"Stretch" the wheelbase on a shortbox box. Ive been looking for a long box for my truck to bob but theres nothing out there, I found a few short boxes going for cheap and got to thinking, would moving the wheel wells back be any more difficult that bobbing a long box?

Heres a comparison pic of a long and short box



Anyone ever done this? Do you think theres enough room to push the wheel wells back about 10" (112" wheel base vs 102" wheel base) on the short box? or is it gonna end up being too short? Im thinking its gonna be about the right length!

 

the hardest part, would be hiding the seam where you weld them together. we have done similar things to our trucks. the front of the bed comes apart easy. you will need to get an extra short box doner to make it easier. cut the very front most edge off of the box you will be using. then use the doner box, and cut it back the extra length you want, or need for the long box. you can do a couple of different ways to make your seam for rewelding them back together. one, you can cut the doner box 3/4, or 1 " longer then needed, and use a flanging tool, to make a recessed flange, so it will fit under the new box ( or rather behind it) , then weld it up, no more than an inch at a time to help prevent warping. or do what i did, and just cut an extra 1" strip, and lay it behind the seam as you weld it back together.( cut the bed floor, and top rail, so they will butt together, flanging it would be impossible . i used a small piece of angle iron from a bed frame to hold the bed top rails together, worked great while welding, and fitting it together. good luck, it is only metal, made to be bent, and shaped) i assume you are doing this for a wheeling project, and not a show rigg. so it shouldnt have to look factory, though with patience you can allmost do it. i have done this with a sawsall, and a plasma cutter, either will work. i hope it is ok, to show a link to my home page, www.bodydamageinc.com check out seans truck, it started out as a 2 whl drive extended cab long bed. and now is a 4x4 monster. longest wheel base in the club. it just got finished this week.

 

Get a hold of Corey--aka slacker- he is not too far from you, he just did something like that for a long bed trekker he is buidling for a customer..

 

move the bed back to where it needs to sit, cut the front off & install a toolbox or something to cover the gap. find something pretty to stick on the sides...like stacks...

 

I thought about that but I want the truck to be nice and short, Having trouble finding a good shortbed now anyway, Might be back to step one and build something, cant find any tubing though.. buying new is ridiculous, No way im putting down 1200-1500 on an imported box either, its gonna get bobbed and trashed on the trail anyway, the whole point was to find a cheaper alternative to building something with tube.

 

well, if your just going to wheel it, your going to bob it rt? if so, just bolt it down over the wheel wells, and take the part you bobbed off, and add it to the front, with some creative bracing, throw some mud on it, rub it on some tree's, and call it good.

 

Thing is I cant find a shortbox now.. .

 

yeah .. I wouldnt put a new bed on yours either .. wouldnt be worth it .

to bad though .. I just tossed a long bed from another unit I did into the junk pile , probably would have been good for you to use .

 

Darn, Too far away for me anyway.

Found another shorty yesterday but dont you just love it when people put something forsale and dont pick up the phone or answer emails?

 

Yeah, that's awful nice of them, eh?