Ok, so I have this crazy idea of melding several trucks into one. I have never seen an early to mid 70s Dodge extended cab, short box 3/4 ton pickup. I had a friend in Texas that had an early 90s example, but I like the older ones. If I take a 3/4 ton standard cab long bed, and swap the cab for an extended cab, and the bed for a short box, will it work? It seems the frame of the extended cab short bed is the same as the standard cab long bed. Am I off base here?

Thanks

j

 

If I follow you you want a truck that looks like mine except 4x4....If that is the case the wheel base is a little bit longer than a Standard cab, long bed.

 

Something like that. I doesn't have to be a 4X4, just a 3/4 ton. I like the older body style, hense coming up with this crazy plan

j

 

You may have to make up some new mounts on the frame to attach the bodywith the ex-cab. same thing with the front of the short bed. You will have to find someone (like your friend) take some measurements (or see if you can) for you and see how it compairs to your truck.

Anything is posible. Lengthening a frame, swapping one whole body for another, etc.

 

If you are looking to buy a donor vehicle we could maybe talk a price out....haha

 

If you weren't all the way across the country, I might take you up on that

j

 

Interesting, I might have to look into that. I'd have to convince the GF it is a good idea tho

j

 

Ex-cabs and reg-cabs have the same mounts til you get to the end of the cab. That is where the frame will be different. If you have the space, you will need some 1/8 or 3/16 steel and need to cut/weld/bend your on mounts that will need to be welded to the frame for the cab to sit on.


It is not hard, but can be time consuming and take a lot of measuring and leveling. The frame must be square and straight before and after you cut and again once you have everything welded back up.

If I were you, I'd do a lot of research on how differen the frames are between the two trucks and see if it is something that you want to tackle or is it something that you will just have to look harder for.

You do know that most 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton frames are the same and that it is just a matter of swapping suspensions and boxing in the frame to make the 1/2 tons as strong (if not stronger) than the 3/4 tons.

The frames between my 78 D200 and 85 D100 were simular minus the D200 was a long bed and the D100 was a short bed. Throw in a full floating D60 rear, some HD coils up front and HD springs w/overload springs out back and you wouldn't know the difference.

 

Sounds like it could be a fun project ifyou get all your ducks in a row

 

I found a 72 w200 4 speed real cheap but it was reg cab snd i couldnt get a title but i found a 73 d100 club cab long bed auto and put thst cab on mine the front mounts are the same but a short bed wont fit cause of wheel base but i cut the mounts off of the d100 frame and put em on the w frame the clutch pedals installed easy and then the floor board was outlined where i needed to cut and you have to take a frame crossmember out of the regular cab frame cause it humps up in middle but the extended cab has one under the cab you can rob but you have to cut the rivits out and just change it its pretty easy but im leaving the axle in place and getting a flatbed and ill put pics up wen i learn how and im still doing build

 

Wile the 150 & 250 frames look identical the 250 / 3/4 tons use heavier gauge steel

 

The club cab frame is the same thickness as a 1ton. Even the 100 . I have all the deminsions if you need. Have the factory spec sheets for all dodge trucks. Just my 2 pennies worth

 

My ClubCab 200 frame is thinner than my CrewCab one ton & all of my 100's (RC,std & Club) all seem to have a thinner gauge frame than my 200's (std or Club)

I have all the specs also as well & roughly 10 different trucks to look at at any given time two cents