Some discussion questions

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64 f100
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Some discussion questions

Post by 64 f100 »

While considering what options would be best or possible for rebuilding our beds, I have decided to pick everyone's brain on some matters I am unable right now to check out for myself. I noticed a bed posted for sale with the statement that the floor could be used in our trucks. Not having measured other beds specifics such as width of corrugations etc. , front panel, and floor braces I have decided I need to know these things. Can we take the bed sides off our trucks and weld those to a later bed and be done with it and be correct? If it does work, I know where there is a bed I'm going to buy and give it a shot. Since it has decided to turn very cold and white in the last couple of days, it makes it very hard to go and check these things out for myself.

Please feel free to comment on this or other ideas you have regarding the repair work to our beds. Or, any other part of the trucks you think need talked about or need to be asked about.

Rich
SteveCanup
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by SteveCanup »

Rich...I like the idea of taking the "bed sides" and putting the corrigated part of another bed (perhaps newer?) between them. I am purchasing the left and right bedsides from a '65 on Saturday and thought about just building a bed using 1x2 inch tubing or similar to weld up a frame to attach them to. I would still have to figure out the header board. My bed is so rusted out that I purchased deck boards for the bed.
Image

Here's why I am looking for another bed... it's worse than the pics show.
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1964 F-100
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longcabjohn
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by longcabjohn »

I put the center section from a 86 in my 66, both were 49 inches wide and it was about 6 inches too long. Had to weld up holes and redrill where it bolted to frame. Icut the excess from the front and it put the bolts in flat area stamped into the ribs.


Johnny
If restoring a ford was easy, chevy guys could do it.
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wwhite
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by wwhite »

I think it really depends on the type of build/bed you are looking for: stock, custom, classic, metal, wood, carbon fibre...etc.

For stock original, you have no choice, but to hunt out a better box/floor, pay someone to fabricate, or do it yourself.
Custom, well, anything goes, your imagination is the limit.

For me, my budget, and my build:
- low budget, so free is best
- build type will never be stock

Something weird with my 1964 box, is that one side has a 65/66 wheel well, which are different.
I am not sure if it was a factory mistake, or if the truck was once side swiped, and had a newer box side installed.

For my floor, I found a second box for cheap, cut out what was good, and fabricated myself a new front cross member.
After that, cut out the rust in the floor at the front, welded in some of the floor that was still OK from the second box.
Lots of time, but that's all I can afford, and now looks 'used' original, and can still be used as a truck.

My dream box floor would be carbon fiber, as seen in this photo:
Image
1966 Ford F100 - Thunder & Lightning
Written by D.Brian Smith on September 1, 2005 Vickie & James Stancil's '66 Lightning
Read more: http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/0509cct-1966-ford-f100/#ixzz3RyIUelXT


But, not practical, unless show truck only.
1964 Mercury short box 460 innies
ICEMAN6166
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by ICEMAN6166 »

while i have not replaced an entire bed floor i have done sections with cuts from donor slick beds.
i mentioned this a while ago that doing sections, even though they are the same stamping , the pieces will not match perfectly, very close but never perfect due to the fact that the dies stamped many thousand beds and do wear.

personally i dont think the later sheet metal will last as long, the tin is not as thick but then im not sure how many of us will be around in 2065 to worry about it anyway and again if its not a concours original restoration who cares.

as to the underside braces im not sure the height and or placement is correct.
you would i believe only be able to use the center of the bed floor between the wheelwells on any 73 or later bed as the shape of the wheelwells and the curvature in the corners are nowhere near correct.

styleside 64-66
Image
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repair with donor section, 61 uni
Image


i think the 2nd and 3rd generation econolines floors have the same contour and since they are covered may be an excellent choice for donor metal.
i dont have any to check on at the moment but i have owned a lot of them and from memory they seem right.
1966 F250 4x4
1964 Rambler Ambassador 990
Rest in peace departed Slick family members
Cam Milam
Lesley Ferguson
Steve Lopes
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shipwrecked
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by shipwrecked »

I will be documenting the rebuild of my bed as I go. Since it seems to be a hot topic. However, I am not a metal worker wonder. I am about to begin another 8week recruit company schedule where I get one day off a week till pretty much October with a few days off at end of each 8 week cycle. So my bed rebuild may take all summer when it could take you a week. But I will keep up the photos on my build.
The months may change, but I am always APRIL
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64 f100
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by 64 f100 »

Ice, I had not thought of the econoline idea but it sounds interesting, if there were any still around here. I had the idea of using the bed floors from a 67 up to 72 as a replacement when I started this thread, and already you have extended the scope of what to look for and check out. Hopefully this thread will help everyone if we can come up with more definitive answers of what works and what doesn't.

Shipwrecked you asking about what to do on you bed and how, is why I started this particular thread.

I have recently bought silicone bronze welding wire to do some repairs with. Not particularly recommended for structural strength, but used a lot in todays automobiles for welding body pieces together if overlapped . Very expensive at 130 for a 10 pound roll, for a wire welder. Have not tried it yet . Advantages are in not as much warping and easier to grind down. I most likely will use it in filling and welding floor braces back to floor metal where grinding work will be necessary. When I asked about this welding wire another was suggested instead. I did not pursue the suggested welding wire, but will sometime in the future as it was a lot cheaper. What the wires properties were I don't t know. I do know it was 1/3 the price of what I bought and was made for steel. If anyone is interested I will look up the response from my question to these people and give you the information.

