The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Need "bed" idea's for a "toter"

just bought me what is being called a '48 GMC 350 mobile home toter ( shorty ) conventional. and I hate the raw lumber looking mini flatbed that is on it. I need idea's for what to do with the back end... headache rack and 5th wheel ? some sort of short wrecker body ( minus the booms )
has any one ever made a driver out of these shorties? and what looks good on there ?


I may end up using it to move some of my old millitary track rigs around.. so either a dedicated 5th wheel or a flatty with a pop up might be the most "practical"
but i would love to see examples of any and everything you all might have !

thanks
Dan.

I can't really picture what you have or what you want to do. However, if its really short it will be very rough riding and won't handle the road well. If you want to mount a 5th wheel, you need to have the 5th wheel ahead of the drive axle and then have enough room to clear the cab. A headache rack will require more wheelbase and so will a winch. You need to decide what you want to build before you start building.

well I can't picture what I have yet either, as I only saw it briefly. I think it is about as long as a shortbed pickup. However I know there are a number of these swb monster around and I was just wondering what other folks had done with them. Kinda hoping for pictures or links.
I do not have a burning need for this truck, or a particular job for it to do ( I think my '68 C60 with 427 and air with a GVW of 28,000 would be better for anything serious) But I like it I wanted it and it would be neat if I could put "something cool" on the back of it and at least pretend I could use it for something ;-)

about half way thinking it will be my "bad weather, recovery" vehicle. here in interior Alaska when the temps drop down to -50 (F) or worse and it is dark 16+ hours a day, having a truck that will start, has a tow strap some chains and some jumper cables ( and maybe on board air, and a hot start.. or shared water heating system) is Kinda handy. I am entertaining the idea of an abbreviated wrecker, Tool box, chain rack, work lights bed mounted PTO winch maybe even wrecker style Chocks.

kind of one of those rough and tumble old snowplow types that you only break out when all else fails

However I would LOVE to see anything people have put on the back of Shorties... just because i find it entertaining and thought provoking. ( ok, I am bored and tired of waiting for the weekend to go get my new toy )

Dan

Mines not quite as short as yours but here is what i an doing for a bed.
[IMG]http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/48125/2955531680102329435S500x500Q85.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/51095/2653944260102329435S500x500Q85.jpg[/IMG]
It goes with the body lines of the truck. In your case i would probably go with a wrecker type bed with not booms.

Buggy, as usual, that is some outstanding work. That is going to be one very special rig. Thank you for sharing and taking the time to reply. I think you are correct though, I am leaning more towards a wrecker box, or something along the lines of a welders or mechanics utility flatbed.

Dan.

Watch the height of the side if you are going to keep a 5th wheel hitch on it. That is why my sides are cut down. I have the sections I cut off and am going to make them fit on when I am not towing the camper. I think if you made something rounded across the front and rounded from the top of the side to the botom corner in the back it would look more period correct. Look around the net for some pictures of old wreckers and you will see what I am talking about.

I just started a new thread with links to a picture of the truck I am working on.

If it were mine, I think I'd just go with another flatbed. Make it a little longer so it extends past the rear wheels a little. The would make it look a little more balanced, and disguise the fact that it is so short. I think the proportions would look better. Just my opinion.

I am considering a Flat bed with sides, maybe a narrow one with fenders... AKA tow truck body, Something that would match the lines of the rest of the truck though. Have also considered bare frame rails with the Semi- tractor type fenders... kind of like the bobtail look . not useful that way, but honestly not sure how useful this rig is really going to be.