I don't think it will ever look right. Not trying to throw cold water on it, I just hate to see a cab cut up to turn into something you might not finish or you regret. Trust me, I am 6'2" and 250# and I have been driving 35-36 pickups my whole life. They are cramped, but seat placement makes all the difference in the world. Mini van seats are cheap but they are of the devil. I have one in the Produce truck and it will cripple you in under 3 hours.
I found this 38 Chevrolet stretch cab that looks darn good to me. They did it 4" but I believe you could get away with 6". The pictures show where the cuts and welds were made. Excellent job! http://www.sandenocoachworks.com/1938-chevrolet-stretched-cab
You don't really notice the stretch on that 40 like you do on some trucks when the back of the cab is moved back.
I'm short so an extended cab isn't an issue but how about this idea? Use a V6 engine and push the firewall forward to get some more room.
I have hopes of doing something similar on my 49 Chevy if I ever get to it. I think I would try to cut the cab near the back of the door where the rounding of the roof is more involved, and then cut the other cab ahead of that to get your extension. I know some of the pros cut and build the doors first, but for a first time try, I think it would be better to do the cab first and fit the doors last. The reason I say this is because I think its going to be more difficult to get one thing (the roof) positioned to match three things (the doors and existing cab) than it would be to make one door fit one opening at a time. Just my opinion, but once the doors are fashioned it just seems that it would be harder to line everything up for the doors while keeping the roof in the needed alignment. Again, just my opinion. I like the extended door with out the quarter window behind it. Heck, I don't even like quarter windows on late model trucks......
Several years ago I had a customer have me build him a 35/40 chassis that was stretched 36 inches in the center, He was supposedly building a crew cab pu. Never heard a thing after I shipped the chassis?
I built my model A about 15 years ago. Stretched 4 inches in the middle of the doors, wheelbase stretched 4 inches, running boards stretched 4 inches. All else is stock. No chop, although I think the stretch makes the top look as though it might have a slight chop. I drew it up on graph paper, stretched behind cab without window and it was butt ugly. Same with window, as far as I my tastes go. This was the only stretch that appealed to me. That's how I did mine. Not my truck any longer.
Stretching a cab you say? There’s a lengthy proposition.[emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I will be working up subrails soon to stretch my '29 Model A closed cab pickup in the doors. This is for leg comfort, as well as the slight width gain that the taper of the cab shape will produce. I plan to drive the wheels off of it, so it has to be right. I have ridden in several stock ones, and cannot get comfortable. I did shrink when I broke my back, but I have stabilized. Since these are so compact to begin width, the stretch will get it into more proper proportions. The roof will be chopped, but just enough to get the top of the door glass even with the top of the windshield. That mismatch has always bothered me.
Here is a 40-47 Ford cab under construction. Doors have been stretched 6 1/2" and the cab widened 5" (6 1/2" in back to maintain the slight wedge shape). I think proportions would be better with 1-2" added behind the doors ... but I'm not that ambitious!
Nice work! I swear I'm going to do one of these. A friend has a 41 Chevy 3/4 ton he wants to get rid of. I'm really getting tempted.
I added 2' to the cab on my '53. I shortened the bed 1' and lengthened the frame 1'. Also lengthened the running boards using a second set.
Thanks, rockable. Lots of work, but it sure makes the cab more comfortable for cruising. Like your Plymouth.
Hard to forget seeing a pickup with stretched doors after the welds started to pop and the plastic had a crack top to bottom. I'd go for the reworked cowl if you need leg room. Bob
Easy solution to that: metal finish the seams, or make one-piece door skins. I have never seen a stretched pickup where it was lengthened in the cowl.
I've seen several with a couple inches behind the driver that where we'll done But that cab in post 101 looks so cool, like a bigger version maybe like a 1ton instead of half ton. Reminds me of something Ian Rousell did but I can't remember what. I went easy way and am doing a panel truck. Looks of a pickup from the front and plenty of room in cab and back.
Ya did good. Found it looking for 48-52 COE pics. I should be trading for a bunch of parts for one. Well, front end and doors, no cab. Was thinking about converting a regular cab. Don’t see why I couldn’t mount the doors and build that dog leg/cowl area to fit the pieces.
I'm sure you could. Having the doors to work off of is a huge plus. The COE cabs are basically the same as a regular truck aside from the lower front/floor.
The Jalopy Journal
