1st Gen Chevy/GMC S-Series Extended Cab Longbed

[Casey]

After lots of careful splicing, test fitting, sanding, and the first coat of primer, we have something resembling a first gen S-series longbed:

[Joker]

Clean work on the body reveals.

[Jared Roach]

That looks great. Very nice.

[Bill Edman]

nice work

[Altered Visions Customs]

That is some very clean work

[Casey]

Thanks, guys. The bed sides are the easiest parts to modify, and they're pretty much done now:

As for the bed floor and inner sides, there's a lot more work to be done, especially where the floor ribs butt together from the spliced sections. You can still see where those joints are, so once you can't, I'll be done:

I also started on an extended cab, too, but again, there's still a lot of work to be done. I've got the cab roof close to finished, but the rear quarter window areas need detailing, as well as the inside surfaces of the cab around the quarter windows. Here's where it's at so far:

[Joker]

Before frustration sets in on the bed ribs...spray in some textured paint or a bed mat ...just my two cents.

Cab body work is looking good from here too. Waiting to see how/what you do with the windows.

[Casey]

Before frustration sets in on the bed ribs...spray in some textured paint or a bed mat ...just my two cents.

Cab body work is looking good from here too. Waiting to see how/what you do with the windows.

A bed cover would be easy, but the bottom of the bed would still need to be finished properly, so no sense in going only half way.

[Joker]

A bed cover would be easy, but the bottom of the bed would still need to be finished properly, so no sense in going only half way.

I goosed you're right.

[Altered Visions Customs]

Straight up sick bro, lovin this build

[kalbert]

Nice work! I don't know if I've ever seen a long bed ext cab S10, this ought to be neat. Is this the one you were going to do a 4cyl too?

[Nick Winter]

Casey, don't take this the wrong way, but your EXT cab rear windows are too small. I'll email you a picture if you like to show you what I mean,

Nick

[mikemodeler]

Is this something you are going to resin cast or is it a project from your bench?

BTW- the S series trucks were never offered in extended cab/long bed configurations.

To Nick's comments, I think the windows need to be a bit wider to more accurate.

[Casey]

Casey, don't take this the wrong way, but your EXT cab rear windows are too small. I'll email you a picture if you like to show you what I mean,

Nick

Yes, they are still a bit too small and need to be lengthened a bit, but they aren't finished yet. I need to figure out how I'm going to add the window glass lip/flange, and account for that first. Plus, it's easier to remove material than add it back in place. I have plenty of reference material for these trucks...well except for maybe some more shots of the Cameo body parts.

[Casey]

Is this something you are going to resin cast or is it a project from your bench?

BTW- the S series trucks were never offered in extended cab/long bed configurations.

Maybe.

No, they didn't, but I like the longer look of the X-cab and longbed, so I'd like to try to build one eventually.

[outragis]

You are doing an awesome job Casey, a buddy of mine made himself a long box xcab, lowerd 2 inches, it looked cool as h_ll! and long as h_ll also! very cool!

[Nick Winter]

It needs the window openings Widened

[Chevrolet-C10master]

_{that looks insane !!! ill be keepin tabs on this build for sure !!!}

[JasonC]

Keeping the one piece 93 grill in it? Or going with older 82-90 3 piece grill?

Also you wouldn't happen to have any extra bumpers laying around not going to be used for this kit would you? I've been on the hunt for a set, but with no luck.

[Casey]

Keeping the one piece 93 grill in it? Or going with older 82-90 3 piece grill?

I have an early style grille from Perry's Resin, so I will probably use it on the build. The '93 grille always looked kind of cheap to me.

[Casey]

I got around to enlarging the rear quarter windows, but I may have made the driver's side opening a tad bit too large:

I also figured out a good way to get out of sanding the bed floor seams... :

I've almost got them finished and ready for another coat of primer, so they should be close to done. I need to do more research as to how the x-cab frame differs from the standard cab and where it is extended, stretch the interior tub, make some rear interior panels and jump seats, and clean up/remove some of the molded in details on the inner wheel wells.

[jeffs396]

Looks good so far!

Are you gonna share your in-between-the-reinforcing-rib sanding method???

[Casey]

Are you gonna share your in-between-the-reinforcing-rib sanding method???

Sure-- 320 grit wet sanding paper, folded. I try to make the joints as neat and tight as possible, and use as little plastic welder as possible, so two or three rounds of sanding and priming usually do the trick. Nothing fancy but tedious detail work to be honest.

[Casey]

I got the frame rails extended and boxed in yesterday, but I still need to lengthen them a bit behind the rear wheels. I also extended the cab floor and removed the molded in battery and washer reservoir from the right inner fender. I removed the gas tank brace, spare tire holder, and block sanded the frame rails, too. I think I'll stay 4x2 on this one, despite the simplified one piece front suspension and steering. I'll see what I can do to improve that area.

[Casey]

Quick mock-up of the cab, firewall, partial interior, frame and inner bed:

I also smoothed the LH inner wheel well, removing the molded in ABS module(?) and another reservoir, so I have holes to plug on both sides now.

Closer (and still crummy) low-light shot of the rear frame kick-up area, where the top of the frame touches the bottom of the inner bed. I had to take a thin wedge out of each frame rail, reposition them a bit higher so the frame rail flats and bed bottom were parallel, then plug and weld the joint. Luckily I had a second frame on hand, from which I got the correct frame rail height, so it wasn't too difficult to correct.