73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => Topic started by: NorthernMainer on August 07, 2017, 09:44:34 pm
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Hey folks, well there is a chill in the air so another month or two, and my 82 c10 will be off the road for the winter. My plans are to restore it, and add some power. Part of my plan is to shorten the frame, I looked for a 117.5 WB frame, but I live on the canadian border in Maine so finding that up here is next to impossible.
Does anyone have a link, or has done this themselves that has advice, and maybe some pictures of the process? I saw one link on google but it showed the guy cutting the frame straight through instead of "stepping" it as I call it.
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This is my write-up:
http://www.gwellwood.com/project-cars/the-crusty-chevy/shortboxing-the-frame/ (http://www.gwellwood.com/project-cars/the-crusty-chevy/shortboxing-the-frame/)
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Awesome, thank you for posting that! it does look like it may be difficult to do a step cut
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Did you search the site, this comes up often... in addition to the above...
If you want to see how to cut the actual bed down from LWB to SWB look here:
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,26656.0.html
This is also out of the main page for cutting the frame:
http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/lwb_to_swb.htm
Viles project, This is how I recommend people cutting them.
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7334.0
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Did you search the site, this comes up often... in addition to the above...
If you want to see how to cut the actual bed down from LWB to SWB look here:
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,26656.0.html
This is also out of the main page for cutting the frame:
http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/lwb_to_swb.htm
Viles project, This is how I recommend people cutting them.
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7334.0
I tried to search frame shortening, but didn't have much luck, but I appreciate the links!
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Northern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
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Northern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
Nice! What is the built by brooks kit? Or better yet where do you find it so I can check it out.
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Northern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
Nice! What is the built by brooks kit? Or better yet where do you find it so I can check it out.
Here's a pic of the kit:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34337022053_f72f1c5d6c_b.jpg)
you can contact him on Instagram, at least that's how I did it
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Northern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
Nice! What is the built by brooks kit? Or better yet where do you find it so I can check it out.
Here's a pic of the kit:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34337022053_f72f1c5d6c_b.jpg)
you can contact him on Instagram, at least that's how I did it
how much is that kit? I messaged him, but if it's cheap enough I'll just do that instead of doing all the work myself.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
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I wouldn
Northern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
Nice! What is the built by brooks kit? Or better yet where do you find it so I can check it out.
Here's a pic of the kit:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34337022053_f72f1c5d6c_b.jpg)
you can contact him on Instagram, at least that's how I did it
how much is that kit? I messaged him, but if it's cheap enough I'll just do that instead of doing all the work myself.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I wouldn't call the kit cheap but more of a fair price for what appears to be a solid product. Just makes the whole thing easier for the guy that doesn't have easy access to a welder.....that's my situation so for me it made sense to go this route.
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I wouldnNorthern Mainer, I'm getting ready to do this very same mod. I'm going to be using the "Built by Brooks" bolt in frame kit to make my LWB a SWB.....then the plan is to cut down the long bed "bed" to a short bed "bed". Should be a blast!
Nice! What is the built by brooks kit? Or better yet where do you find it so I can check it out.
Here's a pic of the kit:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34337022053_f72f1c5d6c_b.jpg)
you can contact him on Instagram, at least that's how I did it
how much is that kit? I messaged him, but if it's cheap enough I'll just do that instead of doing all the work myself.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I wouldn't call the kit cheap but more of a fair price for what appears to be a solid product. Just makes the whole thing easier for the guy that doesn't have easy access to a welder.....that's my situation so for me it made sense to go this route.
Oh okay gotcha, yeah I have a nice little lincoln 145 Welder. I'm still running flux core in it right now, but I have all the pieces to swap it to gas which I am going to do before I dive into this project.
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Wow
That's a lot of work
Lot easier to just buy a shortbed
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Wow
That's a lot of work
Lot easier to just buy a shortbed
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not where I live, otherwise I would. Part of the fun of buying this truck will be getting to work on it.
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There are many reasons one may want to modify their frame as opposed to buying another. For me, I loved my truck, factory big block 74 GMC, many unique reasons and sentimental, numbers match etc. Swapping frames was not on my radar plus I was building a 4-link, making it look stealth (no bolt on brackets) and doing other modifications so a frame swap brought no advantages. So if it makes sense, do it but just do it right.
As far as that kit, I don't know anything about it but it looks decent (aside from the branding which is pretty ugly imo) but not all spring hanger mounts are the same. That looks strictly 81 up half ton 2wd to me so if you have an earlier frame I don't think that will work, just throwing that out there before someone sees this, buys it and is disappointed. Do they offer other versions for other configurations?
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There are many reasons one may want to modify their frame as opposed to buying another. For me, I loved my truck, factory big block 74 GMC, many unique reasons and sentimental, numbers match etc. Swapping frames was not on my radar plus I was building a 4-link, making it look stealth (no bolt on brackets) and doing other modifications so a frame swap brought no advantages. So if it makes sense, do it but just do it right.
As far as that kit, I don't know anything about it but it looks decent (aside from the branding which is pretty ugly imo) but not all spring hanger mounts are the same. That looks strictly 81 up half ton 2wd to me so if you have an earlier frame I don't think that will work, just throwing that out there before someone sees this, buys it and is disappointed. Do they offer other versions for other configurations?
Yeah I won't be able to find another frame within reasonable distance, that's my reason haha. Now I know you have the earlier style frame, my truck is an 82, I read your build which is awesome by the way. Will it be much different to do my frame?
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There are differences in the 73-80/81 up frame/brackets and then differences on the 10,20,30 models and of course specialty units
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There are many reasons one may want to modify their frame as opposed to buying another. For me, I loved my truck, factory big block 74 GMC, many unique reasons and sentimental, numbers match etc. Swapping frames was not on my radar plus I was building a 4-link, making it look stealth (no bolt on brackets) and doing other modifications so a frame swap brought no advantages. So if it makes sense, do it but just do it right.
As far as that kit, I don't know anything about it but it looks decent (aside from the branding which is pretty ugly imo) but not all spring hanger mounts are the same. That looks strictly 81 up half ton 2wd to me so if you have an earlier frame I don't think that will work, just throwing that out there before someone sees this, buys it and is disappointed. Do they offer other versions for other configurations?
That kit was made/bought for my 75 1/2 ton HD frame. I believe he has other programs he can run for other options. Real easy to talk to and get information from, I just DM's him for answers
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Wow
That's a lot of work
Lot easier to just buy a shortbed
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
yes it is! Shortbeds are at such a premium in my area I went this route 2x now brother