2001 3500-HD 8.1 / nv4500 flatbed dump

[sweetk30]

Here is my 01 Gmt455 1.5ton truck with the 8.1 / nv4500 / 4.63 open rear . Its got a pto powered hydro dump bed power up & down .

The truck is a local sale new and 1 shop its whole life minus 2 quick flip owners to me now owning it .

Plan is cleanup body and make a solid work truck . No order to the parts fixing on this build as i have done some already .

This pic shows 6 new tires and blasted & powder coated rims in grey like oem . It use to be a 12ft bed but i cut down 2ft off the tail to let me use my hitch i built from scratch without jacknifeing in to a trailer on turns .

 

[sweetk30]

Built my own 2" hitch from 3.5" x 6" x 5/16" L-iron for the side plates . Then 4x4x1/4" square tube center and capped shut on the ends . 2 5/8" d-rings @ 18k lbs each for chain points . 1/4" plate for plug mount . 8 1/2" grd 5 bolts with crimp nuts to the truck frame .

 

[sweetk30]

Bolted up the parts to the truck frame then burned them a bit and pulled for full weld out . This kept it perfect for final install .

 

[sweetk30]

2ft chop from the bed let the hitch stick out now . Down side it removed some weight to the point of it road a bit harder but it is what it is .

 

[sweetk30]

Scored this almost brand new 12ft bed . Truck was dead and getting parted out . Friend of mine built the bed from scratch few years ago and shortly after the truck died .

BONUS : its all grote LED lights on the whole bed ! ! !

 

[sweetk30]

Led lights on it .

First pic is on lift in the air side shot .
2 & 3 are rear side and rear .
4th is plate box area with my tape measure and wire strippers sitting there .

 

[sweetk30]

First part of new bed mods . Head rack removed . Side boards off . Getting ready for cut layout .

 

[sweetk30]

Set . Line drawn . Hypertherm xp45 plasma cutter made the slice real easy the rest was a cut off wheel . And the 2ft chunk out on the driveway .

 

[sweetk30]

Flipped and burned in place as new headboard .

 

[sweetk30]

So i didnt like the SQUARE look so i did 8.6" down and 24" in to center as my pie cut and made the sides look a lot better . And yes the C-channel is pointed up on the headboard . But i drilled a 1/2" hole each end of both cross beams so crap drains out .

To this point the only new metal used is mig wire . The whole rest of the bed is ALL recycled from its self !

Its waiting for me to remove 4 more old mounts and add the top cross bar on the headboard . Then remove the old bed and burn this new one on .