases I enjoy farting around in the 3OTT F100, or even the K5 to get some lumber or plumbing fittings for around the house...

[Swar]

Originally Posted by Maximus

This is actually a good topic, I am going to start an off topic thread of "what car I killed and feel bad about" - at least I am TRYING to prevent a total derail of this thread lol...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...81#post7952481




Yea, I am not afraid to be honest, when I finally get around to putting some miles on my 55' pickup, it wont haul anything, but I have put my 72' F100 to serious work (hauled a pallet of bricks among other things...)

Any real need to haul something is almost always going to go to the modern vehicles...

every once in a while its more of the "trip" and less of the chore, and in those cases I enjoy farting around in the 3OTT F100, or even the K5 to get some lumber or plumbing fittings for around the house...

This thread is evolving into what do you haul with your truck instead of long bed vs. short bed lol. I'll be hauling my homemade raft this summer with it to float down the Delaware. My "newer" vehicle is a 25 year old square body s10 4x4 that I use to haul a half cord of firewood. Neither truck owes me anything

[kelz702]

A picture of me with a man bun changing the radiator in my 72 long bed.

[Tx Firefighter]

It's a nice long holiday weekend for working on my old trucks. So I started preparations today.

Chop-chop ! This thing is about to get hit with the frame shrinker and lose 19 inches of length overall.

[flashed]

Kevin ,I want to see that ,love your builds .

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

It's a nice long holiday weekend for working on my old trucks. So I started preparations today.

Chop-chop ! This thing is about to get hit with the frame shrinker and lose 19 inches of length overall.

you should leave the exhaust full length after your 19" surgery!

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Maximus

you should leave the exhaust full length after your 19" surgery!

You made me think of a Cholo Glide.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by flashed

Kevin ,I want to see that ,love your builds .

Thanks man. I appreciate your compliment. I don't really do build threads anymore though. The internet is going to melt down if they ever see what I'm doing to this truck so I just mostly keep it to myself anymore.

[flashed]

I understand but Im really glad you are back.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Thanks man. I appreciate your compliment. I don't really do build threads anymore though. The internet is going to melt down if they ever see what I'm doing to this truck so I just mostly keep it to myself anymore.

Are square bodies different? It was 20" when I cut my 71 bed down, or are you doing something different?

We're truck guys, I loved your build threads? **** the haters

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Are square bodies different? It was 20" when I cut my 71 bed down, or are you doing something different?

We're truck guys, I loved your build threads? **** the haters

Square bodies are 14 out of the middle of the frame and then off the back it's anywhere from 4-6 depending on who is doing it. I'll go 5 off the back.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Never knew people chose to vary those. If I wasn't putting the bed on my factory shorty frame, I thought it would have been cool to only take 10" out of the front and 6" out of the back.

[Tx Firefighter]

The 14 in front of the axle is a non negotiable. Then you have to trim the ends off the back of the frame rails. There is a fair bit of leeway as to how much you take off them.

I got the middle of the frame cut and and welded today. Tomorrow I'll do the back and finish up with shortening the brake line and wiring.

[tutone]

Been reading the responses to this thread and some are great as well as some that are food for thought. I can't remember who said that the cutting of a long bed made his original short bed worth more. I have a different opinion on value . I don't think a cut down long bed has any more of an impact on short beds than crushing a Nova. Cutting down a long bed could only serve to raise the value of other long beds. Now of course there were millions to start with so the value increase would be marginal at best. What does have an impact on factory short bed chevies, is supply vs demand. Based on simple economic principles, there are more people wanting them, than there are trucks available for purchase. Hence, the price rises and those of us that possess the skills necessary to safely shorten a long bed into a shortie, can do so at a tremendous savings. Not for profit as some have indicated by paying less for a cut truck. If you want a rollback, then you are buying a frame altered truck. That's just one example, of course. So bottom line I will believe that it is a matter of simple economics combined with the love for the smooth lines of the short bed. If you want a long bed, buy one and drive the wheels off it, you want a short bed, buy one, you might just have to save up til you can afford it. Or, convert to a short bed like me, simple.

[SoCoC10]

I recently moved a 71 Cheyenne long bed out of my garage and moved in a 71 CST Blazer. With the even shorter wheel base of the Blazer, I have a ton of space now! I have room for a pair of front and rear bumpers, front and rear wheel houses and a set of four rally wheels.

[profe56]

I do not remember if I read it here.
are the chassis 67-72 and 73-87 the same?
if this is true,instaed of cut a long bed chassis could we use one short bed 73-87 if there are more available than 67-72?

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by profe56

I do not remember if I read it here.
are the chassis 67-72 and 73-87 the same?
if this is true,instaed of cut a long bed chassis could we use one short bed 73-87 if there are more available than 67-72?

They are pretty drastically different between the two eras of trucks.

And short bed 73-87 trucks are about the hottest thing going nowdays so finding a chassis is getting increasingly harder. There are a lot of us cutting 73-87 trucks down now due to the difficulty of finding a decent starter truck for reasonable money.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by SoCoC10

I recently moved a 71 Cheyenne long bed out of my garage and moved in a 71 CST Blazer. With the even shorter wheel base of the Blazer, I have a ton of space now! I have room for a pair of front and rear bumpers, front and rear wheel houses and a set of four rally wheels.

BINGO!!! There's your answer. People convert long beds to short beds for greater garage space. It's purely a practical decision for those with shallow garages or a whole bunch of junk!