Long bed to quad cab...

[Skyshadow]

Is it feasible to convert a long bed standard cab into a short bed quad cab? To me it seems far fetched but I have seen some gnarly stuff done on here (like The Dan's total rebuild)... So I'm curious if anyone has knowledge of this? Thanks

[zieg85]

Is it feasible to convert a long bed standard cab into a short bed quad cab? To me it seems far fetched but I have seen some gnarly stuff done on here (like The Dan's total rebuild)... So I'm curious if anyone has knowledge of this? Thanks

Easier to make a short bed out of a crew cab.  I am rounding up the parts to do that very thing

[Skyshadow]

To do which one? My idea or short bed/crew cab?

[zieg85]

Crew Cabs have a 164.5 inch wheel base.  Long bed regular cab is 131.5 inch while the short bed is 117.5 inch.  If you are asking if you put a Crew Cab on a regular long bed frame it would look strange.  I am going to shorten a crew cab frame to 150.5 inches wheel base and shorten the rear as needed and put a short bed fleetside on it.

[Skyshadow]

There we go, Numbers! I like numbers. So if I have 16inches over a short bed then I need another 17 to get the cab to line up with a short bed on a long bed frame? Unless a crew cab has a long bed stock? If so then i should only be a inch short... humm Sounds close enough to try to me.

[HAULIN IT]

Sky, I'm not following your math. Zieg has the measurements there. There were no short bed crew cabs made so if you want one, you have to build it. What Zieg is saying is to find a crew cab truck & cut the frame down to match the short bed is much easier than to try to mount the crew cab onto a regular cab frame.
 Where your math goes wrong...you would have to either cut the front of the short bed down (what Zieg mentioned would look strange) or LENGTHEN the frame between the rear of the cab & the axle after mounting up the crew cab. Much better to buy a crew cab & shorten the frame to match a short bed if thats what you want to end up with. Lorne 

[zieg85]

Sky, I'm not following your math. Zieg has the measurements there. There were no short bed crew cabs made so if you want one, you have to build it. What Zieg is saying is to find a crew cab truck & cut the frame down to match the short bed is much easier than to try to mount the crew cab onto a regular cab frame.
 Where your math goes wrong...you would have to either cut the front of the short bed down (what Zieg mentioned would look strange) or LENGTHEN the frame between the rear of the cab & the axle after mounting up the crew cab. Much better to buy a crew cab & shorten the frame to match a short bed if thats what you want to end up with. Lorne

Thank you, I didn't know how to proceed...

[Skyshadow]

I got all that, I wasn't concerned with what was easier. I'm ok with lengthing the frame, it's not as big of a process as people play off. Like I said with my math, a crew cab is 33 inches longer then my long bed but it comes with a long bed as well. I want a short bed which will bring down my total frame length by 14 inches... leaving me with about a 19 inch difference.

[HAULIN IT]

Sky, There are lots of helpful & knowledgeable guys on here that have been working with these trucks MUCH longer that you've on the earth willing to help others improve their projects, save a little money &/or simply enjoy chatting about trucks. You posted a question asking for help to something many have, have done &/or have thoroughly researched. 

Is it feasible to convert a long bed standard cab into a short bed quad cab? To me it seems far fetched but I have seen some gnarly stuff done on here (like The Dan's total rebuild)... So I'm curious if anyone has knowledge of this? Thanks

By your first post, you state you don't have the knowledge to pull this off. Your second post is worse. There is NOTHING wrong with not knowing, but at least sit back, take in the advice & all of the input, then proceed with a plan if you choose to do so. Acting like "it's no big deal" after posting your questions screams to guys that have a clue they are wasting their time & shows little respect to the ones trying to help.
 After my last post, I re-thought it a bit & I mis-spoke about needing to lengthen the frame behind the cab...you would need to lengthen UNDER the cab, then shorten between the back of the cab & the front spring perch...then cut off the back of the frame.
 You would need to do this under the cab because of the kick-up that needs to match the rear portion of the cab...which would be in the wrong area. These trucks don't have a flat frame like a mobile home or something where you can just take a cab & "put it here". So now you have Two splices instead of one & need to get another piece of frame to make it all look "correct"...And no, the piece you take out of the back won't match up to the frame under the cab, different heights.
 
Look @ the Red truck interior half way down the page. You can see the raised floor done to clear this problem on the extended cab. The original floor, seat, interior trim, carpet, ect. ect. would not longer work with the floor done this way...None of that is really "a big deal though" Right?
 http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,10017.45.html

I don't mean to come across harsh, however sometimes it's the simplest way to put things. STILL tryin' to help! Lorne

[Captkaos]

Can it be done, yes, but you are looking at some serious fab work and to have a Short be mounted to it, you would need to add length to it to get the required 150.5" wheelbase.
It is MUCH simpler to shorten a crew as you don't have to come up with extra fuel line, brake line, wiring, drive shaft, etc.  You just remove the extra length.