taking two 50 chev trucks, and making a 4 door?

4389 Views 29 Replies 13 Participants Last post by [email protected], Aug 28, 2002

solowookie

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2002

ok guys I need a tow vehicle that I can seat 4 people, and I'd like it to be a truck so I can use gooseneck trailers...

well I got another 3/4 ton 48 chevy (5 window) that I can get for $350 - doesn't have a bed. I have a 1953 3 window cab I can get for free, and a caddy 472 that I can get for $200 that runs.

I'm kinda thinkin of combining the two cabs, leaving the bed pretty short, and only extending the frame if necessary to accomodate the gooseneck, and seeing what I can come up with.

is this idea insane?

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57Chevyman

· #2 · Mar 5, 2002

Not totaly insane but insane just the same. I can see the truck in my minds eye and it looks prety cool. Please keep in mind making the back doors is going to be a big deal. Maybe instead of making her a four door cab maybe you could build an extended cab. I know the job can be done because I saw where someone else built a tilt back or slant back truck using the same era chevy cab and making it a four door.

Good Luck

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 5, 2002

just kinda brain storming, but I need a tow rig... other then my time invested I think I could do the project for pretty cheap (and a few tools like a plasma cutter).

57Chevyman

· #4 · Mar 5, 2002

Of course anything to increase the tool collection

Paco

· #5 · Mar 6, 2002

saw a truck kinda like this, but it was a factory version..originally a four door fire truck. All they did was take two trucks and make a four door out of it. They used the the driver's side door for the passenger side rear door, and vice-versa for the other rear door. They were suicide rear doors. It appears they took one cab and turned it backwards and welded the two halves together basically. If I can locate that magazine, I'll get more info for you. It was a pretty smooth ride and was done using two trucks.

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 6, 2002

another thought I've had is to get two doors, and do similair to what you stated... cut the doors in half, and join the back half of the drivers side to the back have of the passengers side and vs. turning the cab backwards would make the roof joings easy and smooth, but you'd have to cut it again and fabricate the back of one of the cabs back on after it was sectioned etc. to fit in.

stuff to think on... this summer I'm going to assemble the parts, and then sit on it until I got my 50 truck done. if I still feel I can do this montrous undertaking after I finish that then I'll dig into it.

Phat

· #7 · Mar 6, 2002

Measure the cab. You have a pix of the white one i beleive.The AD cab doesnt like this deal very much.Its a hard one to pull off as the cab is a wedge.If this is your first Mig/plazma project i would do a rethink.the big guys have a real hard time with this one. I have only seen one that came close to looking OK and it was not all that great.Think i would look into a burb or panel(you could use a rusty one as the roof is the big deal,plus you will get a long frame) I bet a rusty panel truck would be a good start.But like i said get your welding and cutting skills in good working order before you try to pull this one off.Its a complete body build not just a little nip and tuck.Now that i think about it the panel with a donor rear panel really would be the way to go.You need to get a 3/4 or 1 ton frame anyway for the gooseneck.

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 6, 2002

ya know I never even thought of a burb... this is a project I was planning on doing without extending anything, just the caddy and a flatbed on a 48 3/4 frame with stock cab. as I got to thinkin I'm going to need to have 4 seats so I can take my family though.

I'm still going to assemble the parts, and then sit on it. worst case scenario is that I don't chop a cab up, and I still put a flatbed on the 48 3/4 ton frame with the caddy engine and have a 2 seater tow vehicle. I could either sell it, or maybe even trade it for a c series dullie or something? I don't know time will tell.

let just say that this isn't something I would even attempt to try and pull off right now.

jalopy45

· #9 · Mar 16, 2002

The fire trucks refered to were made mainly for the military in the late 40's and early 50's. They did reverse the back doors and mount them suicide style. They were usually on a 2 or 5 ton chassis.

Jim Weeks

· #10 · Mar 16, 2002

I saw a mint green truck like the one you described on an episode of the Trucks TV program that someone had built and boy was it cool. You might try going to truckstv.com and look thru the past episodes to see if you can find information on this.

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 16, 2002

thanks I'll have to check it out!

bigrick1969

· #12 · Mar 31, 2002

I have a 51 suburban & a delevery I will sell 1 of them or traid 4 frount end parts (sheet meatle)both bodys are missing fenders &hood im thinking about puting a door in pass side using back side of door frame on and cuting 2 doors and makeing them the size of the middle windo on pass side well just a tought

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 31, 2002

hmm... you got any pictures?

F-1Rodder

· #14 · Apr 4, 2002

Solo: I have seen this done in "Classic Trucks" magazine a year ago. It was a 50's chev truck, the model with the rear corner windows. The builder used 3 donor vehicles. The builder cut the cab behind the doors and grafted a second cab on behind that, including the door opening. He used the rear half of the second door and took a third door and cut it in half from top to bottom using the left side door on the right and vice versa to make the two rear doors generally square when welded to the first. He used the rear half of the door opening from the third cab as a door frame and grafted that on behind the first cab and front of the second from top to bottom to accomodate the newly fabricated rear doors. If you can pull this one off, you have my respect.

solowookie

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 5, 2002

don't worry if I can pull this one off I have my respect as well... LOL - this is one I would really like to pull off, but I think I'm going to get my current projects off my plate before I really contemplate this one again.

68stang_99

· #16 · Aug 14, 2002

Solo,
I am wanting to do the same thing. I hadn't found any info yet, but I have a few pics of extended cab and 4dr trucks of that model. I have a 50 1/2 ton that i am working on, and i have a parts truck that i had thought about making a 4dr truck out of. Let me know if you want those pics.

Madd Syntst

· #17 · Aug 14, 2002

from the movie ,"Field of Screams" If you build it, iut will run. I'm behind you. I'm truck nuts anyhow. I too ran it by my minds eye and got the green light from those little people who live in there. Cheap way to start is buy two plastic models of similar truck, have a quick beer or twelve and start with the glue!

68stang_99

· #18 · Aug 14, 2002

That's a good idea Madd. Since you mentioned it, I begin to wonder about those models. Are they to an exact scale. I mean to the point that I could pull measurments off of it. I have a model of a 1950 chevy 3100, just like my real truck and I was wondering I could pull measurement off of the frame. Let me know what you think.

[email protected]

· #19 · Aug 14, 2002

I am in the process of doing this as we speak!! Tore into my '53 5-window last month. It is stripped to the frame now. I have already extended the frame 1' and plan on cutting the bed 1' for room to make the 2' extended cab. I plan on using two door skins to extend the roof and extra doors to extend the sides. Only need the top square parts of the window frames of two more doors to finish off the filler doors. No need to split the whole door. Door skins are nearly the same shape as the roof sheet metal and a lot easier to manipulate than 2 cabs! Also, two more doors are cheaper than a whole 'nother cab and supplies the window frame corners and sheet metal. The floor will be extended with bent sheet metal - nothing sacred there. I am mounting the 235 to a 200R4 overdrive now but when that is done, the cab goes on the frame and I start cutting sheet metal! I'll take pictures as I go. I'm staying away from the 4 door concept. One, I don't particularly like the look and second, there needs to be some engineering done from the safety standpoint that I am too old and tired to do it!

I saw a 1 ton 4WD version of this truck and it was awesome. As with everything, if it is done right it looks right if not . . . . .

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68stang_99

· #20 · Aug 14, 2002

Please take lots of pictures, for this my just save me as well as other lots of trouble. I would greatly appreciate it!

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