55.2-59 Wheelbase

[dsraven]

since the rear fenders also have that sloped or angled rear wheel opening, are you basing the box mounting based on how the tire looks in the fender opening or are you setting the box on the frame by going on the factory drawings? just wondering if the sloped rear fender opening is skewing the whole thing?
if you want to work from rear to front then I would say start with the box on the frame, levelled up, where the factory says it needs to be, then get the "front of cab" dimension (firewall) set by the same standard and get the cab levelled up there, then set the front sheet metal on and see how it looks. of course you should also mock up the front suspension first and have a wheel on the hub so you know it is how it will be. possibly the control arm is not quite centered on the cross member up front so the wheel may be forward or aft of the cross member centerline?

[hotrod1]

I agree with both of you - Something has to be wrong for 114.75" to be that far off - either the parts I have or me measuring/doing something wrong. I just don't know what it is. How much space should be between the cab and bed? I have combed the 726 pages of the manual but that didn't turn up anything (I probably looked right past it). I think I need to find another truck somewhere to take measurements, but I have a lot of other things to do so I will not hack it up yet.

[dsraven]

yup, those dimensions are in there someplace if you can cipher out what exactly you need. I think it is a matter of taking the dimension from the rear axle to the front axle for a stock wheelbase, then subtracting the amount from the front axle to the face of cab, which is the firewall. that should get the cab in a stock location. for the box there is a dimension from the raer axle to the rear of the box. I am pretty sure somewhere in there is a dimension for the gap between the box and cab but it wouyld be an add this to that and take away another. it takes some ciphering to figure it out. there are frame dimensions and also body dimensions you gotta look at.
here is another site that has some good info for different years. maybe save the link someplace.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...esto/index.htm

[hotrod1]

dsraven - Ogre - thanks for all the help. I just need to keep looking. That other site is good also!

[my56chevytruck]

I'm in agreement NOT to start cutting on that frame, good work on it btw. On my 56 2nd it's right at 114.75 as best as I can see.

[hotrod1]

Started to find the issues - The cab mounts where the upper fenders were bolted are replacements and not 100% accurate, the upper fender mounts are just washers welded to the fender and they are off, increasing the spacing between the bed and the cab, still looking. I am sure there is more.

[dsraven]

best way to fit fenders is to fit the doors to the cab first. get them to fit the cab, then fit the fenders to the doors.
that said, I would still go by the original frame drawing dimensions for the front cab mounts and how they are, dimensionally, from the cab face (firewall), then get the dimension of how much gap there is under the cab to the frame, set the cab on at these dimensions and get it level with the frame, then get the rad support mounts mocked up by the original frame drawing dimensions, see how it fits with the front suspension also mocked up.
thats just me though

[_Ogre]

hopefully you've bought a FAM by now. the FAM has all the measurements you're asking about. even if you only use it once it'll pay for itself. i used mine frequently. for instance... the radiator core mounts are not intuitive, what is this spacer for? but assembled like the fam shows, you have a "duh moment"

[dsraven]

the fam for the task force trucks is available online for free, just gotta download it or look at what you need online and hope it is still there later. a memory stick is cheap so if you don't wanna take up space on your computer, or wanna mobile version, just download it onto a stick. easy peasy.

[hotrod1]

Thanks - I have been using it and the other reference materials mentioned here. They do help.

Thanks!