AMT's 72 Fleetside

[Sixx]

Got a question...yes, I've searched all over first...how does one go about shortening AMT's Chevy Fleetside pickup bed and frame? I'd love to replicate one that's running around here...stunning truck! I'm drawing a blank on how to do it...That's been happening alot to me lately! Lol! 

[TarheelRick]

Can't give you any real instructions, but you will have to section the bed and frame in front of and behind the wheel wells to get the correct wheelbase and look.

[Sixx]

That's kinda what I was thinking...wasn't sure...wonder how much?

[dieseldawg142]

...........

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[Can-Con]

Here's a few pics of how I did mine,,

As you can see, I cut across then down the suspension arms, across at the ends of the mufflers. Very little material was actually taken out and the suspension arms hide most of the cuts.

This is how I cut the bed sides. If you simply cut off the front end of the sides you will loose the pockets the front panel of the bed slips in.  IIRC, I took 12 mm out of the front and 6 mm from the rear.  [ approximately 1/2 in. in front and 1/4 in. in rear]

When I cut the bed floor I added the front lip back on but simply cut the back off. I also moved the wheel wells in some so I could tuck some wider Pegasus tires in there.

 , , and don't forget to finish up your seams on the inside of the box or it will be easily seen if you don't use a tonneau cover.

Here's a link to my build album, might be of some help.

http://public.fotki.com/SteveMilberry/projects/68-chevy-shortbed-pickup/

Edited April 20, 2018 by Can-Con

[mike 51]

Steve...isn't the front of the bed shortened more  (making the wheelbase 15 inches less than the long bed)  than the rear (behind the wheels)?

Never mind I see you corrected it already...nice truck by the way

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by mike 51

[Fat Brian]

If you have a Deserter or Fall Guy truck you can use that bed to get the measurements. 

[Can-Con]

42 minutes ago, mike 51 said:

Steve...isn't the front of the bed shortened more  (making the wheelbase 15 inches less than the long bed)  than the rear (behind the wheels)?

Never mind I see you corrected it already...nice truck by the way

 

Yea, I knew it didn't look "right" after I posted it so I re-checked my numbers and corrected it. 

BTW, the shortbox wheelbase was 12 inches shorter than the longbox.

[mikemodeler]

If by chance you don't want to cut up a bed and potentially ruin it, Bandit Resins offers a short bed resin kit. I think it runs about $15, but goes much faster if you don't want to cut up a bed.

[mike 51]

^^^^^

The Bandit bed goes for $24 + shipping....

[Sixx]

You guys are awesome!!! And Can-Con...your model is darn near exactly like the one I wanna replicate! That looks just like the one running around here!!! Freekin AWESOME!!! Thanks guys!!!

[bandit1]

Here is the one i did unfortunately it didnt save the pics via photobucket... But will get that fixed here in a bit...

I did keep the full side trim as well in mine

 

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by bandit1

[Oldcarfan27]

You can use the complete chassis from the AMT GMC stepside pickup, its already a shortbed so you don't have to cut it down. 

[1972coronet]

9 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

You can use the complete chassis from the AMT GMC stepside pickup, its already a shortbed so you don't have to cut it down. 

That kit needs to be reissued , period !!

[Oldcarfan27]

2 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

That kit needs to be reissued , period !!

I agree, Round 2 should have it, so it should be an easy repop.

[bandit1]

13 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

You can use the complete chassis from the AMT GMC stepside pickup, its already a shortbed so you don't have to cut it down. 

or a lightly modified chassis from the 60-66 c10 kits would work to, I know the 60 c10 fleetside kit works almost perfect... the only thing to change is the floor board area under the cab and a few cross members carried over i think if i remember what i saw...

[Oldcarfan27]

1 hour ago, bandit1 said:

or a lightly modified chassis from the 60-66 c10 kits would work to, I know the 60 c10 fleetside kit works almost perfect... the only thing to change is the floor board area under the cab and a few cross members carried over i think if i remember what i saw...

Oh yeah, and it's better detailed too.

[Can-Con]

It can't be reissued as is. Round2 went and used the cab for the '72 Chevy longbed when they reissued it along with a lot of other stuff from the kit. The grille is gone, it's now that awful one in the '72 with the out of round headlights.

They went and ruined the GMC stepside to make that '72 Chevy when they had a perfectly good long '72 Chevy with much better grille in the form of the MPC kit. Last seen, IIRC as the "Cooter's tow truck". All they needed to do was put the bed parts in the MPC kit and it's be the same as the one they ruined the GMC to make. 

Yes, I'm bitter. 

[Can-Con]

3 hours ago, bandit1 said:

or a lightly modified chassis from the 60-66 c10 kits would work to, I know the 60 c10 fleetside kit works almost perfect... the only thing to change is the floor board area under the cab and a few cross members carried over i think if i remember what i saw...

Also, the '60 to about '62 [??] used torsion bar suspension front suspension. You need the coil spring suspension from the newer trucks to be accurate. 

[bandit1]

2 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Also, the '60 to about '62 [??] used torsion bar suspension front suspension. You need the coil spring suspension from the newer trucks to be accurate. 

AHHHH Almost forgot about that... 

[1972coronet]

6 hours ago, Can-Con said:

It can't be reissued as is. Round2 went and used the cab for the '72 Chevy longbed when they reissued it along with a lot of other stuff from the kit. The grille is gone, it's now that awful one in the '72 with the out of round headlights.

They went and ruined the GMC stepside to make that '72 Chevy when they had a perfectly good long '72 Chevy with much better grille in the form of the MPC kit. Last seen, IIRC as the "Cooter's tow truck". All they needed to do was put the bed parts in the MPC kit and it's be the same as the one they ruined the GMC to make. 

Yes, I'm bitter. 

IIRC , the last time that the AMT 1972 GMC Step-Side was issued was in c.1995 , right ? 

Neophyte question : AMT and MPC shared tooling with their 1967-1972 C/K Series pickups ? I thought that the AMT kit was  a separate entity from its , in essence , "crosstown rival" ?

The Cooter's Tow Truck was a c.1981 reissue of the old ----- SHOOT ! I just answered my own question ! I'd forgotten that AMT and MPC did share their 1967-1972 C/K tooling !

Does anyone make a good 1971-1972 GMC conversion for the c.1998 , ad seq. , "MPC" 1972 Cheyanne CST kit ?