Decisions, Decisions . . ....

[SCOTI]

The dilemma: What’s the consensus on using a clean original LWB truck & basically taking it apart to use as the foundation for assembling a SWB truck?

I’m currently rebuilding my 68 SWB that was totaled in a 'not @ fault' accident mid ‘04. I’ve got the front clip & bed off as they were trashed in the accident. Other damage in the wreck included the pass corner of the hood, pass door, pass rear cab corner, & the rear of the cab on both sides from the impact of the bed.

The outstanding items to repair/replace are the hood & pass door, plus any repair work necessary for the cab (rockers, cab-corners, foot-well rust repairs, & damage to the top of the rear cab seam on the exterior of the cab). These repairs are costly in two ways: time & money. The monetary costs are a wash (it costs $ to get stuff done). The time is more difficult to put a price on (I work a lot of hours…. often times, unpredictable hours).

Basically, what I have is a ‘new’ short-fleet bed that is about ready for assembly. OE bedsides have been acquired, body-worked, & are ready for final blocking + color. I also have a new Mar-K front bed panel & was doing a steel floor swap. OE front fenders have also been acquired & are in the same stages as the bedsides. The remaining truck now sits as a rolling chassis w/a partially assembled cab. The front & rear frame rails have been stripped & re-painted chassis black. A Porterbuilt Dropmember is installed in the front & the rear trailing arm stuff has been redesigned & is complete.

A buddy recently informed me of a local truck that was for sale. An extremely clean 1/2 ton LWB 67 Custom that’s seen very limited ownership & outdoor exposure. Meaning….. no rot, no damage. It also has better options vs. my truck (big back window 67, a/c, pwr steering). Both are sbc/auto trucks. Mine is 350/700R4, the truck in consideration has a 327/Powerglide.

Our thought was buy the LWB & swap the cab + front clip onto my ready to rock SWB frame & then paint the short-fleet bed I have to match. I would prob spend about 1K more for the LWB truck vs. doing the needed repairs to my parts, but it could be done relatively quickly. I could then take my old cab & swap it to the LWB frame & piece together a decent running truck for re-sale to offset the cost….. Possibly spending less than doing the repairs to my current stuff (I’m sure many of you are familiar w/projects that tend to snowball) while getting to enjoy it during the 'show' season.

Tic, tock….. A decision must be made.

[ebfabman]

Do it.............

[Zumo]

yeah yeah. Do it.

[Bishops Trucks]

Revive your ride!

[Brad]

The problem I see is that now you'll have 2 non-numbers matching trucks and sometimes that can be a problem when selling- unless you're going to part one out and keep one on the road.

[see ten]

Do it!

[ChevLoRay]

What's the bottom line gonna be? What are you going to do with the "left-overs". Is it going to be a marketable vehicle? Is that your intention?

I understand the idea of using the best you can find to do your restoration/restification. That's a no-brainer. But you have to weigh the costs involved in reaching your goal to know whether or not it's cost-effective.

[lolife99]

I agree,... do it. Some board members might even want to buy the remaining parts themselves. Sweet longbeds are still in demand. Also parting might save you some work and still net some cash!

[STP67-72]

Hey Scoti
I know how much you work and that is the big deal at this point. It was wrecked in 04 And is dying to get back on the road. I would say buy it, swap it, sell it and enjoy the one you have been working on. With the right equipment and help it could be swapped out on a saturday. Take a weekend off and do it. Get Kieth to help, since he doesn't have anything going on.
Good Luck.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Do it.....

[Painter D]

yeah i'd do it

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by STP67-72

Hey Scoti
I know how much you work and that is the big deal at this point. It was wrecked in 04 And is dying to get back on the road. I would say buy it, swap it, sell it and enjoy the one you have been working on. With the right equipment and help it could be swapped out on a saturday. Take a weekend off and do it. Get Kieth to help, since he doesn't have anything going on.
Good Luck.

[71swb4x4]

Do it!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Brad

The problem I see is that now you'll have 2 non-numbers matching trucks and sometimes that can be a problem when selling- unless you're going to part one out and keep one on the road.

