Well, I finally got up the nerve to tackle this project. I'm going to make my long box a short box. I found a short bed for my truck last winter. I took it to a body man who did all the metal work.

This is when I picked it up last winter. It needs work but is the best you can expect to find up here.



Here it is after media blasting. Found a few more issues!


This is after metal work. It still needs to go for pre-paint prep, but at least I can set it on the truck.

 

With the short bed ready to go, it was time to start on the truck. I literally started around 10am today...

This is what it looked like at 10am this morning.


This wood floor was covering up a rotten metal floor. I'll re-fit it into the new short bed. My dad made it for 17 years ago, so I want to keep it.


Dad came over to help, it didn't take long and the long bed was off the truck. Anybody need/ want a long bed? It's in my way now.

 

With the long bed out of the way it was time to start on the frame. I can't believe I painted the frame green when I was a teenager. I tried covering it with black paint, now it's just a mess. I'll clean and re-paint it.....black!


All my lines for cutting. Measured 3-4 times before cutting.


No turning back now! My wife came into the garage about then. It's difficult to explain why you would want to cut a truck in half, especially to non gear head.


It's all welded back together! This was about midnight, so technically still the same day. Not bad for a days work!


I'm done for tonight. I'll be back at it next week. I still have to weld "fish" plates to the inside of the frame, then I'll box each section. How thick of a "fish" plate should I use?

 

You've got it looking good. When I shortened mine I used the pieces of frame I cut out to make the fish plates.

 

Nice work!

 

That's a good days work. I know how hard it is to find a short bed. Been looking for one myself. I would use 3/16 plate or thicker for the fish plates. I boxed my front end with 3/16 after 17 years that wood bed floor still looks nice.

 

2X Crazed87bronco s comments. That is some nice wood. If you don't use the old frame, use at least 3/16.

 

Look honey, I cut my truck in half!
Great job!

 

I was able to get a few buddies over, and they helped set the short bed on the frame for a test fit. Then, my buddies got into my beer fridge.
So far, it looks like it fits well. Once I'm satisfied with how it fits, I''l pull it back off to finish up the welding on the frame and a few other things.

 

I've seen a couple of short bed conversions where the owner just did a simple slash cut which is the mega-wrong way to do it.

Finally someone who has done the Z-cut correctly! Awesome job.

Now add fishplates and yer done. Be stealthy and put it inside the C-channel.

 

When I shortened my truck (68) there was section of ebrake cable exactly the right length (16") to remove that made the job really easy. Did yours have the same?
Are your rear spring shackles going to hit the crossmember on the new box? Short wheelbase springs are shorter.

 

My E-brake cables were seized and had to be cut out. New cables are part of the list, along with exhaust, brake line, wiring, driveshaft, and Mustang gas tank.
I'm hoping to get under the truck today to see how everything is lining up.

 

Thanks! One of my buddies who helped set the new bed on the frame has some 1/4" x 6" steel plate. I'll get a couple pieces from him to make my fish plates. I've heard that the four corners of the fish plates should be rounded? Also that you shouldn't weld these rounded corners when welding the plates to your frame. Anybody else heard of this? I will be welding them inside the frame, of course!

 

Never heard or seen the non welded corners. I would buy some weldable primer and spray the mating surfaces with it. I would also put 4 holes in the fish plate so you can gain additional weld.

http://image.fourwheeler.com/f/48689...ish-plates.jpg

 

Round the corners. With a full perimeter weld of the plate, it'll act as a continuous weld rather than four segments. Corners would also act as a node from which a crack can emanate.

Wanna go the extra mile? Then drill one or more one-inch holes in the plates and perform a weld in its circumference to the frame.... as shown in the pic linked above.