Shortbed vs longbed

[Valvebounce]

Can anyone tell me how long a shortbed chassis is, from the front of the forward most try mount (Cab side) to the rearmost part of the chassis?

I have one 620 longbed, which is forty mins drive from where I live. And another rolling truck with no tray on it.

I just scored another wellside tray (I think you guys call the hardbodies?) for a song. (They're very hard to find here) But it's for a short wheel base 620. I measured my roller, and another mates cassis, and they were both 2060mm. But my confirmed longbed is too far away to just go and measure it.

Wellside's are so hard to find, I'd actually consider cutting and welding a chassis to make it fit. (I think the seller said that it sat 3-400mm short of the cab)

[ggzilla]

The difference is about one foot, about 330mm.

[Valvebounce]

Yes, but how long is one or the other?

I've measured two at 2060,

But I don't know which either of those is, since they were both just rolling chassis' with no decks on. And my reference truck is too far away to measure.

[yealla 521]

hahhahhaa short bed soou ds good i like shortys

[yealla 521]

datsun rules im doing a sr swap ion my 521

[ggzilla]

2060mm would be the long bed/tray.

The longbed is about 7 ft long. Short bed 6 foot.

There is a third length which is for king cab.

 

Hardbody is the Nissan USA marketing name for the D21, which was marketed as Navara in some countries.

[Valvebounce]

Ah, I see!

There is quite some difference in the lingo between the antipodees, and the Americas. I'll usually try speak in the familiar terms to the forum.

to us, we call then utes. But you know all about that aye DD? :-)

Well, if the other two are shorties, then that would be awesome. But I really wanted to use the Cab off one of them with the long wheel base tray. And I'm too fat/lazy/drunk to bother doing a cab swap. Looks like I might be sticking with the shorty for the "good one".

The cab on that chassis is as rust free as they get.

[ggzilla]

Hey Bart.

 

I will correct my figures

 

620 short wheelbase 100.2"

620 long wheelbase 109.6"

difference 9.4"

 

Short bed 73.2" length i.d.

Long bed ~83" length i.d.

 

King Cab is long wheelbase with short bed- the cab is about 9" longer than the standard cab. Although iirc the frame is slightly different. In Japan it is called the Custom.

[ggzilla]

Oh perhaps the easiest way to identify:

Short bed 4 hooks

Long bed 5 hooks

[Valvebounce]

I picked up the tray this afternoon.

And sat it on my chassis. Bummer is that both my chassis are long.

I'm tempted to cut and shut the chassis to enable the use of the short tray, but I wonder about the fuel tank.

did the shorty's have smaller fuel tanks than the longs?

looking at mine with the tray just sitting on, if the chassis was shortened up accordingly, the fuel tank would get squashed between the rear axle, and the cab.

I loaned out my manual to a guy who is using the J15 in a woosley 15/50. (Poor bastard! lol)

So I cant just refer to it.

[BlackBird620]

The long box has a 16gal short box was 10 or 12gal tank

[Valvebounce]

Thanks.

At a glance I could tell the tank would have to be smaller.

I may have to just fix the long tray to begin with, and slap that on. I've got an SR20 which will be getting fitted, so I'm likely to need the extra fuel tank capacity.

[GRpufnstuf]

I got my truck with an aftermarket 18gal fuel tank. It's a steel rectangular box that fits in the stock short bed gas tank location.

[fliptrip]

Bart - you little ripper on that wellside deal. I was looking at it too and trying to come up with a plan! Good job man, glad it's gone to an enthusiast.

In NZ all I have ever seen for sale are LWB chassis's.

 

What would be involved with shortening a lwb 620 chassis to swb? Has anyone completed such a project on here (probably not as most other places have plentiful supply of both?)

I know they do it quite a bit with other trucks but curious if there is a specific example completed for a 620.

 

Cheers

Flip

[ggzilla]

No one ever done that

[fliptrip]

No one ever done that

People do it on other trucks quite often - what would be involved?

[GRpufnstuf]

I read an article a couple years ago that involved a 3 door Chevy Subrban swapped onto a 12v 6BT cummins and Didge extra cab chassis.

