It sounds like you are looking to tweak a road bike to become a Surly Long Haul Trucker or Cross Check... If so, I would suggest saving your pennies and buying one. Or are you looking to tweak a specific frame that you already have?

Cold Setting a frame is usually done to accomodate hub width. If the width of the seat stays and chain stays are too narrow near where the tire would be (on the seat tube end) I think it would take more than cold setting. it would potentially include either bending the stays or somehow moving the anchor points for the stays outwards. It would also potentially need modification of the brake bridge location and/or width. If possible this should probably be done by a frame builder.

If you are set on modifying a classic frame, definitely go for something with a touring geometry and not a tight racing geometry or you may have to deal with the seat post clearance as well.