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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 | My last task to finish the '52 is bed restoration. The original front panel, tailgate and cross members were lost causes. After a bit of research, I decided to go with Mar-K replacement parts. I think I made a good decision as the parts are top notch in quality and virtually identical to the originals.
I only made one mistake: Should have simply ordered the entire bed kit and saved myself all the work on the bed side panels. Great job Mar-K.
Last edited by DavidF; 05/08/2014 8:55 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 55 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 55 | I made that same mistake I've already done a lot of work to the bed sides but still going to replace them later down the road | | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 | Well, I spent a couple hours last night and i got the first bed side I'm working on decent. Took a lot of heat shrinking the metal to get ride of oil canning and to make it flat. But, I am happy with it now. Skim coat of filler, lots of sanding are next...repeat
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 | Ok, major mistake on my part over the weekend. I had the first bed side ready to prime (after countless hours of work straightening, filling, and sanding the metal only to hang the thing up for priming and letting it fall to the shop floor...ruined. Time to call Mar-K and order up TWO new bedsides. Just not worth the effort trying to fix single layer metal bed sides. Doh! | | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 166 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 166 | Ok, major mistake on my part over the weekend. I had the first bed side ready to prime (after countless hours of work straightening, filling, and sanding the metal only to hang the thing up for priming and letting it fall to the shop floor...ruined. Time to call Mar-K and order up TWO new bedsides. Just not worth the effort trying to fix single layer metal bed sides. Doh! OH Man!! I bet there were some curse words flying around when that happened! You will be very happy with the new Mar-k sides though, I have the whole bed kit on my '59, very nice! Darren | | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 | Yep, now my bed is entirely Mar-K new parts (except wood). Sadly, nothing of the original left. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 324 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 324 | I wonder if anyone has ever considered fabricating new bed sides?
Believe it or not you will actually spend less time doing this than you think. The results will be far better & best of all you will have nothing but brand new metal and 0 filler. Not to mention the very low cost of production excluding your labor of course.
If anyone out there is interested in trying check out the Tech Tip on this site. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,001 | To me, fabricating would not be worth the effort. From out of the box to a fresh coat of paint was about 2 hours of work including filling interior spot welds, and prepping for paint. At $400 per side (including freight), I am very happy that I dropped my original bed side. | | |
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