 

I forget how much they cut out of the frame (seems like it was a lot, like 20"?) but they did it right in the middle where the rails were basically straight and parallel. Then they sleeved it internally and boxed it ( the datsun is all box already) and had hole saw cut outs on the frame to weld to the sleeve. Then they added gussets externally.

 

All that was done on a frame machine to keep things straight.

 

Then they had to shorten the driveline, redo all the rear wiring and brake lines. And then they started building body mints for the Chevy body.

 

That project came out really nice. Yours would be less work since you're keeping the cab.

 

I recently saw pics of a Longbed 620 that had the bed tail bobbed. Looked odd but I kind of liked it.

[GRpufnstuf]

Oh there it is!...

 

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/38453-bobtail-620/

[Valvebounce]

Hey Fliptrip,

I've looked at it, and it wouldn't be too hard to whack that 9.4 inches out. Make two cuts, and then fabricate up a rectangular sleeve to reinforce the join from the inside. Then fizz the two halves backtogether, and grind the wend back so that there was no eveidence it had been done. (To circumvent certification issues)

 

Are you on NZDatsun.com?

[Valvebounce]

Also, I can get the driveshaft shortened for free too.

I'm currently hoping to get another parts truck so I can save both of mine.

However I'm quite short of funds atm........

[fliptrip]

Hey

 

Nah not on NZDatsun

Yeah, I don't have a live example to view so have just been looking online for pics of the chassis etc and comparing the two.

The LWB has what looks to be a straight bit of box chassis directly behind the cab, which is where the 9.5 inches would be cut from, and by the time it was cut, the chassis rail would still meet on straight chassis rail. From there, wellside mounts would probably need to be moved to suit the swb?

 

Pic below - from there, drive shaft would need to be shortened, wiring, brake hoses, handbrake cable, what else?

 

I'm wondering what the best way to cut & weld the chassis would be, an stair like fashion e.g. ¯|_ or a fish tail or what? But either way I agree that a plate would need to be also welded on the inside. I agree about grinding the welds so Mr VTNZ never sees them - should be pretty easy.

 

My only problem, I'd need someone to do the welding.

 

Am weighing up whether to invest in the blue one on Trademe which use to belong to Sam on Oldschool.

 

My drawings:

 

[Valvebounce]

Looking at mine, a cut and shut in the right spot would mean not needing to move the tray mount.  (I've got the short tray sitting on a long chasis atm)

I'd chop out the section, and make the locating sleeve a tight fit. (Beat in with a bit hammer spec) Then plug weld the sleeve to each of the four sides. Before reattaching the rear section in the same fasion. Four more plug welds, followed by fizzing up the four sides. I'd make the sleeve out of 5-6mm wall steel, so that the weld could be make with a decent amount of current without blowing holes.

 

I'd message Sam before buying his old truck. You never know what it's really like.  He did say it had no cert for the disc brakes. And there was one other possible issue.
Have you seen the blinging red one on the tard atm?

[fliptrip]

Hmm, it's looking like not if but when!

How long should the sleeve be? Good idea about the plug welds, def the way to do it.

 

I spoke to Sam, he mentioned the non certed front  disc conversion, and possible sus weld on a cab mount.He said that was about it - but that 3k seems pretty expensive but I haven't seen any cheaper (beside the fully dereged one for $500) - I don't have lotto luck like you.

 

The red one is ok, don't like the shaved look, but the sr is a distinct advantage!

This just came up for good parts http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=690972775&permanent=0

 

OK I need a 620 in good condition to do this mod.

[Valvebounce]

The length of the sleeve would be dictated by how much straight chassis section you haa left. If the section was begining to curve, it'd misalign the rear half. I'd say 100mm each side of the join would be safe.

So you're on OS then?

What's your username?

 

I saw that parts truck, and thought wow, that's too good to part out!

[fliptrip]

You're such a hoarder! (I thought the exact same thing!)

same name on oldschool.

 

Have rigged up someone to do the welding - just need a ute now and confirmation I can get a short wellside from Thailand.

 

The length of the sleeve would be dictated by how much straight chassis section you haa left. If the section was begining to curve, it'd misalign the rear half. I'd say 100mm each side of the join would be safe.

So you're on OS then?

What's your username?

 

I saw that parts truck, and thought wow, that's too good to part out!