CK5
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80's short box, "S.E.R.E." Box permanently attached to the cab.

I'd slide the bed a little closer for the look.. you don't need as big of gap as stock because you'll have nearly no frame flex.
 
What can I say, :bow::bow::bow: you make my fab look like childs play.

Those are some pretty mounts!

Thanks guys.

I'd slide the bed a little closer for the look.. you don't need as big of gap as stock because you'll have nearly no frame flex.

I thought about that very thing and may do that. Got to keep in mind, the box and topper will be attached to the cab with a pass through. If I can figure out a way to make it so the two can be separated, then sliding it closer isn't an issue. If I end up making them permanently attached, then I may need the gap to get some paint between the parts.

I've done the pass through cab conversions in the past in my rescue truck days. Those were all done with an accordion seal. They work but aren't the greatest solution. I'd rather weld in a steel connection. That doesn't leave a lot of room for making things removable. Even less if the box is slid closer to the cab.

EDIT: I think I just figured out an excellent solution! Very clean.
 
looking really good man. looking forward to seeing it come together more
 
I wish my truck did not have so my body flex I would do a pass though to a topper in a heart beat.

That's where the accordion seal comes in. It allows for the flex between the cab and bed. Problem with them is the seal gets stepped on and kicked and over time becomes problematic.
 
That's where the accordion seal comes in. It allows for the flex between the cab and bed. Problem with them is the seal gets stepped on and kicked and over time becomes problematic.

When we did walk through conversions we used the accordion seal on the sides and top with tin on the floor since tthere is less flex down low.
 
look up the cab to bed seal for semis... close gaps are available and it can be bought in rolls in most cases I believe
 
When we did walk through conversions we used the accordion seal on the sides and top with tin on the floor since tthere is less flex down low.

That's interesting. We never did do it that way. Every so often we'd make a service call to replace the accordion seal.

Maybe that was by design..:dunno:
 
Is that a standard wheel base or modified? I've never actually checked what factory wheel base is on these trucks.

If memory serves me, factory wheelbase for a short box pickup is 117.5".
 
I was thinking you could do something along the lines of a piece of angle iron mounted to the flange on the cab side and then would offer protection to the accordion seal. The other side of the angle would float. Like this excellent illustration.

seal.png
 
I was thinking you could do something along the lines of a piece of angle iron mounted to the flange on the cab side and then would offer protection to the accordion seal. The other side of the angle would float. Like this excellent illustration.

Maybe I need to cut the back wall and bulkhead of the box out and see where things lead.
 
Some years back I helped a guy with a 2wd Nissan truck. We did the same cut the bulkhead out and put a shell on it. He glassed a flange into both sides slid em together and joined it with some body sealer. Then put a wide price of soft rubber weather stripping above it.

It worked awesome and wasn't real hard to do and it was sealed very well. Although I don't 5 hunk this would work on most trucks with your frame I think it would work.

Hardest part was measuring it all. When the bed and she'll slid onto the cab flange it was a very tight fit
 
I might have missed it as fast paced the build is going but why not use a blazer.
 
I have a "Z" strip in my mind. Trying to design more of a surface seal. Same way a diff cover seals to an axle housing. Not sure if that is a good example.

Imagine if you will the box and topper being the diff cover and the cab being the housing.

The primary reason I chose the short box over a blazer is the extra length. Its not a lot but it makes a difference.

Some other reasons but that's the main one.
 
Another thought from the weekend fabrication. I may need to switch to a Chevy D60 axle.

Just looking at the hydraulic slave cylinder location on the Getrag and the the Ford HP60 pinion, its easy to see, they want to occupy the same location.
 
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