I have a 1979 club cab shortbed stepside that's 2wd I want to convert to 4x4 would a standard cab longbed 4x4 work

Buy a different truck

I think the wheelbase is different if I am reading my manual right its 131 on the reg cab longbox and 133 on the clubcab shortbox.

How much work are you willing to do, it's not that difficult to cut off the front suspension and install the leafs.

A 79 frame has a kick up under the cab. The kick up on an extended cab is farther back on the frame then the kick up on a standard cab, and the box crossmember locations are in different places between the short box and the long box. Since the frames would have to be spliced behind the transfercase, I'm not so sure you could even swap the 4x4 front clip onto the rear section of the club cab frame, the frame kick up will be in the wrong place yet.

You will be a lot farther ahead to get a cab/box that matches the 4x4 frame, or a 4x4 frame for the club cab. The reality is, its probably cheaper (and a lot less work) just to by a 4x4 truck in the first place. Gene

I did this on a 75 extra cab longbox. the only issue I had was getting the angle of the transfer-case correct. If you don't, you'll get a lot of bucking and chattering. Sorry! terrible pics!
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sweet looking truck!

77prostreet cool truck. What frame did you use?

79beep

Sorry so late . It was a factory Extra cab 2 wheel drive truck. I just torched off the 2 wheel suspension and welded on leaf spring perches. then added trans and transfer case and cross members.

we did a 77 club cab short bed that was 2x by cutting/removing the 2x kmember and all of the a-arm brackets. with a 4x4 k-frame and leafs/mounts/shackles/shock mounts we measured 2x then worked the frame and converted to 4x4.

looked factory stock exept for a few extra holes in frame here and there.

we used a 727 short shaft trans with a divorced xfer and frame cross member scabbed into the frame with custom shafts 6" lift 17/40/15 hawgs.

then I built a 79 RC with a 6" lift 17/40/15 hawgs and went with a 435granny 4 speed/married 203 xfer. now that rear shaft angle was a PITA

I lowerd the engine 2" ditching the rubber mounts and bolted right to the frame then lowerd the cross member 2" in the frame with tube spacer/bolts to level drivetrain out some and help the shaft angle. went with a double cv joint on both ends with a spline slip yoke in the middle.