New Bed Idea...

[k_williams1982]

I saw a bed for a Ford pickup on CL earlier today, and now I have a "crazy" idea. I'm thinking about buying the bed and modifying my truck to put it on. Here's the "kicker"... It's a short box stepside bed from a late '70s or early '80s Ford truck. I like having the long bed, but I think it would look sweet to have a crewcab IDI with a stepside. I could use the area in front of the fenders on the bed to run my stacks "externally" and not have them out past the body. I'd have to shorten my frame to make it look right though. How hard would that be, and would any of the work be worth the outcome? It'd make it so that I had a "one-of-a-kind" truck for sure... At least around here.

 

[Mat J]

you truck looks great the way it is. I just dont care for short beds either.

 

[punkmechanic]

I know that some will get on me for saying it, but it really isnt too bad to shorten these things. We have a "fab shop" at work that does it a couple times a week. There are a number of ways to do it too. You could shorten the section behind the axle, then you dont need to shorten the drive shaft, or you could shorten the wheel base. Shortening the wheel base is a bit more complicated but not more than a good solid weekend and a whole lot of measure twice cut once.

punk

 

[Diesel_brad]

JMHO stepsides only belong on reg cabs

 

[Agnem]

I'd do it. All of it except shortening the frame. I'd make it so you can put it back the old way if you don't like it. Throw something in the space between the two like a tool box, a generator/welder, or some other cool accessory.

 

[foxman]

Why not??? Wheel base changes are done every day on the larger trucks. I have a F450 that was born a 137 wheel base and now has a 161. Just make extremely sure of your measurements. "All in a days work"
Foxman

 

[hesutton]

Please don't. I really think short beds on crew cabs look ............"funny".......at best. Plus, an unmolested SRW crew cab of the '83-'86 vintage is very hard to find and would be a crime to cut up. You wanna sell it?

Seriously, don't ****** your truck.

Heath

 

[LCAM-01XA]

I have an idea - put the short bed on your current frame, and in the space between the bed and the cab run the stacks like you mentioned, but also install two swing-down spare wheel carriers, you know, how some military trucks (usually the 8x8 Oshkosh) have them. Or maybe one swing-down spare wheel carrier, and a cube-shaped toolbox with a gas-powered air compressor/generator, and an air tank somewhere under there too?

 

[Agnem]

...I'd make it so you can put it back the old way if you don't like it....

That's why. But then that's just me.

 

[Akzukman]

i actually like the idea and i was planning on doing it to my 86 but the bed i went to look at was not in decent enough shape. I would really like to get a newer powerstroke crewcab that already has a short bed and swap the flareside bed from a similar truck and run the stacks the same way you had planned.

 

[k_williams1982]

You wanna sell it?
Heath

You're the second person today to offer to buy it... This truck will be the last thing I sell... The other half ays I love my truck more than I love her...

 

[k_williams1982]

I had thought about leaving the frame as it is and filling the space between the bed and cab with a fuel tank, toolbox, or something like that. I would hold onto my old bed so that I could change it back if needed. How hard would it be to just lengthen a stepside bed and make it a long bed, or do you guys think that would look stupid. My first vehicle was a '55 Willy's Jeep pickup, and I kinda liked the outer fenders look... Kinda like the ol' Power Wagons that Dodge made.

 

[punkmechanic]

with time, creativity and a welder (and a few fing nutzo friends lol) anything is possible.

I love to cut and weld and create. The first "stacks" I built are sitting in your garage kenneth. all we gotta do is plan it and we can make it happen.

punk

 

[k_williams1982]

with time, creativity and a welder (and a few fing nutzo friends lol) anything is possible.

I love to cut and weld and create. The first "stacks" I built are sitting in your garage kenneth. all we gotta do is plan it and we can make it happen.

punk

Then we have to dicuss a few ideas when you come down on Friday. Everything looks good for this Friday because I scheduled everything for today, tomorrow, Wednesday, & Thursday. BTW, I need to talk to you about the fuel lines on that Powerstroke that I'm replacing. Give me a call tomorrow, or I'll call you tomorrow afternoon.

 

[RLDSL]

If you could find an old narrow coffin box sleeper off a big truck and set it in that spot on the frame, it would look pretty cool, and be functional too