Posted by Caleb in Manhattan KS [70.184.232.53] on Wednesday, April 08, 2015 at 14:37:22 :
Been discussing this with the wife... My '01's body has the cancer and it's progress has started to accelerate and I badly need more passenger space. At the same time, I have put enough cash into rebuilding various parts of it that it really isn't worth trying to sell and I am at a point in my life where a car loan is up the list with herpes as something I DO NOT want to have...except maybe for something newer for the wife.
SO.....instead of buying a newer crew cab, I am considering just rebodying my 2500 with the Carryall body laying in the weeds. The biggest thought I have right now is that I know I need to cut around 2' out of the frame to get it to fit. I am also looking into building in 2 more doors on the Carryall without stretching the body...just looks kind of funny stretched.
My question is this: Has anyone shortened a frame on the 2000 ish trucks? I know it took a porta-power to expand the frame enough to drop the trans cross member when I rebuilt the tranny a couple of years ago. Am I going to be dealing with these "high strength" steels that require a specifically set up welder? Or would I be OK bracing the frame on each side of the cut to maintain the "spread" of the rails until they are welded back together and fish plated?
Thanks!!
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