LWB to SWB Conversion

[cubicdollars]

Your truck is looking great!!!

[DnStClr]

Yes it is!  Man that's a nice ride. It reminds me of the dark purple one you used to have! I can't believe how much work you've done in just a few weeks.

[VileZambonie]

Thanks Don!

K I got my new driveshaft but the U-joints didn't match up to the old pinion Yoke on the 12 Bolt rear end. So I had to get a conversion U-joint, 10 bolt pinion yoke, and pinion seal to match. I decided to take a pic with part #'s since I know other people seem to run into this a lot.





After I got it all in I took it out for a test rip.... I angered some old people 

Then I washed it off... Here it is with the shortbed in place.









And a quick vid

[Bowtie Bomber]

That baby sounds MEAN!

I know you probably get this a lot, but what muffler are you using?

[VileZambonie]

Thanks. It sounds a lot better in real life than on a digital camera video... 3" Flowmasters

[autorepr]

SUPER SWEEEEEET RIDE!!!! I'm guessing there's not an HEI in that old girl?  Nice job man! Did you say what your going to use as a bumper/ rollpan yet? Tail lights?

[JJSZABO]

Looking Good!  How much trouble was it putting the bed together?  You used all   aftermarket, right?

[VileZambonie]

I have decided I am going to fill the tail lights and smooth the gate. I am going with a 4 louvered tailgate with small billet lights in the pan. I am going to remove the cab light and drip rails and smoothing the cab seam. I still haven't made up my mind about the locks and handles. I am keeping the same style mirrors on there now. I'll be ditching the 454 fender emblems. I don't like the front roll pans on 73-80 noses so I am going to keep a chrome bumper on the front. So please feel free to throw some ideas my way if you like.

No HEI in this truck lol 

[HAULIN IT]

Vile, I don't understand the rear yoke problem. Did they make the driveshaft with the wrong end? Is the u-joint now bigger/smaller than before or just the cross? I changed my 10 bolt for a 12 bolt about 8 years ago & remember getting a different u-joint, why weren't you able to just change the joint? Thanks, Lorne

[VileZambonie]

Because the 12 bolt actually has a smaller u-joint cap than the 10 bolt cap. The driveshaft being a big beefer has the 1 ton u joint caps. They didn't make a conversion joint that went from the large cap to the small cap. That's why I swapped yokes and pinion seals so I could use the 21153 conversion joint.

[HAULIN IT]

Ok, I see, you planed to use a bigger joint (1-ton)when you had the shaft made, but really were going down 2 sizes on the caps to match up with the 12 bolt, correct?  I didn't remember why the different joint, but remember I had bought a new one before hand thinking I would change it while it was out & having to go get a different one to finish the job. So really I could have just changed yokes (& seal) & kept the bigger caps, is this correct? I've always questioned the strength of the  necked down spline area of those shafts, do you think it is as strong as a regular slide in yoke driveshaft? Thanks, One more thing for the memory bank, Lorne   

[Captkaos]

Personal experience, but I wouldn't shave the handles if you plan to drive it a lot, and if you are keeping the mirrors, you might as well keep the handles and locks to.

[SUX2BU99]

Awesome job, Vile  So what part of it so far was the most difficult? Anything give you fits or headaches? I know you already said not one bolt hole lined up with the new bed body pieces. That'd be enough to drive me crazy, but I guess when you go into figuring everything you have to do is going to require some custom work, then it's not so bad when you run into problems.

As for tail treatment, a long thin continuous slot in the rear pan would look nice with smoked plexi for a lens but I guess to be legal you need some kind of DOT-approved reflector and lens. Caddy LED tails turned sideways? They might have an arc to them though, but frenching them could look cool.

[JRConnieK10]

Vile, that looks great I like the idea of the smooth tailgate I did that to mine it has went from plain to puting in the alum. trim piece to ton light across the back to now fliped handle and smoothed. I guess over the years I've changed it several times, kinda like the front round tube grille to stock, then square tube to billit to rv conversion thats one thing I like about these trucks very versatile.

[Bowtie Bomber]

I would put a rear roll pan on my truck as well, but I'm afraid right after I do that I'll get rear ended by somebody. 

Maybe if I had a SWB truck I would do it. I think it would look great on your truck Vile.