So I think the very first thing I'm going to do on Abby is shorten her. A 154" wheel base makes for a very big truck, (not to mention its a couple feet past that) and this unfortunately makes it more inconvenient to use, meaning I would drive it a lot less. I plan to shorten it up and make a custom step-side bed for it. Large trucks done like this just look wicked to me. So before I can properly make the bed or anything else, I'll need to figure out how much shorter of a wheel base I want as well as doing that first. I am thinking of going off of the long bed wheel base length of 118", however thats not set in stone, I'll need to take a few pictures when it gets down here and photoshop it till I've got it where I want it. I figure if I change my mind, again, and want to swap out the chassis the bed will be the same as well because I'd swap to a large 4x4. However I am thinking with it being shorter and not having 9000#s on the back of it, it will drive just like any other old truck. So my question is more of whats involved on shortening these larger trucks. By the look of the rear suspension I have 2 sets of leaf springs per side and I can only see two small bolts holding each perch on. I figure I will need to get everything measured and then re-drill the holes and move it forward, then shorten the drive shaft accordingly. However, I do know that the F-600 has an area above the axle that is shorter than the rest of the frame. It seems to bolt on past this on either side however, so I am thinking it is manly for "bottoming out" reasons, only an inch or two shorter. I know some people cut the frames and then reweld it, using a fissure plate. I do not have a welder currently that can weld this thick of a steel as solid as would be needed. The 600s have thicker frames, its not just a standard frame. This would be something I would have to pay someone else do to, and I have no idea what that would run (anyone want to venture a guess or know?) I am thinking it would be better to just redrill the frame, but it's not something I've done before. It seems simple enough but I would hate to get half way through it and realized I've done something really stupid. I know a couple people on here have done this and I would love to hear from them, especially if its been done on a big truck. I'm getting closer to doing this and would like to gather as much information about doing so before I do. Nothing worse than crippling your truck and running out of money to fix it, lol! I'll post a couple pictures I managed to take while up there, still waiting on getting it down (sigh, only been since February! And I searched since the May 2008 for a '56) And just out of curiosity for other big truck owners, any idea what the price of tires run on these?
Couple pictures: These pictures are quite larger on my computer so I can get a closer shot of anything if needed. By the looks of it only the bottom leaf springs are attached and the other brace looking part is more of a stopper. It also looks like they didn't attach after the indentation, meaning it would raise the rear up a little bit. Not something I see as a problem.
The steels about 1/4" thick though (to my knowledge), if its not enough she'll split in two, lol. Mine is a little wanr to do that strong enough for me to trust it right now, a new welder in on my list of things to buy, but it will be a little bit.
If you are going to make a bobtail flatbed out of it you will probably never put enough weight on it to bottom it out if you slide the whole suspension assembly forward. If it bottoms out you could always C notch the frame over the axle later. If you decide to cut it to shorten it, you might think about doing the cutting and fitting at home and weld it up enough to get to a welding shop to have welded up proper. You would want to overlap the rails about a foot though an not butt weld them together. This is jacked from another forum but shows the general concept although the measurements and reference points will be different. Years ago when I lived in Texas and was building my T bucket I would tack things together with my 50.00 Wards welder and then haul them up the street to have my buddy weld them up right. I did the cutting and fitting and he did the real welding. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
Multi-pass your welds. You don't need 1 big gorilla weld to get it. Just try to bevel enough to get full penetration and then build from there. That's the way I code weld all day long (boring lol). Good luck!
Mr48chev's method is superior from an engineering standpoint but if you stick your head under enough flatbeds and straight trucks, you'll find a high percentage have shortened/lengthened frames. Single vertical cut with diamond shaped plates laid over the butt weld. No overlap in the OE rails or fancy step cuts. I figure if it's good enough for a working truck it's good enough for a cruise nighter. BTW, I would use my lincoln 135 mig that runs on household current to weld a 1/4" frame with 2 sided access. And wouldn't even think twice. Dunno what your welder is or your skills, but be aware you might just need the right visitor to run the equipment you got. good luck PS- Mr48chev, great sig line!
i agree with shify on the butt weld both sides and plates welded over them will be fine , the GMC truck dealer here does that all the time. however , i would suggest more than a 110 welder...that frame is thick and you will need some power to get good penetration
Yes, when welding those truck frames like that.....cut the way the guy has that sketch.....tack it really good in 6 places.....front to back, top to bottom......staggering it around on each side.......If your not 100% trusting of your welds....get someone that has some experience......You don't wanna trust your ass sliding down the interstate at 70 on your frame and your rearend is 2 miles back. After welding.......smooth the outside of the frame down with a 60 grit flapwheel on a 4 1/2 grinder, then weld on a 3" x 8" cheek plate tie'ing the welded sections together on the side......Do this both sides......and start driving that ROD!!!!!!!!
So cutting the frame seems to be the way to go. I suppose the section to take out then would be after it reaches the full width. From what I've been told else where the back is riveted on and not bolted, so I'd have to get new bolts anyways, so cutting and welding it seems an easier way to go, lol I just don't want to find it breaking on me. I'm a blacksmith so metal work is pretty easy for me, I just don't want to find out that I should have had more penitration than my current welder could deliver. Thanks for teh advise, keep it coming!
You could get an old 220v stick welder and make good welds on that. Clean the weld area good, put some bevel on the weld prep from both sides and weld it up. You do not need a big MIG welder, but a 220v welder is better to use.
this is what I did on my 57; http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319393&highlight=chevy
Ah thanks for that, very cool and helpful! I think you're right about getting a stick welder, I may just look into that. Though I might end up just waiting so I can buy what I really want too, lol... or just see if I can find a friend locally with one. Unfourtantly I think I'll still have to pay someone to do the driveshaft, mainly because I don't have a metal lathe right now and I have a feeling cutting it without one is going to make for a bad idea. I can't imagine this taking more than a couple days to do, lol hopefully.
I cut 4 feet out of a big truck frame, cut on an angle. Pix in an album in my profile. Truck was (is) a '37. Now has a Jag front end and a 9" rear on parallel leafs.
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