separating inner and outer bed walls

[junkman.]

hey guys I'm new has anyone removed the outer skin from the inner bedside walls and reuse them
I want to use the outer bedside wall off my LB and shorten them and install on a SB inner wall
also have a build post

any ideas would be appreciated   thanks

[Swims350]

gonna be hard to shorten long bed sides because of the taper in the back and it'd have to be cut front and rear to match up and be a short bed.

[86gmc23]

One of these days I'm going to cut my LWB bed down to a SWB. But that all depends when I get my welder. Looking to get a 110v one from Eastwood, anyone familiar with their welder? So if you cut yours let me know how it goes

[HAULIN IT]

Doable, yes...Really practical, not really. If I were going to do it, I'd cut the 6' bedside 1/2" from the front point at the edge (leaving 1/2" of the old face of the side), but leave the top area around the stake hole (if you want to have them). Hang the side up there & cut the 8' side right on the point of the 6' side...this will put your weld line right on the front point, resulting in less warping & finish work.
 Now the back is tougher (as mentioned) If the area around the tail lamp "pocket" is still good on the 6' bed...it will be easier. Cut straight down a 1/2" or so in front of the tail lamp, hang the side up there & mark, overlap & cut. If the back area isn't good on the 6' bed, you'll need to transfer it...Drilling out the spotwelds & cutting where I described.
 The bottom edge will need rolled from the old angle (8' bed) to the new (6' bed), but it won't be all that hard. Years ago, I did this to the back of a wrecker (shortened the frame to the rear spring hanger) with an 8' bed, so the rear portion ended up shorter than a 6'.
 Of coarse the spotwelds across both tops & the wheelwells need drilled out. Good Luck if you decide to proceed, just think ahead! Lorne

[VileZambonie]

By the time you calculate your hours, electricity, welding wire, and mud I would certainly start looking for a used short bed

[junkman.]

Thanks guys  the only thing is disassembling a good bed but for the labor its good practice, on a lot of new trucks you have to remove spot weld to remove the skins. The easy way is to buy new ones $329.00 + 125.00 shipping x2 = $900.00 for two bedsides or trade a good long bed for short 1982

almost have the left SB side apart  ill get some pic's this weekend

[Swims350]

as mwentioned in the other thread it's not $125 shipping x2 it's only once, and if they do charge it twice they are stupid, rip off, and should never be bought from.

[greeneon_01]

check craigslist...ive seen quite a few shortbeds around me for sale anywhere from $200 -$500. Cheaper than new bedsides even if thats all you use off them. Just my $.02

[junkman.]

thanks for the advice  
I'm looking for a SB or sides if i don't find what i want I'll just shorten the LB sides and use the SB floor
 
found 68-72 short step side bed for sale will it fit 73-87 frame   

thanks JM

[xxwckdxx]

Yeah craigslist you'll find one, it took me a month but I picked one up for $250 to replace the one that came on my truck. Do searchs for chevy truck, fleetside, c10, silverado, chevrolet truck, gmc truck,

[VileZambonie]

thanks for the advice  
I'm looking for a SB or sides if i don't find what i want I'll just shorten the LB sides and use the SB floor
 
found 68-72 short step side bed for sale will it fit 73-87 frame  

thanks JM

Eww why would you want to do that? I'd leave it a long bed

[HAULIN IT]

If the price is right. buy it & sell it for more money to a guy that has an "early" truck. Take the profit & put toward buying the correct bed. Hopefully after selling your 8' bed, you'll have enough money to buy a nice 6'ER. Lorne

[junkman.]

Hey guys I'm going to shorten my long bed for the front  i will cut off five to eight inch and overlap the front part to the right length and trim off the rest then spot weld it and for the rear move the cross member and cut it to length

here's some pics 

[junkman.]

Some more pics  i think the floor turned out good and wasn't that much work  ;)also these floors are galvanized
 
I'm started on the floor first and any bedside will bolt right on next i will do the bedsides  JM

[junkman.]

here's some more pic's
these are the sections i cut and removed the front i made my first line right on the front of the stake hole and in the back i cut it here because it seemed place for  transitioning
the taper of the rail    then i used a flange tool from harbor freight  i flanged the center of the bedsides not the ends then punched a hole in the ends every inch or so and spot welded it  and between the spot welds i tacked the seem together