I ended up chopping the frame on my 1987 GMC 7000 to shorten it. This video helped convince me. Great work! I'm trying to decide between a flatbed or just a cab/chassis for towing. Mine will be more for work than show/fun, but it has been a fun build.
I plan on at least towing a trailer with mine gotta be able to pick up more projects somehow. Great to hear that yours in underway, in someways a flatbed might be more useful.
I have shortened two trucks and lengthened one truck, they were all used on my farm and hauled heavy loads for many years, I cut 2 and welded back together, I plated the inside of the frames using pieces of the cut out sections never had an issue the other truck I removed the rivets and slid everything forward and drilled new holes and boltted everything back together with grade 8 bolts that worked fine too but was a lot more work. If it was my truck I would plate the inside of the frame just for piece of mind.
Having done a few frames, what you did is nice. I would have rolled the axle forward and redrill the holes. If I was stretching the frame I would then cut it and at the frame splices would have a cross member and possibly double plated. That's a great truck you're working on. Enjoy
Looking forward to more c50 videos Roy, can't believe I missed this one. Damn, you got guts, you can do anything with whatever you have at the tiny garage
I just watched this,,while I’m looking for a nice c50-60 to use as a company truck, and I’m hoping you’re putting in a traditional flatbed! The whole pickup bed thing looks funny. Like a weird kids toy that doesn’t look right for some reason. Anyway- I’ll be watching. Hope it’s a cool vintage flatbed! 💯💪🏽
I had a 1968 C50. It was one of the best driving trucks I have owned. With the short wheelbase it was very easy to maneuver even without power steering. It was the local water truck from our town. I cut the tank off and put a flat bed on it
Dude, the shadow from your beard made it look like you were wearing a boom mic, and I thought, "Okay Sham-WOW, let's see what ya got. I love the C30s and 50s. I have a 68 C10. so I'm kind of partial to this gen C series.
I was lucky to find it. I’m thankful I did say I was going to get it. (originally I wasn’t…). love driving it around. I swear people recognize it here a bit too well.
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG please never get rid of it and don't let it go to some idiot when you pass on to car heaven! That is the truck that should never be wasted or put in a junkyard! Please keep posting videos this is the kind of content I enjoy!
@@carsoncolemanbm4 I will. My next step in repairing the box and the rear end. It’s a labour of love. Someone will get it, (after a very long time) and I’ll haunt them if they don’t!
Easy enough to sandwich a set of plates on each side bolted in to regain what was loss. I would attempt to put a pickup style bed on it instead of a flat bed. That big cab with a bed behind it would look sweet.
I didn’t cut my frame, I removed the rivets from the leaf spring hangers, slid everything forward and then re-drilled and bolted the leaf spring hangers, then cut the excess frame off the back
Everyone: Why did you shorten it? Roy: Because I can :) Also, I wouldn't drive anything that I welded together :). I have some man skills but I wouldn't trust my life to most of them.
hey for inspection it is better to move forward than to cut, anything after the rear wheels they don't really care but before they care a lot XD. awesome truck mate.
So far so good, it was my second choice but the easiest and it drives really well, I do want to box that 20" section of the frame. Thanks for stopping by
Seeing spots, seriously. Don't you use a screen to shoot your welding jobs? I had to cover my phone screen with my hand. I'll say though I like the concept of shortening the frame. Now I want to do this, add a leveling kit and turn it into a four wheel drive after turning the rear end into a single axle. It would make a great hunting truck. Hmmmmm, maybe a cab over? Definitely a GM vehicle.
Sorry I did not use a filter back then, if I do welding in the future I'll remember that =) If you are looking to do the build you are talking about, drop the cab on a 4X4 chassis.
It way easier moving axles forward. Me and gramps put a bed on the truck to find the axels locations placement, once done we popped the rivets and got it done
It was an option, except I would have had to find different spring hangers because of the shape of the frame. But that was the preferred method that I originally wanted to do.
Why not cut the rivets, move forward, drill new holes, re- bolt axle, and chop off the back. No worries about bad welds, one side being longer than the other causing it to run dog legged down the road.
