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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: choptop on August 20, 2010, 07:41:41 pm
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I finally got no 4 home and am real excited about this project. I have only found 4, 3/4 ton 4wds and this is the only ex cab I have ever seen that had a 4 speed. The frame was streteched for the full size bed and came with a 90 suburban front clip. I am kind of at a loss as to what route to go with this one. I want it black and it will have a bigblock, but other than that, I am undecided. Im torn between a dually, leaving it lifted and running 38s or dropping it down a bit and go for more of a stock look. Which is why I am here. what do you guys think? I welcome your opinions. In its prime it was running 44s and looked killer, but that was with the shortened bed. It looks retarded now with the small tires on it, but for the price, I didnt care. I traded a truck that I had that was given to me, so I guess you could say it was free. The first pic is with the sleeper that the previous owner wanted to keep, so I greatly obliged him in the removal of it. I will get better pics when weather permits.
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Leave it lifted and ditch the dually bed. I can't wait to see this beast come together. I'd run 40's on 17's, that'll be a tasty truck!
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My truck also had 44"s on it but that got old quick.
I say go with a 6" lift and some 35"s and keep it a dually.
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You could sell it to me for my ultimate dream truck, 4 should be not legal to own ;-)
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Thanks guys. Sorry Zeig, part of the deal was it had to stay in the family, even if it is the adopted family.
Id like to go the dually route, oldyeller likes the idea as well, butIm not sure how to make it happen with a 3/4 ton. I can get the dually rearend, but the front end is almost impossible to find around here. The truck I traded for it had the dually front end, but thats why they wanted the truck.
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Thanks guys. Sorry Zeig, part of the deal was it had to stay in the family, even if it is the adopted family.
Id like to go the dually route, oldyeller likes the idea as well, butIm not sure how to make it happen with a 3/4 ton. I can get the dually rearend, but the front end is almost impossible to find around here. The truck I traded for it had the dually front end, but thats why they wanted the truck.
If you ever see one stretched like that, well I have bothered you enough about it... Very nice fine I must say..
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I agree with slammed, ditch the dually bed, and get a fleet side and leave it lifted. That it is an extended cab, and older sets it apart from the rest. No matter what you do it should turn out to be a great project. Tom
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Thanks guys. Sorry Zeig, part of the deal was it had to stay in the family, even if it is the adopted family.
Id like to go the dually route, oldyeller likes the idea as well, butIm not sure how to make it happen with a 3/4 ton. I can get the dually rearend, but the front end is almost impossible to find around here. The truck I traded for it had the dually front end, but thats why they wanted the truck.
If you ever see one stretched like that, well I have bothered you enough about it... Very nice fine I must say..
Theres an Overland Coach ex cab in Carlsbad new mexico for $1000 if your interested in another road trip. Its got the smaller rear windows, but it is an ex cab
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I like this setup
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I like this setup
I like this one also, how bout some 24" Alcoa road tractor wheels?
I just can't understand the whole black wheel thingy.......
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Lifted duallies are awesome!
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Definitely a lifted dually, that will make a unique truck that much more unique
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I like this setup
PERFECT !!!!!
Thats the way I'd do it !
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I can get the dually rearend, but the front end is almost impossible to find around here. The truck I traded for it had the dually front end, but thats why they wanted the truck.
Not the most desireable option, but an option is using the newer ('92?) ton ton front spacers for bud wheels on your existing front axle. The lock-out sits back in about 3/4" front the wheel face, but it will work & look correct. Lorne
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This was on CL in Houston.
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Those Alcoa`s are pretty sweet, but around here, anyone that drives somthing like that, is labeled as being a member of the teeny weeny club!
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Those Alcoa`s are pretty sweet, but around here, anyone that drives somthing like that, is labeled as being a member of the teeny weeny club!
Maybe with those street tires, but since it isnt a 2013 Chevy Duramax, it is ok...
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I can get the dually rearend, but the front end is almost impossible to find around here. The truck I traded for it had the dually front end, but thats why they wanted the truck.
Not the most desireable option, but an option is using the newer ('92?) ton ton front spacers for bud wheels on your existing front axle. The lock-out sits back in about 3/4" front the wheel face, but it will work & look correct. Lorne
Thanks Lorne, I thought I remembered seeing some spacers that looked likebolted on the the existing hub from the factory but could remember where. I think I have a set of those in the back barn, Time to go for a hunt.
I am pretty sure Im going the dually route, I cant lower it too much without relocating the blazer tank that they installed, an dnot to excited on the 24s, but wheel see which way it goes. I could probably stand 22.5s
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Wow!! I have learned something new about the square body style trucks. Until I just read this thread I had NO idea that an extended cab even existed in the 73-87 trucks! I have only seen the regular cab and crew cab versions. Can someone enlighten me with more information on these extended cab square bodies? Did they come from the factory like that or was it from a conversion company??
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They were made by conversion van companies in the 80's and sold thru dealerships. This one make no 4 for me. ;D
Supposedly there were over 2000 made, but I have found about 50 that were actually built in the 80s by Custom Vehicles international (CVI), Stage Coach conversions, ans Overland Coach conversions. I havent found any hard evidence such as brochures, but have gotten alot of info from original owners of the trucks.
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Wow...those are nice that you have! Is that grey one a crew cab combine with an ext cab?
