The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop how best to fix this?

how strong would this be if a good welder welded a new piece to the bottum of this? is it even worth my time to try to fix this, or just find a replacement? the front 2 crossmembers need replaced too, but I think that would be easy to fabricate in there.

Picture

solo, you might get a good bodyman to fix that front panel, but yer gonna have to take the whole thing apart anyway, so cheaper to replace it, and get all new cross sills at the same time.

Bill

thanks for the info. I'm kinda betting by the time I got this one fixed I could find a new replacement.

Vendors have the front panel and the cross pcs. There are a few places that make just bed pcs. like Mar-K or whatever and Bruce Hornsby? Look in links on this site.

I guess you got the wood off OK, hey? Don't forget the rubber blocks and long bolts needed too. Carter's and others have a kit with mount hardware. They also have a booklet on parts and redoing the bed for around $4.00 that is nice to have for reference.

I dont see any scorch marks.

I was pretty surprised to see the front bed panel isnt that expensive. Check Chevy Duty.

It is a rare truck (mine) that doesnt need a front panel. They usually are at least all dented up. I don't know what my PO's hauled but the front panel doesnt have one dent. The tailgate was all bowed out though.

solowookie
Just finished replacing my front panel a month or so ago due to same problem as yours. I believe I bought the front panel from Golden State for $99.99. Took a little work but it's back and running. Actually is the nicest part of my truck now. All the other sheetmetal parts are
a little jealous. Note my wood is a temp piece of finish plywood designed for ping pong tables.
Normal plywood is 1 - 1/2" too short in width. Then threw on some SS rail strips. Later when I repaint the beast, I'll put in Hardwood strips etc. Here's a pic.

[img]http://www.cmaynard.com/truckbed.jpg[/img]

hey, thanks for the tips guys... I just got done on chevy duties web site, and they are charging $89 for one so I think I'll get a new one.

and no, there aren't any scorch marks... after I figured out that my rail strips were no good I just took a 4 1/2" grinder to the bolt heads.

Wookie beleieve it or not to buy a whole bed brand new is much cheaper than buying wood kits , panels,crossmembers, filler ,welding and all the hours to get it to look like ti did stock(not real pretty). E-mail me and i will give you the prices(would not want the swap police whinning).Plus if your going to hot rod it you can get some diff stuff on it.Like a automatic top opener Smoothee tail gate ,hidden hinges all sorts of good stuff. I know one thing its a whole lot cheaper than rebuilding a bent or rusted bed.Just sand and paint and half your truck is done. Not for the purist though as the beds are to perfect (no spot welds showing and are straight as and arrow. Just did one and it was a pleasure. the new repop fender are pricy but real nice also. How is the top of the frame by the back of the cab.Check to make sure the top half of the rail aint rusted to thin.
Sorry no pix,s of the new bed they are to big and i tried to resize them with the torch but they burt up.

Cmayna

Interesting on the ping pong top. Did u use a router for the places for the stainless strips?

Cmayna,

Nice bed. Where did you get those strips from and what did you finish the wood with? I don't want to spend a lot of money on my bed (I'm using thick plywood) and I'm looking for something to use as bed rails ( maybe from a hardware store). Anyone else have any ideas?

unless you can do body work the absolutely best way to go is to buy a complete kit and sell your old parts piece by piece to a purist. I have the name of a company in Moberly Missouri that makes the bed kits and can save you some money. Learn from my learning. I ordered a complete kit from a "vendor" and it came to me straight from the manufacturer. I kept the "label" off the boxing and have given it to many hobbist. The last fellow saved 350 from what he same kit cost from a catalog outfit!! email if you would like the name...ok,ok here it is!Mack Hils,Inc. P.O. Box 856, 544 North Avenue, Moberly MO.....you'll have to find the phone number. Let your fingers do the walking

thanks Alvin I'll check into it...

BZNHAFDZN & ACME,
I didn't bother to router the wood for the strips since I figured I wasn't going to be hauling really that much which would cause the strips to move much, especially with them bolted down. They work just fine sitting on top. I got the SS strips from Golden State Pickup. Not too many people sell individual strips. I believe the bed width is 49-1/2", thus a local plywood house told me to try another local supplier who sells wood tops for pingpong tables 5'x9'. Had them rip it down to 77"x49-1/2". Used a simple Marine finish (top and underside). The trick was to unbolt the back end (removing tailgate also), so you can slide the tight fitted plywood under the side L channels.

ciao'

oowow what a good thread high class info. yep just throwing some meat for yo guys that have priced a complete say 50s ad widest longest repo bed fenders tailgate
some of de guys helpin me on de diesel drager dream waz wonderin how many money honey so we could talk to a trucker about more sponser stuff not discounting shipping to oreygun thanks