long bed conversion

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 3:39 pm

I've decided to hold onto the crew for a bit longer but I am interested in this....

I have been seriously thinking about having my truck cut in halve professionally, extended, and dropping a long bed from a regular cab or extended cab pickup on the extended cab chasis. I would like this done for 2 reasons. 1) new look change and for versatility of a long bed, 2) ease of throwing my atv in the back.

Question is, would the truck still pass inspection even though it changes the vehicles gvwr or "dry weight"? I'm looking for a bed. Found some for $400 and I think that this would be needed to complete

1) lengthen frame
2) new rear driveshaft
3) lengthened brake lines
4) lengthened electrical lines
5) new exhaust
6) some new bed mounts
7) may have to relocate gas tank and or filler hose

What do you guys think? Would it be worth doing or will it just be something I would regret? I would have to think that something like this would probably cost $2500-$3000

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:25 pm

Sounds good to me. I would like more of a bed too, but turning circle will be wide. I saw a crew cab bed for sale on ebay about a year ago...it was for sale buy a shop that does just what you are talking about.
http://www.s-10crewcab.com/phpBB2/viewt ... highlight=

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 5:50 pm

yeah I saw that post a while back too. I didn't see an email on the site so i sent a message through ebay. I doubt it got to him. The place that does the conversion was in upstate New York about 1 hour from my school. Wish he contacted me ...

Warnoffroad · Post by **Warnoffroad** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:28 pm

If your going to do that I would get a ZR2 bed and front ZR2 fenders

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 8:56 am

Justin wrote:yeah I saw that post a while back too. I didn't see an email on the site so i sent a message through ebay. I doubt it got to him. The place that does the conversion was in upstate New York about 1 hour from my school. Wish he contacted me ...

did ya try running the domain through alldots or networksolutions etc.? maybe get a contact that way?

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:29 pm

no that didn't help. Thanks though. I may just go to my local speed and truck shop and have the guy look around for me...

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:55 pm

Justin wrote:no that didn't help. Thanks though. I may just go to my local speed and truck shop and have the guy look around for me...

Many new trucks are lengthened to make rollbacks & box trucks. It's done all the time. Many truck frame shops are capable of doing the job.

Post by **HenryJ** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:08 pm

If you need mounts , and the bed , why not just back half it?
When you buy the bed get the frame rails too then you will already have the mounts you need.
Save the CC bed and frame rails, pick up a cheap axle and make a matching trailer out of it

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:38 pm

If you need mounts , and the bed , why not just back half it?
When you buy the bed get the frame rails too then you will already have the mounts you need.
Save the CC bed and frame rails, pick up a cheap axle and make a matching trailer out of it

The trailer sounds like a neat idea and i have seen it done but the whole reason why I am doing this is to eliminate the use of a trailer. I'm not really experienced with cutting trucks in half so i will contact someone as soon as possible and ask their advice. If it is better to find a longbed pickup truck beater or to buy a bed and have them do the custom fabrication to make it fit. Does seem alot easier to cut two trucks in halve and weld opposites right on. I'm assuming my suspension off the crew would bolt right up to a 2wd???

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:56 pm

i dont know if the 2wd frame is the same....but you could find out...either way. cool! it can be done. i always wanted to do that to mine. instead i just bought a giant truck for 2700 bucks

smokinjoe · Post by **smokinjoe** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 11:52 pm

at least your not wanting to stretch the body limo style i cant imagine what kinda headache that would be

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:40 am

Well, I went to my truck shop and asked advice for the conversion. The guy laughed at me. He was trying to tell me what to do and I interrupted him teling him exactly what I had to do. All I asked was if there was a company that could lengthen and straighten the frame for me, I would finish. So after bs'ing with him and telling him it has been done to other trucks like mine, He referred me to a truck shop that swaps beds for utility beds. I will probbaly call monday or tuesday....

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 12:05 pm

smokinjoe wrote:at least your not wanting to stretch the body limo style i cant imagine what kinda headache that would be

Check this! http://www.monsterlimo.com/

smokinjoe · Post by **smokinjoe** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:33 pm

could you imagine parking that thing

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:50 pm

smokinjoe wrote:could you imagine parking that thing

I'd think with that kind of lift, he could park wherever he wants.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 4:59 pm

ya i have seen that thing up close. its really ridiculous