The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed New bed sheetmetal.

Anyone hear of any deals on new besides, panel and tail gate for 51' 3100. Did not know if any vendor had deals ongoing. Thanks for your time fellas!

Hank, smart way to go. It doesn't take much body work to pay for a complete bed assembly.
I think JCarter is offering a discount but as a bolter you can get 10% anyway. Don't know is TRUCK SHOP offers a complete kit or not but they now have a place in Charlotte. I've ordered stuff from the Charlotte location,(in Concord just off I-85 same exit to go to the racetrack) and saved all the shipping that way.
I'll even take you up there and pick it up in my truck!!

A piece of paper and pencil and check out all the sites...and SHIPPING. Its been a while since I ordered one but it can easily top 200 if you aren't careful.
Also, if you pick it up at the terminal you save $$$. Call me. I'll go with you!....Say hi to Wilson.

Another option is to find a good sheet metal shop that can replicate the front and side panels. Key here is that they need right equipment to correctly roll form the tops of the bedsides. Would still need to purchase tailgate, and have a fabricator move the stake pockets from old to new.

I finished my original bedsides,ended up not liking and purchased from Mar-K. At the time I purchased they had free shipping. I've ordered from them in the past,front panel,angle strips, pockets,bed strips and had great luck and would recommend highly. Have fun and good luck
Dan

Thanks for responses fellas. Gonna check with Mar-k and see what they can do. Alvin will follow up with the boys from Concord and see if they can do more than running boards for the truck. Saw there work on those and it was exceptional. Let ya'll know what I find. Stay safe fellas👍

Alvin & Bolters, I finally did my due diligence on this.

My bed is garbage except for the two center sills which will need to be blasted, metal prep and pors 15 coated for me to be happy. After materials costs, (my labor is free, lol)it is cheaper to simply go with an new bed.

I checked Mac Hils and they do make the parts not sills though, their costs are ok, but shipping is outta sight,so no go.

Smoothie Fab outta Charlotte NC does running boards and has a fabricator named Dan Carpenter who does the smaller beds for the hot rods/customs, not to factory specs. So no thanks.

Truck Stop, Concord NC....great people to deal with. Parts are made in US mostly foreign. Total cost is $198.50 less than MAR-K. They say they cant identify where the parts were made to allow you to select only US made product

Mar-k...nice folks, all made here in the Great USA! Cost is 198.50 more than Truck Stop, Jim Carter, Classic, etc. plus shipping of 238.00.

Bottom line for $437.00 I get American made to the door for $437.00.

It has been a few years, but I recall china sheet metal as a pain at times to bolt on. Alignment issues with holes that are so far off you cant use em and end up with an empty hole to weld or simply stare at. Poor gauge metal, body lines that were off.

So, it looks like Mar-K for me. I am gonna try and negotiate a shipping discount . Hope this helps anybody else looking at the same issue I am.

Alvin, man I do appreciate your advice and friendship. Your a true blessing and wealth of knowledge when it comes to these old trucks!

Hank, when you call tell them you are a Stovebolt member. May get you a bit of a discount.

how involved is it to change bedsides on a completed truck

Just a lot of bolts to remove, and maybe a gas weld (if unmolested original) at the rear where they meet the rear cross member.