Found them .They sell bed strips with no holes in either steel or stainless .The strips are for a newer AD truck but the length is the same.Actually your pictures of what I can see of the bed look the same as my 54 so maybe you have newer bedsides with the older 46 fenders .The picture near the front of the bed shows the front panel with holes and then the cross brace about 2 inches back that is how the strips on mine look at the front as well as fairly close to the back like your measurement of 1/2 inch. The bed strips without holes I found on bills truck shop but I would think a US vendor would have them as well .