The primered on with the little bit window in the ext cab is not the most attractive one because of the small window so between the 3 conversion companies they must have each made them a little differently.
thanks for the info. I guess you learn something new every day! :)
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(http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17248.0;attach=13069;image)
I'll take it! teenie weenie or not! ;D
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Ok, here are a few more pics that I promised so you can see more of what Im working with
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03104.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03113.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03123.jpg)
Heres the frame mods they did for the long bed. I dont think its going anywhere, but it cant be lowered much more because the blazer tank sits over the rear axle. They had to install a 3 inch body lift to make the bed and cab match, not sure I like that alot, but it doesnt bother me to much.
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03134.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03133.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03131.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03128.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh203/choptop76/extended%20cab%20dually/DSC03129.jpg)
I am going to go the dually route, and either 19.5s or 22.5s. Im not a big fan of th 24s
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There used to be an ext. cab square body running around Dayton, Ohio. I want to say it was older than 1981, but it's been so long since I've seen it.
I don't know where it ended up, last I heard of the owner, his house was foreclosed on and the dealer he worked for got the axe from Chrysler.
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That is really cool!!! I'm still surprised that in my 33 years of obsession in cars and trucks and loving these square bodies that I've never even seen one of these ext cabs in person!! This is just so fascinating to me.
I wonder if a person got a long bed frame if an extended cab would fit on there with a short bed on the back?? IMO, that would be one sweet build to grab one of these extended cabs and create a 1/2 ton with a short bed. Sounds like I need to talk to someone who has FOUR extended cabs into letting one go for a reasonable price!! ;)
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That is really cool!!! I'm still surprised that in my 33 years of obsession in cars and trucks and loving these square bodies that I've never even seen one of these ext cabs in person!! This is just so fascinating to me.
I wonder if a person got a long bed frame if an extended cab would fit on there with a short bed on the back?? IMO, that would be one sweet build to grab one of these extended cabs and create a 1/2 ton with a short bed. Sounds like I need to talk to someone who has FOUR extended cabs into letting one go for a reasonable price!! ;)
Good luck in getting Kelly to part with one. Been on the search but what I have found has been rotted out or past my price range. I agree a true shortbed would be cool. I am wanting an 8 foot bed myself but start with a crew cab frame and shorten it accordingly. They are fascinating for sure, I REALLY like the silver dually windows, now that is as factory as one could look IMO.
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There is a farmer in my county with a six door suburban!
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I have watched for these for years also, and have only seen a few for sale. A couple of them I found the rear windows had leaked and rotted out the extension. I spotted a short bed in Okmulgee, Ok a few years back it was white and an old guy was driving it, still had rallye wheels and whitewalls on it. I go through there on my way to the lake and I always watch for it. I can't believe this guy has 4 of them! Too cool. One of these days I may just build one it wouldn't be that hard to do and cabs are plentiful.
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These trucks are built on a longbed frame, so in order to put a shortbed on it, youd still have to cut 4-5 inches off the front of the bed to make it fit, and then of course the rear frame rails. Youd have to either cut a crewcab frame down, or stretch the longbed frame. I will start doing a better job of posting the ones I find here, but there are a few guys that do an awesome job of helping me do that here, and it is appreciated.
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You are buying them all aren't you. I love the concept for this one!
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You are buying them all aren't you. I love the concept for this one!
Lol, no I think this is the last one for me. I need to find one for Zeig.
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You are buying them all aren't you. I love the concept for this one!
Lol, no I think this is the last one for me. I need to find one for Zeig.
Now you're talking!!!
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There is a farmer in my county with a six door suburban!
Get us some pics if you can. Id love to see it
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Thanks Lorne, I thought I remembered seeing some spacers that looked likebolted on the the existing hub from the factory but could remember where. I think I have a set of those in the back barn, Time to go for a hunt.
In the early '90's we had a bunch of those railroad capable 2wd '73-'87 GM trucks in the junkyards. They had spacers that were about 1 1/2" thick, they weren't enough...the bud wheel hit something. The ones for the "new" independent front 1 ton 4x4's w/bud wheels had some a little wider that worked fine. I'm sure the aftermarket has them also. Have Fun! Lorne
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These trucks are built on a longbed frame, so in order to put a shortbed on it, youd still have to cut 4-5 inches off the front of the bed to make it fit, and then of course the rear frame rails. Youd have to either cut a crewcab frame down, or stretch the longbed frame. I will start doing a better job of posting the ones I find here, but there are a few guys that do an awesome job of helping me do that here, and it is appreciated.
You lost me on this one, help me out. If it's on a long bed frame and they stretched the cab, wouldn't the frame have to be stretched to put a long bed back on it? It seems as if the cab stretch was in the 14" range the short bed would be close. I don't know these trucks or how the conversion guys did them, but they are unique and cool.
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You lost me on this one, help me out. If it's on a long bed frame and they stretched the cab, wouldn't the frame have to be stretched to put a long bed back on it? It seems as if the cab stretch was in the 14" range the short bed would be close. I don't know these trucks or how the conversion guys did them, but they are unique and cool.
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Basically what they added to the cab they took out off the front of the bed. Look at the picture on the first page of the grey 2 wheel drive with the small side windows. Look at the gas door in proximity of the front of the bed.
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I see how they did it now, that seems like the hard way to do it, at least paint and body wise. That's why from a distance I might have thought it was a short bed. Thanks
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I see how they did it now, that seems like the hard way to do it, at least paint and body wise. That's why from a distance I might have thought it was a short bed. Thanks
I agree on the body work wise but it is probably because GM new truck warranty. Similar to conversion vans....
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Thats what I understand about them from one of the saleman that sold them in the 80s. That way the drive train, suspension, and electronics still retained factory warranty, and the conversion company warrantied the body and paint.