The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed 1946 Box Floor Question

I have a 46 Chev which I've owned for 40 years and It was purchased from the original owner. The floor of the box is interlocking wood strips of random widths and no metal strips just oval head carriage bolts holding the wood down to the bed supports. I've seen some restored 46's with equal width boards secured with chrome or painted metal strips just like the more modern 50's-60's trucks.
What is correct for 46?

Stan, check out the web site for Mar-K who manufactures bed assemblies. I understand they have some drawings also that may interest you. Also Harold46 would/can be a big help but you cannot PM (private message) anyone until you, as a new member, have made 4 or 5 post. The answer will come just be patient.

Click here for my bed pictures. My metal bed parts are from Mar-K and the bed I made from poplar. Stained with some thinned out green and Minwax poly. Hope this helps..good luck
Dan

This is information for 47 up trucks but you may find useful.

http://gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm

Now that I have found my original post thanks for the comments. What I'm after is advice on which floor type is correct for 1946 -all wood or wood with metal strips? I'm not looking to replace mine, just wondering if it is the original floor.

Original...Wood with strips....
Dan

Original, in '46, would have also used Yellow Pine and not Oak for the wood.

I have owned my 46 1/2 ton since 1973. My bed floor is the same as yours; interlocking wood with no metal strips. I purchased my truck from the second owner, but he did include the original bill of sale for a farmer in South Dakota and the story about the wood bed was handed down: My truck was built in February of 1946 at the Janesville, WI plant. The timing of the plants manufacturing civilian trucks shortly after the wars end came with a caveat; steel was still in short supply! At the time the decision was made to eliminate the steel strips in the bed and about 4 beds would result in saving enough material to make a fender. This is not documented, just the explanation given to the original purchaser when he raised the question.
You and I have rare trucks, not only for having the original flooring, but lacking the strips. I have been going to shows and cruise-ins for 45 years and not seen another truck with the original wood bed in usable condition, period.