Underbody storage box for '73 K5?

[adz]

I've got an idea for my K5 that I want to run by you;

I was rolling around on the ground underneath my blazer the other day and I was amazed at how much open space there is under the cab beneath where the rear seat is. I was thinking it'd be cool to cut a hole in the floor under the rear seat, and build an open top box with flanges on the top to put into the floor (sorta like the water-ski storage boxes in ski boats), and then I could hinge the front mounts for the rear seat, and devise some sort of quick release for the back end so that the seat acts as the lid for the box.

It'd be cool because it'd free up a lot of space in the back, it'd be safer because I wouldn't have all my tools and parts in the back to fly around if I rolled, it'd help my center of gravity, and it'd be invisible for thiefs when I have the top off this summer.

What do you think? Would I be able to make it work without severely damaging the integrity of the cab?

[pcorssmit]

Some later trucks (like my '83) have a rear seat that folds up; its hinged on the front with a quick release on the rear.

You may also look into going even further forward, sometime around '77 they made the rear seat footwell deeper (the floor is the same height in the front and in the back seat foot area, then goes up right before the back seat.

Pete

[70~K5]

Originally posted by adz
I've got an idea for my K5 that I want to run by you;
What do you think? Would I be able to make it work without severely damaging the integrity of the cab?

If you weld the box in the floor you shouldn't loose to much strengh(sic). If you cut around the back seat and hinge the front of the piece of floor there's the top of the box and the seat will still be bolted to it. Just be sure to make the locks at the back strong enough to with stand the force they would recieve in a frontal crash. You don't want the seat or anyone sitting on it flying forward in a wreck.

[adz]

I'm gonna crawl underneath it tonight and take some measurements. I'm pretty excited about the idea and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go through with it unless I hit a major snag.

When I go ahead and do it I'll take some pics and post them on webshots or something so you can see how I did it.