Extended Cab Swap

[adam2kgt]

Okay, this may sound crazy, but I am kicking around the idea of swapping an extended cab body onto my 1988 regular cab, long bed truck. I did some estimations based on wheelbase differences, and I would have to cut about 11 to 12 inches out of the front of the bed. I have a great body guy who has done a similar thing with a crew cab body on a 99 F-350 off-road truck, think Sport-Trac on steroids! Relocating a few things, such as gas tank and filler, are no problem, probably going to switch to a newer F-150 gas door to run a billet door. Sound feasible, and has anybody done it or seen it done?

 

[Mark_88]

I was going to do the exact same thing...it can work and it can be done...

But...you would need to also notch the cab where the frame rises up...and possibly weld channels into it...again...can be done...and moving the rear mounts back is not a problem either...but it is a lot of work.

Putting the extended cab on a Bronco frame is a bit easier and much less cutting...you don't even have to notch the floor of the cab...just a small section near the wheel wells...

The reasons I didn't do this were my cab was in such good shape that I didn't want to mess with it...and I really like the longer box...

If you've got the time and money and someone who knows what they're doing...go for it...but take plenty of pics if you can and post it as a tech bulletin...that's what I was working on at one point when my computer crashed...lost all the pics...

 

[adam2kgt]

If I do, I will definitely post everything up! It will be a summer project, right now I'm stuck in Arkansas for my wife's job, and all my resources are back at home in Kentucky. Notching the cab won't be too big of a deal. I had a shortbed Ranger before, and I didn't need any additional space in the bed. However, I am now married and traveling a lot, so the extra interior room would be a big help. I don't want a longer wheelbase though, I love the look of the shorter beds! If everything works out, this summer will be the time for a 4.0 swap, the body change, and an 8.8 swap!

 

[Mark_88]

Sounds like a good project...I was more concerned about getting the vehicle ready ASAP (that was four years ago...lol) so I took the shortest route at the time...

I liked my short frame too...but the regular cab is not big enough for me so I tried other options...like removing the back wall...I actually have pics of that somewhere...and put a convertible top on the back end...it was nice in the summer...but I have no bum now because I froze it off driving that in the winter...too much space to heat in a Canadian -30* Winter...

Here are some pics...don't laugh...I'm sensitive about this period of my life...lol!

 

[adam2kgt]

I have to admit, I chuckled at the pics, but only because I have considered similar things in my time. Like to idea of boxing in the back of my 85 Toyota 4Runner to make a 2-door, pickup sorta thing. It was a cool idea, just never came out the way I expected or intended. Call it being young and dumb.