1971 Chevrolet C20 Longbed - Shortbed Conversion - A Little Outta The Middle

After removing the 1-foot section out of the frame, the rear cab mount brackets need to be moved rearward by the same amount to realign with the cab bolts. The original mounts are riveted to the frame and need to be drilled out or chiseled off to remove them.

After realigning the front and rear frame sections and making certain that everything is in place and square, the seams are welded together. Once again, this is not a job for a beginning welder. If you are uncertain of your abilities, seek professional help.

Early Classic offers these trick frame supports to help brace the center of the chassis. Custom-formed from 3/16-inch steel to exactly fit the odd inside dimension of the frame, these inserts will be welded in place to help support the center of the chassis after it has been re-welded.

After welding both the inner and outer seams, the guys at ECE grind off and smooth the outside of the frame. It is imperative that the inside of the frame be welded for added strength, if you plan on smoothing the outside surface. The ECE frame support can be seen in the background.

The new holes are marked exactly 12 inches behind the old ones and drilled. Caution needs to be taken here to prevent drilling into any wiring, or brake and fuel lines.

The mounts are bolted up in the new holes. They can also be welded in place on the frame, if you so choose.

During this whole ordeal, the guys at ECE decided to relocate the fuel tank from behind the seat to the rear framerails. The company's 22-gallon tank is made from puncture-resistant 16-gauge stainless steel and will never rust or corrode. They also installed a trailer hitch and this crossmember (inset) to solidify the rear portion of the frame. If you are interested in towing with your truck, all of these parts are available from ECE.

Here is the truck back on the ground ready for the sheetmetal.

It's Bed Time
Here you go, one bed in a box! For years now, a clean '67-'72 GM Fleetside shortbed has been one of the hardest items to find. To make life a little easier, Early Classic now offers this '68-'72 shortbed kit that comes with virtually everything needed to install. For less than 3 grand, you can add a brand-new bed to your truck.

To begin the assembly process, the bed sides are bolted to the headgate to from the front of the bed. The bottom lip of the headgate is slightly lower on the wood floor, compared to the steel floor. While it is possible to modify a steel floor headgate to fit the wood, most original headgates have sustained some type of damage over the years and need to be replaced.

The back of the bed is held together by the rear cross sill, which also serves as the rear mounting ledge for the oak wood planks.

After bolting the four corners of the bed together, the entire assembly is diagonally measured and squared up before proceeding. Failure to align the box properly will cause an untold number of headaches later in the assembly process.

The guys at ECE use stainless mounting hardware in their kit, and to prevent the threads from galling, they require a small amount of anti-seize lubricant. With the bolts lubed, the wheeltubs are set in place and tightened down (inset). Since both the longbed and shortbed used the same wheeltub, you may be able to reuse your factory tubs, depending on their condition.