I have been slowly working on building a 31 truck. I bought just the cab, box and frame from a gentleman who started on it over 14 years ago. It had been sitting for the past 13 years collecting dust. The only thing that was really done was a real nice 4 inch top chop. All the subrails and interior bracing was pretty much toast, so the first thing that I did was to replace all that and get the body squared up. I'm 6'6" and with the top chop this would possibly be a problem, so I came up with a plan to lengthen the cab 7 inches. Hopefully attached are photos of before during and after this procedure. I've worked on cars most of my life and this is the first time that I have tried something like this. So far it seems to be working out OK. Once I'm happy with the cab back, I'm going to try and install suicide doors.
I have a pair of Lincoln Continental oval opera windows that I plan to fit into the lengthened area. The hardest part was trying to figure out how to line everything up after it was cut. I took 4 rods 1/2" in diameter that were 18 inches long and found square tubing that slipped over them. I cut the square tubing into 4 pieces 6" long these were my guides. I tacked these to the door posts top and bottom, keeping them perpendicular to the back. I also held them each 2 1/2" from the back when tacked. I them slid the 1/2" rod through these and tacked them to the back of the cab. Now I marked my cut lines and started cutting with my air cutoff. Once I had cut through the sides and top, the whole back was slid out 7" squared up on all rods and then tacked in place. Everything held square and sturdy. I had purchased a pretty rotten 31 door just for the body line pieces that were used. The rest was really easy, cut the pieces, flange them and tack the in. Next I have to replace the whole lower back section of the cab. Then I will get onto the doors. I have also replaced all the wood in the cab with square steel tubing. I have not finished the door pillars yet because of wanting to do suicide doors.
I have been slowly working on the truck. Weekends mainly. The sheet metal work on the cab is just about done. This weekend, I cut out for the rear quarter windows. Next is to replace the lower sections of the doors. I'm still trying to decide if I want to suicide the doors or not.
Personally I find suicide doors to be a pain to get in and out of, especially being a bigger guy like you, for what it's worth...
Nice job on stretching the cab. The oval windows add interest to the look, like it. Please keep posting pictures of your progress. I made a different base for the seat in mine, unchopped top, so my head didn't hit the roof and so I could see out of the windshield better. Still not comfortable but at least it is better. What are you going to do for a bed? Joe
I plan on using a shortened 30 inch bed. I will use an 11 gallon aluminum tank in the bed. I have a set of 32 rear fenders that I'm going to use because they match the contours of the front fenders nicely. The back will have a nerf bumper that I picked up. I have kind of a vision as to how this will all look together and have gathered most of the parts to do it. It is nice to get back at this. Last year, I was working almost 7 days a week every week, now we are cut back to 40 hours a week which is great, so I have the weekends to play with this. Now that I have the side windows in, my wife and two daughters are starting to talk about who will get this truck. That's OK by me because I have a 28 2 door body that is calling out to be a sedan delivery. I figure that by June 2010 I hope to have it done.
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