LWB to SWB Conversion

[VileZambonie]

Today I filled in all the stake pocket holes.


notched the bed for the roll pan



Here it is in place



It's gettin there...

[DnStClr]

What do you do to fill in the stake pocket holes? Is there a plug or a piece that you fit over the hole and weld?

[JJSZABO]

Looking good Vile   

Did you run into anything unusual in putting on the rear roll pan?  I still have to do this.  I know about the bed notching.

[VileZambonie]

Just notching the bed if you plan on running a roll pan with the license plate box aside from that, I would weld it in as a permanent piece.

For the stake pockets I actually used the piece I notched the bed floor with and filled the pockets using that metal. I'll post more pix later.

[CR10]

Hey Vile, I know a lot of people on this forum told ya how much they are loving your truck, but I gotta say, that´s nothing, I´m saying I really really love your truck, it´s just great, I bought an 80 short, a couple of years back, started work on it , till I found the chassis was cracked and bend in so many spots, that I could´n believe how in the world was running, I was actually thinking of junk my truck, cause I thought it would take a lot of years and money to put that thing straight; BUT untill I read this whole process of yours, you really inspired me, I´m saying for real!
I´m obviously replacing the chassis....
By the way, you used 3¨flowmasters, but never said what kind, are those super 44´s?

[VileZambonie]

Thanks! I appreciate all the positive reinforcement! This forum has helped motivate me also!
The flowmasters I put on there are the old big block 2 chambers. I don't think they sell them anymore.

For your truck if the frame is tweaked real bad it might not be a bad idea to look for a junker with a nice frame and just swap everything over. These trucks are getting more scarce and a lot of them are getting crushed so start looking now and good luck with your build!

[VileZambonie]

OK so after lots of debating I think I'm gonna start cutting....

[eventhorizon66]

Gonna look good I think.  But if you haven't already started cutting, may I suggest that you lower the position of the lights maybe an inch or so and see what you think.

[Captkaos]

I agree that it would look the best if measured from the top ledge to the bottom ledge and offset it to the middle, BUT, there is a body ledge that would have to be addressed that sinks in (where the rollpan is)

[82chevy]

nice vile...thats gunna be sick

[HAULIN IT]

Vile, Just my opinion. I feel those lights are a little long for the area you have to work with. The body line above & below the original light hole seems to dictate the length of the light. Won't they have to be recessed quite a bit in the middle to be flush at the top edge? It's only steel, nothing that can't be changed with a welder if you don't like it at some point. I have seen long thin lights like that (Caddy?) adapted on vehicles before & do like the style, I'm just not sure with the curves of the body. Just my two cents, Carry on! Lorne

[VileZambonie]

The tail lights can really go any further down or they would be so far sunken in and the bedside would be so hacked up there'd never be a turning back point. The lights sit recessed behind the buckets themselves and have to actually fit inside the panel etc so that's basically as low as they'll go. I saw a guy with an orange truck like this the other day and I really liked the look of it. Different but slick. I think I'm gonna do it.

[123 pugsy]

 Go for it! You've got good taste with mods so start cutting.

[VileZambonie]

Ok I started cutting

crappy pix

[82chevy]

wow looks very nice so far...keep it up man lol