73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Members Rides => Topic started by: holeshotl36 on September 18, 2010, 09:06:54 pm
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This is my "78" chassis cab project, I had a 78 body sittin in my garage all summer and it had too little rust to send to the scrap yard and one day i came across a 86 C30 flatbed with a 350 and turbo 400 trans that i ended up only payin $400 bucks for, the cab was completely shot so this was a perfect platform to start with, basically my plans with the truck are after the body work and interior are done id like to swap a 12v cummins in it, but first things first im at the point of deciding what color to paint it lol
The 78 rolling chassis i started with
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/untitled.jpg)
The 86 donar truck
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/hammer.jpg)
Backing it into the garage to tear it apart
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/fulltruck.jpg)
I had to take it for a quick spin around the sub
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/zogmachine.jpg)
Old cab coming off
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/bodyoff.jpg)
78 cab on and painted before dropping it down
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/78under.jpg)
First look with the new cab
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/78firstrun.jpg)
Test fitting to get a general idea of how it will look
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/78body.jpg)
The only thing i have to modifly is i gota add about a 3 inch strip of sheet metal to close the gap between the bed and cab, i guess the chassis cab trucks were a little longer, and im gona have to do a mini tub on the rear wheel wells to fit the duallys, unless i decide to put a small lift on it and go 4wd, but i gota see what my bank account will allow,
any suggestions on what color i should paint it?
Thanks for lookin
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How about dark blue?
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That actually looks really good
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There is no difference between a 1/2T pickup SRW and a 1T cab/chassis DWR, all regular cab long bed pickups have the same dimensions and wheelbase.
If it isn't close enough (and it isn't based on the pics) you have something mounted incorrectly.
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The cab and core support are mounted in the factory locations and everything fit fine there, but it is hard to see in the pics (ill have to take a side shot) but to have the center of the wheel well centered with the rear wheels there is about a 3-4 inch gap between the cab and bed
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When I bought my 84 K30 the owner told me had a small box (maybe 4" of the top of my head) made up to fill in the gap between the cab and the utility body.
He said the truck came from the factory as a single rear wheel cab&chassis and that the utility box was added. I don't know if someone installed the bed on mine too far back or what but the owner told me the easy way out was to install this box to hide the gap.
I will get some better pics of it today.
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I actually really like it with the flat bed body.... Cool truck..
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hmmm cut the frame that much shorter?
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Neither the front or rear tires are actually centered on these. Was the bed actually bolted down in that picture?
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Wow I see what you are saying, yea looks like you need that frame shortened up about at the front of the door(underneath), or front of your bed(underneath) It'd move the front wheels backwards and the rear ones forward. That truck could really look nice.
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I actually really like it with the flat bed body.... Cool truck..
X2!
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This is what I came up with on 2 of my beaters.
87 K30 131" wheelbase (the charts list it at 131.5)
84 K30 Cab&Chassis 136" wheelbase.
I may be off a 1" or so in my quick measurements but The C&C is definitely longer.
On the C&C there is a 6" gap between the bed and the utility body with a 5.5" toolbox in between them.
I hope this helps and doesn't add to the confusion.
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Neither the front or rear tires are actually centered on these. Was the bed actually bolted down in that picture?
i think its just the angle of the picture but the front wheels are centered in the wheel well, but no i dont have the bed bolted down yet
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hey man loving the look of it how about some more pics.
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here's the wheel wells on my 3/4 ton. hope it helps
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20/GEDC0013.jpg)
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20/GEDC0015-1.jpg)
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Ok heres a side shot, the cab and front are mounted in the factory locations, the bed isnt bolted down but its set in place, still needs a little more tweaking but as you can see in the picture its a fairly large gap
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/sideshot.jpg)
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Dunno how much work you want to do, but that would be the perfect time to extend the cab a few inches... if you're tall you know what I mean. Otherwise I'd put a simple sheet metal piece all the way around the gap. Shouldne be hard to do any nobody would be likely to notice it.
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Ya i actually thought about extending the cab but that would be quite a bit of work so im just gona be adding sheet metal strips with the body lines to the bed to fill the gap.
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any new updates or pics on the truck..i love the way them duallys look with fleetside beds on them like that
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Back in the early 80's I helped my Dad with a truck he built. It was a 62 Chevy panel that he removed the body and put on a 65 cab and bed. The problem was he had the same gap you got. So, he was working for a Chevy dealer at the time and picked up a set of side pipes off of a Corvette or Camero and installed them standing up in the gap. Everyone thought he customized the truck somehow, but it was just a gap filler. Looked cool and went very well with the diamond pattern vinyl interior and bucket seats. ;D
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Well for right now ive been getting what body work i can do done, ive been goin back and fourth between keeping it 2wd or putting 4wd into it, ive been coming across some decent priced axels and what not, my other easy option is just do a 6/8.5 drop, but as for now im playin with colors, i like the "f bomb" camaro color sceme so i sprayed a fender olive drab to kinda get the look, but either way 2wd or 4wd i think it would look cool, heres the only updated pics i have.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/Photo02991.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/holeshotl36/eff.jpg)