7.3 F-350 expedition build

[Korben]

FWIW I agree with a couple of the posters, I wouldn't have cut a CC, I'd have found a long wheelbase C&C, or I have a regular cab cab I'd have happily traded for a crew cab cab, but what's done is done. However what did you do with the back half of the cab/rear doors, I'd love to have it/them, I have a 6 door build in mind?
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EDIT, on further thought if post 5 is as far as you've gotten it still might be considerably easier/better to swap to a regular cab for several reasons. 1) Only the crew cabs have that corrugated roof, that roof is going to be a pain in the ******** to seal. Ask a Centurion/FourDoorBronco owner about roof issues, you'll get an ear full, and that's just joining a crew cab to a Bronco back. 2) Others are right about flex and the structural integrity of the cab. Look at the back of the crew cab that you have, picture using a regular cab and removing basically the rear window and the corrugated panel at the back. That would retain the structure, leave a good sealing surface, and provide you a very large pass through.
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I'd then do a body lift, the floor of your box is going to be much higher then the floor of your cab, a body lift will help that a lot.
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How wide do you intend to go in with the rear box? Is a dually conversion in mind?

 

[pappaskrat]

thank you everyone for the input. some great stuff in that thread. I've decided to seal off the cut CC essentially making it a regular cab. deciding between an inner tube steel frame and sheet metal or hacking the back of the original CC off and attaching (could solve the corrugated issue). I will connect the two pieces with a pass-through most likely open air but potentially an accordion boot.

 

[Korben]

I get the impression you think a cab swap is hard, it's really not that bad. Hardest part IMO is the fenders, they need to come off(well don't need to but it's easier with them off) and a few of the things that attach at the fenders tend to rust on(inner fender and battery trays). The rest just depends on how much you have to swap from one cab to the other, dash, pedals, manual floor, etc. But it's all plugs and bolts, really not that bad.
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Ohh and if you got a cab from a dually F350 or C&C, use it's VIN and gain more GVWR. IDK how much of an issue it is in CO, but can be in other states and it's really easy to get to 9200.

 

[UHAULER]

Cool. My kind of truck. Low budget and different. Can't wait to see more progress, looks like its moving fast.

 

[pappawheely]

Since you are not afraid to think outside the box, instead of building the box from the cab back, why not build the box forward to the firewall. It would certainly solve any sealing and pass-through issues.

 

[pappaskrat]

Update! So it finally stoped snowing and I was able to get some work done this morning. I trimmed up the back of the cab and tacked it on in a few places. It looks halfway decent and I think I'm going to stick with this solution. Going to start work on the base of the box later today. Some pics of the back tacked up:

 

[Buddha.]

Looks good.

 

[pappaskrat]

Sub Frame bolted and clamped

 

[pappaskrat]

Welded up the base for the box this morning before driving down to Denver to get the rest of the steel (hour and a half highway time). truck held up great, super solid with around 500lbs in steel strapped on it. need to run a few more beads and add the last cross member that I picked up today, then I'll begin work on the rest of the frame.

 

[pappaskrat]

rear of the cab is not mounted to the frame yet so things look a little off, but the bed is level with the frame so all should even up nicely in the end.

 

[Sukijoe]

This is awesome Suki.

 

[pappaskrat]

got the frame tacked up this afternoon. starting to really take shape at this point.