Dodge Chassis Cab to Crew Cab Conversion.
 

I've been searching for a way to make a crewcab conversion here in CALIFORNIA, in lieu of the smog laws.. IE any gas crewcab newer than 1975 needs a smog check every two years.

Diesels are exempt all years.

SO, I've been searching for pre 1975 crewcabs but they're few and far between and REALLY in need of a frame off ground up resto... and since I'm looking to make the truck family friendly and good enough to rival a 3rd gen, I need the best start I can get...

SO my question is...

Does anyone have a chassis cab dodge diesel like these :

http://images.craigslist.org/0101000...9a43009c7c.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/1f313a1...252a9e1155.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/0115000...2879006179.jpg

and do you know what the wheelbase is ?? will it fit a crew cab and long or short pickup bed on it like this ?

http://images.craigslist.org/1121251...e06aac1664.jpg

i've seen some newer ones down there in cali,

what about a title change to diesel once you convert it?

and the older trucks have a different fire wall then the 82 and up

http://chico.craigslist.org/cto/829506367.html

http://chico.craigslist.org/cto/805616422.html

http://redding.craigslist.org/cto/796010021.html

thanks for the links,,, all three of the pics I posted are for sale on craigslist in california as well, so I'm considering buying say that white chassis cab diesel and the brown '85 crew cab and combining them.... Diesel conversions/title alterations are a no no in california,, so basically I would be registering the chassis cab '89 and above diesel as the rig keeping the diesel title, and just put a new body configuration on it from an older donor

I was just wondering if anyone had any wheelbase comparisons from like those diesel longer chasssis cab duallies to a crew cab longbed dually or short bed..

WOW is that a 4 door dually with the camper on it?

if so.. man that would have been sweet for my conversion..

you could always do the conversion register it in another state then "buy" the truck and bring it back to CA :)

There was a 2wd dually crew that sold on ebay yesterday for about $1000 and it was pretty clean.

i like that idea

My '91 Cab and Chassis measures about 159" I do not know about how easy it is to convert. Seems like someone asked that question a few years ago. Maybe a search could turn up that thread...

Good luck in your search

yeah looks like a crew cab long bed is 165 in (4-door, long bed)

a club cab long bed is 150inches (also seen it posted as 149")

A crew cab short bed is 149"...

a buddy of mine has a 92 frame that he had stretched for his four door c cab and the frame needs a drop in it or like he did had to channel the floor on his ccab to fit down over the frame. still he didn't have to change any motor , trans , front or rear end. and the title is a 92 diesel and the frame numbers match.

Can anyone stretch the existing frame of a 1st gen CTD to fit a crew cab? I have heard that the DMV is against this sort of stuff. Alterations of the frame would have to be carefully done for alignment purposes and strength.

on big rigs its done alot. he had it done at a fab shop for liability issues then he mounted the cab and did all the rest. being his frame didn't have the dip in it required for the rear floor pan he did have to put a small amount of hump in the floor plus he did a body lift.

Thats cool. I wonder how much it costs to do such a fabrication. I am looking at getting a 1979 2wd crew cab. I can either adapt the 2wd frame to a 4x4 or perhaps stretch my 93' W250 club cab frame to work. Not sure what is easier and less hassle?

I'd stretch the 93 frame, but I'd also do it myself. Smart idea to get someone else to do it and assume the liability if you're not a halfway decent welder/fabricator.

So Pape are you saying that the Commiefornia DMV won't allow me to register my '80 crew with '93 running gear. I thought I'd have to take it to the referee and all would be good! I'm seriously thinking that when I swap everything over to the crew, including the dash with the VIN, I ain't gonna tell them and whose gonna know! Why that there truck's gotta custom built cab, what's the problem?

Sorry Chris I just saw this message. I am over 6 months late but yeah I would recommend you continue to use the 1993 Title. You are swapping the dash over anyway. Hate to say it but it might be another reason to do a cab/bed swap to the '93...