Crew cab, short bed, half ton, 4wd project idea. Input requested.

[rumblebox]

I have a single cab long bed 75 K10 and an 81 crew cab c20, and the idea is to stretch and cut the frames on both trucks to put the crew cab on the 75, and cut it down to a short bed. I've heard that it's easier just to start out with a four wheel drive frame than to try and convert a 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive.

My reasoning:
1. Crew cab - I can actually take the kids off-roading.
2. short bed for clearance, parking, and cosmetic reasons
3. 12-bolt & D44 would get me decent gas mileage with an EFI 6.0 or 5.3 swap.

I'm really debating between just selling them both and buying a crew cab k20 to save myself most of the work and just cut it down for a short bed.

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[rumblebox]

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[kleedus]

bad idea to cut and splice the two different frames. the crew cab as a thicker frame and a taller frame under the cab. bad idea in my opinion.

strip the frames down swap the 4x4 engine cross member and spring hangers onto the crew frame. if you have the ability to splice the frames then swapping those parts should be easy.

and you can cut the crew frame to a short bed. I did it to my crew cab some details in my build thread.

 

[donmateo]

Could be an interesting project. CC 4wd aren't particularly easy to find. I think it might be easier to be patient and find one though.

 

[rumblebox]

I was under the impression that only the one ton had the taller frame, and everything else has a 6 inch frame with minor thickness differences, no?

I knew the frame mods for the short bed were pretty easy. Don't you just cut 14 inches off the front, 6 inches off the back, move the crossmember forward one set of holes, switch to a smaller gas tank, and all the other obvious stuff?

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[kleedus]

the c 20 crew cabs used he same frames as the c30 1 tons.

if you can find a 4x4 it will be the easiest way but if not converting the c20 to 4x4 is the next best thing to do. a lot better than cutting and splice the 2 different frames.

it a lot of work but it is not really that hard. its all a matter of either waiting to find a 4x4 or just build yours.

I am the type of guy that hates to wait if I can't find what I want I build it.

I do have a 4x4 crew for sale but I live in rock springs wyo
I would let it go for 2,000
or if interested I have a idea for this truck but I would not use the frame so I would sell just the frame

 

[rumblebox]

Another question then: Aside from hubs and extra leaf springs, do K10's and K20's share 4wd components necessary for the swap?

Minus the trans, since I'm going with an OD unit and probably an NP208.

 

[kleedus]

basic answer yes

you will need the engine cross member and front spring hanger brackets as well as the rear shackle mounts for the springs. 4x4 transmission and t case and cross member.

it would be best to find 81 to 87 4x4 donor the frames are different on a 80 and older. if you get a 81 to 87 you can change the whole front spring mount and it would be a bolt on one less thing to measure. or at least find the front spring hangers from a 81 to 87 with the core support mount. the rest of the parts don't matter they are the same. I could help with the front mounts I got a few I am parting out.

another bonus to getting a 81 to 87 frame measuring everything would be easier as they have common holes in the frame you could measure from.

helpful hint do not destroy your donor until you are done so you can go back and measure on it where everything mounted.


2 wheel drive to 4x4 is a controversial project most people say find a 4x4 frame. cause its a lot of work to convert. but a 4x4 crew is not easy to find or cheap most times. as long as you do it right its not that hard.

another issue you might run into is the t case hitting the floor but not always I have converted one many years ago and had no problems with it hitting the floor but it was a 4 speed cab it had the high hump floor

 

[rumblebox]

After finding out that the crew cab C20 uses the same frame as the C30, now I'm tempted just to make it a dually, slam it, find a crew cab 4 wheel drive to mess with instead, and give the K10 to my brother.

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[kleedus]

lowered dually looks sweet I have one of them as well

 

[rumblebox]

What square body DON'T you have? Lol

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[Georgeb]

What sqare body DON'T you have? Lol

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From the background of that pic it looks like a li'l Square body ranch.

 

[kleedus]

well I no longer have a 2 wheel drive suburban I parted it out and scrapped it.

and I am not sure I can call my 2 wheel drive blazer a blazer anymore with the sub roof and barn doors on it.

and I don't have a 4x4 long bed single cab anymore

 

[fussfeld]

Can't you just put the crew cab on the single cab frame and shorten the box? Or weld extentions to the rear of the frame? Seems much easier than shortening the frame.

Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRdpinR-m7Q

i've always found that truck to be inspiring. Ok, maybe not the tractor tires.