Short truck conversion

[plydus340]

I am going to make a short truck out of my long bed. Well, I say me but I mean I'm going to have it done. I need some tips from someone who has done it. The guy doing it has done Chevy trucks and he needs to know how much to cut out of the frame, and how much to cut out of the bed. I would be very grateful for any tips and advice. Thank you, Lance.

[EarlKann]

IMO, it's basically impossible to shorten a long bed and have it look good. The distinctive "sweptline" body line does not allow for shortening the bed like people do to chevys. I've only seen one that looked anywhere close to good and the amount of hours put into it you would save by just looking for a factory short bed to swap on.

[66patrick]

You'll need to cut the front panel off the bed and shorten it from the front. I've never done one, but had seen one in Wichita several years ago that looked pretty good. It can be done, just not from the back.

[plydus340]

Patrick, that is how he is going to do it.

[EarlKann]

Even if you shorten the front (the only option) the body line will not match up between the bed and the cab.

[EarlKann]

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=27248&p=195354&hil ... ed#p195354

I'm sure there are more threads on the forum. Try some searching with different key words.

[soopernaut]

The line curvature is different on a short bed than it is on a long bed. Shortening can be done but there is no guarantee that it will look good.

[66patrick]

Do it and see what happens! I think that shortening a long bed is definitely a player. Take pics and do a tech write-up on the build.

[soopernaut]

To make it look like a factory short bed you will have to cut out of the front of the bed and the rear of the bed. The distance from where the sweptline line reaches the bottom of its curve to the end of the bed is half the distance on a short bed as it is on a long bed.

[plydus340]

I wonder how it would look to leave the back? Maybe a medium bed. Just a thought... Any input?

[plydus340]

I tried to make it work in Picasa and I cant get the look I had in my mind. I'm not sure it can look right. If anyone has a photoshop or something, and has the same thought, I would love to see what you come up with.

[plydus340]

Never mind. It was just a thought.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

This 71 Adventurer SWB is for sale
http://www.sweptline.org/SweptlineRegis ... AJ1U316705

[plydus340]

I like the 60's sweptline trucks. Pie plate is what I originally intended but the 68 has grown on me. I'd really like a 61, but who wouldn't. I've had the 68 for years now, and have a lot of time, and work in it. I just think I'm ready for it to be a shorty. Been planning the body work for years, and have a 69 Adventurer parts truck.
The 69 has air, and power steering I'm going to try to use. It also has some nice detail pieces.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

This 61 SWB project is also for sale:
http://www.sweptline.org/SweptlineRegis ... 1181116135
$6500, includes a running 392 hemi

[BigG]

My son shortened a long bed frame and bought a short bed , it turned out great. ( just a thought)

[plydus340]

Now if I could peal off $6500, and haul it to Oklahoma that would be a bargain. Hemis are cool, but not for trucks. Max wedge is a truck motor. I'm not a purist, I just was always a 440 fan. The 61 is sure sweet, just out of this po boys league.