C30 crew cab frame vs cab and chassis frame

[Jack Boyett]

Facebook marketplace just came up with a '85 C30 crew cab nearby for sale for fairly cheap. It's a manual so it has the extra benefit of the hydraulic clutch. I have a '82 cab and chassis K30 that I bought for a farm truck project a few months ago. I would prefer a crew cab but as you know K30 crew cabs are too much $$$$ and everything you read about 2wd to 4wd conversion says don't bother.

How about this idea --- The wheelbase on a C30 crew is only 5" longer than a cab and chassis single cab. Where is this 5" located? What would be involved with lengthening the cab and chassis frame 5" and putting the crew cab body on my cab and chassis frame?

 

[Craig 85]

I found this online. If you click on the link for the page it has details diagrams of the trucks.

For the pickups, the 131.5" wheelbase is the regular longbed; the 135.5" and 159.5" are cab-and-chassis models. The Crew/Bonus cabs had a 164.5" wheelbase with or without the bed.

http://brochures.slosh.com/dimensions/

 

[bucket]

Crew cabs have a much longer wheelbase than a cab+chassis truck.

Here's a crew cab sitting on a C30 cab+chassis frame:

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[bucket]

Ah, I forgot about the longer wheelbase available in the C&C trucks like Craig pointed out.

 

[Jack Boyett]

Yeah, I've got the one with the 159.5" wheelbase. I was hoping maybe it would be as simple as cutting out 5" from the straight frame section behind the gas tanks of the C30 and putting it into the K30. Then maybe moving the body mounts from the C30 over to the K30.

 

[akchevrolet]

if you figure this out would like to see pics from what you do.

 

[Haydenh]

Cody, Did you ever go any further with this project idea? I'm curious if you found anything out because I have a 159.5" C&C and thought I could just always be on the lookout for a Body to swap over and then do a short bed or a shorter Flatbed on the rear. Any updates for us?

 

[PrairieDrifter]

2wd to 4wd swaps aint nothing anymore. I'd do that wayyyy before cutting a frame apart and stitching back together. Less work than a body swap too.

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[HotWheelsBurban]

I found this online. If you click on the link for the page it has details diagrams of the trucks.

For the pickups, the 131.5" wheelbase is the regular longbed; the 135.5" and 159.5" are cab-and-chassis models. The Crew/Bonus cabs had a 164.5" wheelbase with or without the bed.

http://brochures.slosh.com/dimensions/

Interesting... because the OBS crew cab long bed has a 168.5" wheelbase. 21' of truck, and 14' is between the wheels....

 

[CountKrunk]

Interesting... because the OBS crew cab long bed has a 168.5" wheelbase. 21' of truck, and 14' is between the wheels....

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Can confirm, these sumbitches are LONG

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

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Can confirm, these sumbitches are LONG

Uh huh...but when you need to haul...they can GET IT DONE.