Slick 60's

Has anyone tried a long box to short box conversion on a unibody?

I'm sure someone somewhere has done it, but it's certainly not for the inexperienced, or feint hearted.

Shortening of the frame is a fairly straight forward procedure, all the voodoo is in the sheetmetal work:)

Pretty sure it requires removing length beteen the B Pillar & the axle centerline, as sell as behind the axle centerline.

BUT, unlike the '64 thru '66 Styleside boxes, the bodyline on the Uni's has a slope in in it, which means if you use the conventional method of removing a vertical section to remove length, the body line on the box panels will no longer line up. This will take some significant slicing & dicing to correct.
And, if you search, you will find a post where someone on here tried to use the LWB Tail Light Extension panels on a SWB Uni to replace a rusty/damaged one. They got it done, but again, slicing & dicing of the extension panels was required to get the sloping bodyline, which runs into the TL Extension panels to line up with the line on the box panels.

That's the short version, if you've not been scared off yet, we could delve deeper, but I'm done typing for now....

James

James, thanks for the reply. I have a lead on a long box if it pans out I will look into the shorting idea.
Mitch

Mitch: Not saying it can't be done, but it is a lot of work, so if it's a short box you want, I would look until you find one in a condition you can live with.....it will ultimately be back on the road that much sooner than one where you have to spend all that time shortening it on top of all the usual stuff one has to deal with on 50 plus year old vehicles........

James

The body line would really make it a tough job....

Do you know what I would do if I was you? and I think it would be much easier and look good.

Cut the back off the cab, extend it back 18 inches or so into the box, make the truck a super cab (still 2 door) either use it for storage back there or push it back further and use buckets up front with a narrow bench in back.

Here is going to be the real issue...do some photo shop pics to see if it looks right. Because making the rear wheel well look correct in relation to the extended cab will be the real trick ..

Although Personally ...Mike has proved that if you drop a long box uni low, with the right stance... it looks as good as any short uni...