bobbed my m35a3 shortend stock bed on 14.20s

[chess]

hello all this is thread to my very own bobbed deuce. its an a3 has a bit over 12k miles runs great. i moved the rear axle about 14 inches and cut the bed down a little under 2 feet. i unbolted all the rear bumpstop, lights and lift up point cut the frame and made holes to put all that back together. then my fabricator cut the bed down and un did the rear part of the bed so he can clean reattach and weld it to the cut he did. its like if the factory would have did it. i put it on 14.20s xls they rub on the bed im going to lift the back and notch the support of the bed to take care of that. it runs really well i can do 50mph on the highway. still has the ctis but doesnt work well. does not to bad off road. i just need to spool the front and get hubs and a rear air locker if i decide to keep it. i used front spings both springs and truck came from tom in fontana. ill add more pics as i find a way to download them...

 

[phil2968]

Nice looking bob job. Are going get a cargo topped shortend for it?

 

[chess]

yessir i plan to get the stock top and take it to my local uposthery shop.

 

[chess]

more sorry there not in order.

 

[chess]

some more... sorry for the crappy pics peoples...

 

[phil2968]

Keep tryin' on them pics, you'll get it.

 

[plym49]

Looks good. I like the way you held up the spring and brackets to fit them in place. And the frame cut looks really clean for having been done with an oxy-acetylene torch. Nice work.

 

[chess]

Thanks the guy doing it knows his stuff when it comes to working metal. And we put the spring on an existing rivet hole so we bolt it down then started drilling. I want to invest in a magnetic drill.

 

[plym49]

Thanks the guy doing it knows his stuff when it comes to working metal. And we put the spring on an existing rivet hole so we bolt it down then started drilling. I want to invest in a magnetic drill.

So there is a rivet hole in the right place for a spring perch for installing the axle such that you keep the stock (original length) drive shaft? Good to know!

Just noticed - is that dude using the torch without goggles? Or was that just for the photo?

 

[Goose2448]

I would have shortened the bed a little more but still looks good. And I doubt it was just for a pic, looks like he is cutting with out shades, bad idea.

 

[chess]

Actually i had to extend the shaft 10.5 inches i forgot to post that in the op. And i always tell him to wear Sunglasses he never does. And yes we should have cut the bed to where the 2nd to last canvas bow is. And the rivet hole is from the cross member that goes in front of the dual rear axle trunion. We took out those rivets so we know the springs will be squared.

 

[Deucemedic]

Just an odd ball question, what type of steel is the frame on an m35a2? I ask because after I bob mine out my buddy wants to make me a set of tool from the scrap (shovel ax prybar and machete). He needs to know the steel type to see if it can be done though. Any help would be great.