Ok... B4 I get a bunch of replies tellig me to look at other threads, I have already been through most of them regarding this subject. I have A 79' Super Long bed that I want to convert into a short bed. I have a 78' Reg Long bed as my parts rig but the frame is 2X4 and im making a 4x4. all im looking for here is people that have made this change before to let me know problems that they ran into along the way and how they worked around them. If you have pics of your build post them too, its always good to see other peoples custom rigs...

 

I have looked into making my 77 F250 4x4 standard cab long box into a supercab short box and what I have found is you have to cut a short box down something like 7" from the front of the box to make it fit the wheel opening, so you would have a short, short box. As for converting a 2x4 frame to a 4x4 frame, for what you can pick up one of these trucks for I dont think it would be worth the time and trouble to do.

 

Instead of killing Two good trucks, to make one.
Why not just get one already in that configuration...?

 

Gotta work with what I got... I was planning on trying to find a frame that will work for me at a scrap yard but for some reason scrap yards dont like selling vehicle frames or whats left of the truck before recycling... so as for destroying two good trucks, im trying to make one good truck out of two junkers... I'm just as much about preserving good old trucks as the next guy... plus I like a good challange...

 

Are either one of your trucks a 4x4? If so use that frame.....

 

You will want to use a 4x4 chassis as your base. The 2wd chassis will required way to much work to make it into a 4x4! As for shortening the bed... I would lengthen the chassis the required distance to make the bed fit as it should.

Some scrap yards are funny. You need to build a relationship with them and then they usually will take care of you on the big stuff.

If you can take two SO SO trucks and make your perfect truck then Im all for it. If I restored all my parts trucks I wouldnt have any parts!

 

The supercab is already a 4x4 and the reg cab is a 2x4... ive been thinking of cutting the super frame down in the flat area between the cab and bed but I would really like to just find a reg cab 4x4 frame and do body work instead of frame work. ive been looking on craigslist for junker trucks to ue as my base for the project but all the trucks im finding are worthy of being restored not canabalized... I have found a few F150's that would work but I dont know how muc different the frame i compared to the F250, or if its just te suspension that makes the difference between 1/2 & 3/4 ton. it would be awsome to find a rolling chassis that would work for free or cheap, (nothing special seens how I will put all new parts on)... free is always good..

 

Why exactly do you want to go from a long bed to a short bed? INMHO a super long bed looks and functions much better than a short bed......once again.....INMHO only.

 

....Dont forget that a Supercab won't fit a regular cab frame without a body lift, and/or hacking the floor pan.

 

One, I like the look... Two, when off-roading there is less chance of high centering with shorter wheel base. Three, want to do somthing that makes my truck my own and that people dont normally do... as far as the cab not fitting, I am planning on a 1in body lift with 3-4in suspension lift and relocating body mount if need be to help everything fit properly and function how I want it to...

 

you actually need to cut out about 16 1/4 inches. We just did one tonight.
I have a 2wd supercab shortbed frame I could give you cheap, if you live close. You'll want to swap front crossmembers with a 4wd frame, but if you wait till I'm done with my truck, I can prolly give you an old F150 4wd reg cab long bed frame with it, so you'd have all the **** you needed.

 

they only difference is that the bed floor is a foot shorter on one. Doesn't affect the function at all.

 

I live in Washingon State... How much different are the F150 frames than the F250???