The way the frame is shaped at the back where the spring hangers go, it wouldn't allow me to slide it forward on the frame, with some cross measuring got the frame straight with no dog tracking. Would an explanation video help?
exelente camión Chevrolet Delos años 60tas . Lindo modelo este .un amigo tuvo uno de estos mismos en los años 90 tas lo usaba para trasladar madera y troncos es una exelente máquina está estable y firme no se bien cuál era su capacidad de carga pero cargaba lo suficiente para trabajos de campo y traslado de animales en sectores rurales me parece genial que los sigan restaurando y arreglando mecánicamente estos vehículos clásicos de trabajo son geniales siempre.chevrolet historia por muchas décadas exelentes vehículos siempre .además de este hermoso camión la camioneta Silverado de los años 70tas y años 80 tas es mi vehículo favorito y obio este camión icono de Chevrolet eso saludos desde chile y felicitaciones por conservar estos camiones de Chevrolet eso
I am not sure of the c50 frame, but most heavy/medium duty trucks have high-strength steel that should not be welded to..you might want to do some research on that. You might need to rivet it back together. I just put my cab on a dodge motorhome chassis, the widow-maker wheels were not ok.. Truck looks great with the short wheel base. Nice project.
I did my research, and it's not uncommon for frames to be lengthened or shortened, in my case, the truck will never see heavy duty use. I still have a few more things to do on it, but I appreciate the comment and also I am looking to change the wheels. Thanks for watching more on the c50 to come.
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG I have a e450 and it still has a mild steel frame. I don't know what the C50 has. Welding on them will create cracks over time is what I recall. Most people double wall the weld area and not just but weld like I think you've done. The frame is overkill in your case most likely so yeah probably ok. Look forward to more videos, thanks!
Can't believe you didn't use the cut out sections to double over the welds. That's kinda S.O.P. for frame resections. Still time to do it before you put the bed on it.
im hoping it'll be easy to do on my 93 e350 van its 138 inch wheel base and i want to put a 1950 chrysler newyorker (125.5 inch wheel base) on its frame for a fun pulling rig
It was my first plan, but the frame tapers and I would have had to put a different set of hangers and leaf springs. And did not have the budget in 2020 to make that happen
Curious what kind of wheels you got on there. They don't look like the original. I've got one with the center split rims and probably need to replace at some point but there don't seem to be many options.
I have 66 chevy c 50 dump truck in Georgia I like it but no one I find want to help me to continue enjoying it I keep insurance tag every year hoping I can enjoying it again I'm heritages from my father husband both deceased
Personally, I wouldn’t cut it because you can always get a flatbed that’s that long and that extra space in the front you could have a toolbox an extra tank a.k.a. a barrel and those trucks are relatively cheap on diesel if you get the diesel engine because it’s hell if you need gasoline.
No there is no template, so when I went to cut it, I didn't have any information. If you watch more on my boxing the truckI give more information about the length.
I got the idea from a kit you buy to shorten a long box chassis into a short box chassis and they make those templates to cut the frame in that fashion, but I could have done an angle. In the update #7, I explain more on why I did this the way I did.
Why cut the frame in the middle when you could of slide the rear end forward then cut the tail off the frame that's a little more work than it needed to be but that's my thoughts nice rig
I agree with you, this was a had to after several weeks of consultation with others. I don't plan to haul anything heavy, and the most would be in the bed of the truck.
the frame will never be the same moving axle forward would be stronger .. not,, to say,, your welds,, or fab work .. not strong... but.. its correct to move axle forward..
The crossmember wasn't needed after shortening it, and I wasn't planning on fishplating the chassis because it creates a rust point, but I may consider boxing that section for strength if needed.
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG I thought so, the past year or so, I’ve got to work/communicate with quite a few of your countrymen, I’ve gotten to where I can recognize the accent pretty well.
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG Not great or terrible on the insurance. You are required by the insurance company to have commercial insurance regardless of how it will be used, but my liability, and uninsured motorist is around $360 a year from progressive. I have a multi-policy discount because I have 2 motorcycles and around 5 cars with them, but you can expect around $400 per year even without those discounts. I also have a spotless record and I am almost 60... if you are hanging onto your license by a fingernail due to tickets.... well there are many things that can drive that price up. :)
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG What you have made here is basically the cab part of a tractor trailer rig. That is why I suggested to just put a 5th wheel on it. The easiest way to make money with it is to make a 2 deck car hauler , and contract with car dealers to haul cars. A flat lower level with a drop down upper level will allow you to load 4-6 cars depending on length. dealers buy several cars at auction, and they have to get them home somehow. Optionally, you could leave a cargo box for people to pack to move their house, and just pick it up and deliver it to be unloaded. Mine is strickly for personal use / non-commercial. :)
@@RoyMarkosGarageRMG thanks for info . it was on property that i bought . sat for 12 years , changed carb and cleaned points , got it running ! drove it home with no brakes , took 1 gallon for 5 miles ! lol . lots of rust but its big and cool .
The frame rail has a different shape at the back so I wouldn't have been able to use the stock hangers. Would have cost more money and taken more time, I would have loved to have done it that way