I recently ran across an article from hotrod magazine about what metal to use for repairs. I had remembered having read it at one time, and saved the magazine for that reason. My wife decided I needed to go through the huge pile of paper I had accumulated and get rid of anything not needed. So, I found the article. The basic things it said were, cold rolled steel is the best, and aluminized helps prevent rust. Cold rolled is more uniform in thickness. Interestingly, I saw an add for cold rolled steel being used in brand X trucks and US submarines just yesterday. Since I live in the armpit of the world access to any specialized metals are not easily found. I live in an area, that if daylight were not universal, I would have to drive 50 or more miles to find it.

Rich
64 f100
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by 64 f100 »

One comment on the picture of the carbon Fiber bed. If, I had not already done my flare side bed with wood, I would be seriously thinking on the carbon fiber for it. AS was, I have over 100$ in spar varnish on that floor. Is that floor custom made or something you can buy and assemble?

Rich
1961 F350
1964 Galaxie convertable
1964 flairside, style side, and longbed
1965 Ranger, and shortbed
1966 long bed, and shortbed
A few parts trucks also
1991 Capri
2011 F250
2004 Lexus
jamesdfo
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by jamesdfo »

Rich: The link for the whole article is in the OP's post, below is a brief excerpt......

"For the bed floor, the owner covered Cherry wood planks with carbon fiber sheets, and installed the high-tech planks with polished-stainless steel stringers.

Read more: http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/050 ... z3S0lwlPJF
Follow us: @HotRodMagazine on Twitter | HotRodMag on Facebook"

and BTW: To make it easier for anyone doing searches at some point in the future, it would be best to keep this to bed floors, and start another thread for welding related stuff.
I do know from my ten+ years in a bodyshop that plain old flux coated brass rod, which is what we used in the days before migs, is BAD NEWS. Not going to digress here, but if you start a thread......:):)


64 f100 wrote:One comment on the picture of the carbon Fiber bed. If, I had not already done my flare side bed with wood, I would be seriously thinking on the carbon fiber for it. AS was, I have over 100$ in spar varnish on that floor. Is that floor custom made or something you can buy and assemble?

Rich
ICEMAN6166
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by ICEMAN6166 »

Rich
i tend to forget after many years in Alaska and now down here in the 4 corners that theres probably not much left for donors under 20 years old if even that far back.
i can drive anywhere and in a few minutes see slicks, bumps, and dents and even older stuff still suitable for body parts or even restoration.
here in Dolores county there are no rules about cars on your property or zoning of any type other than in towns, all 3 of which are very small.
almost 1\2 of the land is farms, the rest is blm or national forest with a small amount of state owned land.
farmers dont junk stuff, it just sits.
1966 F250 4x4
1964 Rambler Ambassador 990
Rest in peace departed Slick family members
Cam Milam
Lesley Ferguson
Steve Lopes
John Sutton
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BigBadDad
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by BigBadDad »

Just FYI,
I had heard once that a Dodge floor would work. Perhaps the whole section would, but not patch pieces. I recently had to buy a whole bed from an 80's Dodge to use the bedside to repair another truck. I was thinking about using the ribbed floor for repair sections in my 66 Ford. But I used a sliding pin contour gauge to check it. The Dodge ribs are approximately 1/8" or so wider. Just enough to where they do not line up. :(
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64 f100
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Re: Some discussion questions

Post by 64 f100 »

With the nasty outside weather, I've had to content myself with online Looking for parts truck and what beds used the same panels. It appears the 67 up to 72 had about the same bed floor , but from the pictures the front vertical panel looks different. Anyone else have personal knowledge on these parts? I haven't looked at the 60 and earlier bed panels yet. Hopefully , I will be out and about again some day. It's thawing here so we have a lot of slush at the moment, and mud. Both of which make it hard to go into a salvage yard. I've spent part of the morning trying to get some of the slush away from my shop door. A couple of decent days, and I will be able to work on something at the shop once more. Meant to check and see if I can stand my truck bed on end in the shop with the door up. I have a low ceiling in my shop, which is sometimes a problem. Right now, I only have limited space to bring anything in. I have two blocks at the machine shop being bored and will be bringing those back to put all the guts back in. Don't know what I'm going to do with other two blocks and parts I have in pieces in there now. Don't really want to take those to the storage building in the country as those will end up rusting. Don't see as I have any choice though. Anyone need a 351w block?

Rich
1961 F350
1964 Galaxie convertable
1964 flairside, style side, and longbed
1965 Ranger, and shortbed
1966 long bed, and shortbed
A few parts trucks also
1991 Capri
2011 F250
2004 Lexus
64 f100
Posts: 2754
Joined: July 18, 2006, 7:23 am
Location: Carmi, Illinois, 62821

Re: Some discussion questions

Post by 64 f100 »

Looked at the bed floors in the 60 style bed and those looked promising. Ice if you are out and about and locate any good bed floors you might keep those in mind in case I get out that way. Even if it's along bed with a bad floor up front , these should be a good for a short bed , I'm thinking. I'm fortunate to still have a source of a few parts trucks in my area, but that is drying up. The last few years have seen China sucking up all the metal in the country. Big mistake I think letting it go, as we may need it again some day. Our leaders seem intent on creating a global war it would seem, with us as the target.

Rich
1961 F350
1964 Galaxie convertable
1964 flairside, style side, and longbed
1965 Ranger, and shortbed
1966 long bed, and shortbed
A few parts trucks also
1991 Capri
2011 F250
2004 Lexus
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