Slick 60's

What do you guys think I should do? I knew I was going to have some issues with the drivers side bed corner on my 61 F100. I had no Idea it would be as bad as it is. I don't see any replacement panels online and this level of body work is way past my skill level. Most importantly, I need to get the bed square again so I can start on the raised bed floor. The bed side is pushed in about an inch, (there's a good view of that in the second photo). Here is what I found after grinding away 10 lbs of body filler.

I think you have 3 choices.
1. Cut the corner off a parts truck and use that. Flashback F100s may have a panel or a parts truck...It's worth a call.
2. Pull it out yourself...I don't think you'll hurt it much.
3. Take it to a shop and have them pull it out......it will have to be a good shop otherwise you'll just have 10 pounds of new filler.

Might be best to find a donor and cut the whole corner or even the whole bed side out. If that is a long be I may know where a good side is and I think even the floor is good.

Rich

I have seen those corner pieces for sale once in a while on ebay, keep looking, I'd drill out all spot welds, straighten everything out and weld back on the new corner.

Remember, short beds take different box caps then long beds do.

I would look for a rusty uni and cut the box corner off in front of the box/cap seam. Those usually last longer than most of the other parts on a uni.

SPark

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've sent Flashback F100s an email, hopefully they have something. National parts depot does make a tailgate post, so i may go that route. For now I'm going to work on getting this bed square again.

To 64 f100; I have a short wheel base truck, but I'd be interested in a corner if you know where one is.

What should I expect to pay for a good cab corner?

No luck for you on the one I know of as it is a long bed. As mentioned the caps turn up once in a long while on evilbay. I usually don't pay much attention to uni's as I don't own any and prefer separate beds, but ones that match the cabs, 64 thru 66 and once in awhile , you will see a 63 with the later bed. Uncertain on whether factory or later swap someone did on a wrong bed. From as many as I've seen and actually owned, I believe some 63's may have actually been equipped with the correct style bed, but have no proof. Will keep an eye out for a short bed uni for parts. Only reason I have paid attention to the one I mentioned was that is was wrecked about 10 years ago and was a really low mileage truck. Body parts were really good on the truck especially the bed parts. Most all removable parts are gone from it now but the bed was still there the last time I looked. At a guess, the bed corner can run anywhere from 50$ to 200$ for an NOS part. What is strange on parts are , prices for used can run as much as NOS at times. It's just harder to find NOS. Expect to pay 35 to 50$ perhaps more for shipping. Shipping went sky high a few years ago when fuel jumped up, but you don't see prices falling after fuel went down.

I contacted Flashback F100s and he does have a bed corner, but it's from a long bed. What are the differences between the two end caps, they look pretty similar to me.

Since the style line runs down the side of the bed for a longer distance, the long bed trucks have a lower style line on the end cap. Somewhere on here there's a post about somebody putting one on a shortbed and all the work it took to make it work/look right. Since you said you are a newbie at bodywork it doesn't sound like a good project for you. You need one from a shorbed so things line up.

SPark

Did some digging on my CD's of the MPC (Master Parts Catalog), and yup, they do list different PN's for SWB vs LWB.

For the SWB (114" WB) RH is C1TB-66278A66-A, while the LH is C1TB-66278A67-A

For the LWB (122" WB) RH is C1TB-66278A66-B, while the LH is C1TB-66278A67-B

a google search turned up a listing on rearcounter, but out of stock, but it does give you the option of being notified when they have stock (but that might be a looooong time)

http://www.rearcounter.com/C1TB-66278A6 ... 63312.html

Your probably better off looking for a piece cut off a SWB donor......

Thanks for the answers, I appreciate the opportunity to learn. The search continues...

I found an entire rear bed section on Craigslist. The guy lives down in FL (I'm in NC). He wants $380 for both end caps connected by the roll pan and a small section of bed floor. I think shipping is going to kill me on this thing, especially since I only need the one side. I realize I can recoup some of the money by selling the roll pan and right side. Should I jump on this or is something else likely to pop up?

Here's a link to the ad if you want to check it out: https://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/5945621921.html

I put long box corners on my short box uni, the body line was off and I had to make a couple cuts, reshape a bit..and reweld. I remember the body linepart went fairly easy, but the corner pieces I had didn.t line up real easy to my box..because my box was a bit wonky back there when I started !







the thread.. viewtopic.php?f=32&t=18525
lost many of the pics along the way...

Any updates on your repair of the taillight housing?

The shipping will be dependent on the overall size and weight. Have the Fla guy cut it into smaller parts to minimize cost.

Hey guys. No updates yet. I am strongly considering getting the long bed end cap from Flashback F100s and modifying the body line to match the short bed. While I'm not great at pulling dents and things like that I have experience with metal fabrication and modifying body parts.

Unfortunately the dude in Florida doesn't want to part out his parts. I'd have to drive down there or arrange shipping the entire piece.

Update: I ended up driving out to Flashback F100s and buying the long bed end cap for $200. I had no luck anywhere else with a short bed style, so I'll have to modify that body line. I'm not looking forward to it. Anyway, I'm glad I was able to drive out to Flashback's, Tom is a nice enough guy and has a lot of cool trucks. It was a fun trip.

I'll start a thread in the projects and builds section detailing what it takes to get this thing lined up correctly.

I got to work on this thing and started a thread. Here's the link viewtopic.php?f=32&t=36958

If you know anybody that does bodywork on older vehicles go watch them work on something.

I have a friend thats a body guy, back when I started my truck repair I would have him over to do some patching... It scared me the way he would smack and pound things.. but I started seeing that the truck is not that fragile and its not easy to overdue it on a saveable area. After awhile I started doing my own repairs because it became obvious that making a cardboard template.. forming flat steel over a log, vice or a barrel often was all that was needed to fix an area. The true key is learning to weld thin metals.. getting the temp and speed to where it melts together but not holding the trigger until you melt holes. I recall one day I was welding in a bunch of holes drilled in some body metal.. I didn't have anything brass behind the holes to help.. But I was just welding them in so fast. Tapping them lightly with a hammer to make them flush while they were still hot.
It was going so good I was sad when it was done.. Getting over the fear of doing something wrong is the key.. watching a person first hand will get you over that fear...

well said Lance !