Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Probably a dumb question- - - - -

Has anyone ever tried using a piece of marine-grade plywood that fits a stovebolt bed, and simply cutting precise grooves with a router to accommodate the metal hold-down strips? I've never done it, but it would seem to be a viable alternative to hassling with multiple pieces of wood, and unless someone is some sort of anal-retentive purist, the end result would seem to be the same. I'm suggesting marine-grade plywood rather than exterior because marine plywood has no voids anywhere, while plain old exterior can expose openings that could trap moisture when being cut to fit. The glue is supposedly the same (waterproof) but marine ply is designed to stay wet for extended periods of time.

Just a thought- - - - -comments?
Jerry

Jerry, yes it has been done. Saw it several years ago on one of the car/truck shows on TV. Too long ago for me to remember which one.

F@#d stepsides in 80's were born that way.

Jerry -- I did my '39 bed that way ...

My buddy has a panel truck and it has the original plywood bed with the bed strips on it. The older panels (not sure what years) had wood like the pickups, but there was an issue with exhaust fumes coming through the cracks.
BTW, there is no need to for creating any grooves in the plywood. The bed strips will lay flat on the plywood.
Carl

As Carl posted:

In 1950, “. . . the floor boards of panel and canopy express models were changed to plywood construction. In the new construction a single panel of wood and five skid strips replaced thirteen floor boards and twelve skid strips. The new floor was positively sealed against dust leakage and the plywood made the floor 25 to 30% stronger than the former construction.” (from an article in the light commercial vehicle association, 1984)

The hard part will be to find a sheet of plywood over 48" wide and 6 or 8 feet long.

Order the oversize at your local lumber yard......Lowes/Home Depot.

Or, if a boat repair shop is nearby (or, if your lumber yard is flexible/helpful), get a large enough sheet of appropriate thickness marine ply/grade plywood.

I did it five years ago when I first started with my 55.1 3600. I used a standard marine plywood from home depot (48"x96") cut it into four pieces (two at 6 3/4 " and two at 16 3/4") I only had enough rotten metal strips to make three complete strips. no grooves and no sealer because it was supposed to be temporary. five years later and outside in New York weather every night and day and used for light cargo with leaves and bird droppings and never washed I can honestly say I'm impressed with how well it held up