When it comes to interior space in a pickup truck the Dodge Mega Cab leads the pack. With 44.2 inches of rear passenger leg room and 16.6 square feet of flat storage area for transporting large items, there just isn't a better pickup in terms of interior volume. However, ordering a new Mega Cab comes with one snag. Dodge doesn't offer it with an 8-foot bed, and according to our sources, it doesn't plan to anytime soon.
This is the truck we started with. Fully loaded, this '07 Laramie Mega Cab came with almost every option available. It was delivered to Innovative Customs by the good folks at Hellman Dodge of Delta, Colorado.
THE MEGA WEAKNESS
The lack of a fullsize bed turns some would-be Mega Cab customers away. Those who desire a long bed for hauling toys, equipment for work, or towing mammoth fifth-wheel trailers won't even consider a Mega Cab because there isn't enough clearance between the cab and the fifth-wheel trailer during tight maneuvers.
MEGA SOLUTION
That's where Clint Hardman and Landon Fausett of Innovative Customs in Lehi, Utah, step in. Each owned a Mega Cab pickup, and each found the limitations of a short box annoying. Together, they came up with a plan to merge the versatility of a long bed with the interior space of a Mega Cab. A strong background in metal fabrication gave the pair plenty of confidence to make the initial first cut on their own $50,000 trucks.
We had mixed feelings about cutting up a truck with only 150 miles on it. However, to our donor truck's owner, a 6-foot bed wouldn't suffice, and nobody else we've found performs the conversion to the standards of Innovative Customs.
Everything they learned during the first two conversions was perfected on truck number three. With each additional conversion came further refinement. From CnC-bent stainless steel brake lines, to a trick OEM-style electrical harness, the result looks factory. Innovative Customs even goes as far as to have each and every conversion certified by a state-licensed welding inspector who drafts a report highlighting the frame modifications. We like this because it provides the customer with pictures and documentation about the conversion process, formatted like a magazine article.
Now, with more than 25 conversions under their belts, we decided that it was time to showcase the process and have our own '07 Mega Cab long bed built. Follow along as the capable team of Innovative Customs supersizes our 3/4-ton Cummins-powered Ram.