John S.,
I've considered this solution too. I've got a '66 Chevy C-10, and the wood is totally rotted out. My truck is not a restoration - it's a hauling street rod.
I called an outfit in Tucson that specializes in constructing steel trailers. I told them that I wanted to replace my truck bed with steel diamond-plate, and they gave me a bid of about $700, which includes all new structural angle-iron underneath, and an "I"-shaped panel of diamond-plate for the bed floor.
After I get that in, I'm going to run it to Rhino for a spray-in bed liner. I think that'll be pretty durn durable!
That's my idea for a practical solution, and somethin' different. I get REALLY tired of seeing thousands of red oak, multiple clear-coat repro bed floors!
---Scoob