Good point.
The engine & trans would be updated (thus non-original) to a re-freshed 350 & a built 700R4. Since those numbers won't match, I don't think a body swap would effect value as much as the overall quality of the vehicle.

The cab vs. frame ID would be where I could see problems if I were to sell off the lwb truck. I suppose I could make a trailer out of the lwb frame/bed to pull behind the swb truck .

[BigSky71]

Interesting thread Scoti. I agree with the others that you should do it. Maybe after your SWB is done and back on the road you will have the energy and time to pick away at fixing the other cab and doing the other repairs on the bent truck.

I am keeping my eye out for some truck parts right now to do a similiar thing. If I could find a decent cab and doors I could put all my other spares together and make a nice LWB 2wd truck to sell.

As a sidenote, does anyone ever actually check the frame vin vs. the cab vin? Montana has no inspections, so not a worry up here, but do they check that sort of thing in the annual inspections [emissions/safety test]?

[Hart_Rod]

What ya waitin for????????

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by BigSky71

Interesting thread Scoti. I agree with the others that you should do it. Maybe after your SWB is done and back on the road you will have the energy and time to pick away at fixing the other cab and doing the other repairs on the bent truck.

I am keeping my eye out for some truck parts right now to do a similiar thing. If I could find a decent cab and doors I could put all my other spares together and make a nice LWB 2wd truck to sell.

As a sidenote, does anyone ever actually check the frame vin vs. the cab vin? Montana has no inspections, so not a worry up here, but do they check that sort of thing in the annual inspections [emissions/safety test]?

Not until there's a crime involved. I feel confident I would be ok on re-sale as long as I posess both titles and/or I'm up front about the body swap.

[Boog]

So you feel sure the frame isn't bent? Sounds like it was hit from both ends and the bed was pushed into the cab so I would be suspicious. If you do buy the long truck you have the option of using that frame with matching cab and just shortening the frame to a shortbed.

[N2TRUX]

Get Keith to help, since he doesn't have anything going on.

That might be rather hard since he is on his way to merry old England on Monday.



Is there a reason why you should NOT do it? Don't analyze it, do it.

[corn]

Us longbed guys are just sitting here, biting our lips.

[slammed1]

I say go for it.with so many how to threads on this board alone you are armed with the items you need to start that kind of project and have capable peopel giving advice and even pictures and parts lists along the way. This conversion is becoming rather popular and places have frame stiffner/supports for when the frame is sectioned.Nice shape longbeds dont bother me and would cut everyone down to a SWB but a few are in dire need fo be shortened.

[SCOTI]

So you feel sure the frame isn't bent? Sounds like it was hit from both ends and the bed was pushed into the cab so I would be suspicious. If you do buy the long truck you have the option of using that frame with matching cab and just shortening the frame to a shortbed.

Yes, I'm confident my swb frame is ok. The impact was a low speed impact (we were bothing pulling away from a red light), but the other driver (87yr old woman) panicked & hit the gas. She would have only hit the pass side tailight area. But once she floored it, she drove all the way down the side of the truck destroying all the sheetmetal as she went.

I say go for it.with so many how to threads on this board alone you are armed with the items you need to start that kind of project and have capable peopel giving advice and even pictures and parts lists along the way. This conversion is becoming rather popular and places have frame stiffner/supports for when the frame is sectioned.Nice shape longbeds dont bother me and would cut everyone down to a SWB but a few are in dire need fo be shortened.

I would only be swapping the cab/front clip. The lwb frame would get reassembled & sold as another truck w/my 'old' parts.

[Bob 68327]

I say try the lwb you might like it !!!!!!

[PBFAB.COM]

With all this time you've wasted "thinking about it"... you could've had the LWB truck blown apart by now!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

With all this time you've wasted "thinking about it"... you could've had the LWB truck blown apart by now!

Not true. I posted this thread last night & then got 5hrs of sleep. Since that time, I've been @ work (I'm still @ work). I did take a 1hr lunch to go look @ it in the day-light today though.

I was supposed to complete my 'pre-assembly' of my SBC Dropmember today. I'm taking it in for powder-coating Mon or Tues if I can get away from work long enough.