The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed bed assembly and installation

I'm finally getting to the point where I can start putting together the bed on my 53 one ton! Problem is that there are no original parts, so I'll be starting from scratch. If anyone has done this I could use all the information I can get. What order do you put things together? How many cross sills, and where do they go? Should the bed be put together off the truck then lifted on?

Given the length of this bed I assume it's pretty heavy when assembled, and I don't know how to support it while assembling, if it needs to be done off the frame.

I don't even know where to start! Any information or advice would be appreciated.

Tim

Tim,

Sounds like quite a project, the 9' beds are great on these old trucks and get a lot of stares as you drive by. Mine has been in our family since new but spending all it's life in Minnesota the winters have been a bit rough on it. The hardest parts to find will be the 9' sides, everything else is available new. The cross sills are more heavy duty than what was used on the 1/2 and 3/4 ton models and there are 4 of them in addition to the one directly under the tail gate. Every thing bolts together, no welding required. Nice bed wood kits are available and the metal wear strips can be purchased with the holes already punched. These beds are heavy once assembled, you will need a few people to help with the lifting. I mounted the cross sills to the frame and attached one side at a time (with help) but went relatively well. The running boards and aprons will also be a challenge to find if you don't have them. Don't give up on it though, a truck like that is great to have when your done.

Good luck on your project, and keep everyone informed on how you are coming along.

Tom

Tim,
Your link https://timwhiteblues.imgur.com/ did not work (unless you have to be a member)
. Would love to see your photos.
Click here https://www.stovebolt.com/forum/manual/StoveboltImagePolicy.pdf to see how to post on the Forum.

Suggestion, give Mar-k a call. All they do is truck beds,
https://www.mar-k.com/
Harold

3800guy

I have the bed sides (used from Jim Carter), and the original running boards and aprons, and one of the original cross rails is good. I'm going to be purchasing new front panel, tailgate, cross sills, bed wood, mounting blocks, and metal bed strips. I just am not clear on exactly where/how everything goes.

Harold46

I hadn't realized that I had to designate that posts would be public. I think I've got that fixed now. Thanks for letting me know. And It's been awhile since I updated those posts, so I will be adding more very soon.

Tim

Although Mar-K does not sell the 9’ sides (you don’t need them anyway) they do have online assistance on assembly. Look through their Tip and Tricks pages.🛠

I looked at the Mar K site, what I found were sort of generic instructions for a GM step side. What I'm really looking for are specific measurements for where the cross sills go. There are so many holes in the frame that I have no idea where they should be mounted.

I'm still a ways away from mounting things, I still need to strip and paint the bed sides, then order the $2000 worth of parts and get them painted. But I'll need to figure out where the pieces go. I like the idea of assembling it on the frame, but I don't know how that works. Do the cross sills get bolted down first? And do the bolts holding the cross sills interfere with the bed wood? Or do the cross sill bolts go through the bed wood? Do the bed sides bolt onto the end plates of the cross sills? And on the cross sills, which way is up?

As you can see, I'm pretty well lost on this part of my project. And it doesn't help that I have a rear bumper that bolts to the fenders in addition to the running boards. I'll post a photo of the rear bumper.

Tim

Tim,

I dimly recall putting a bed together in 1998.

I think you can try to determine the approximate location of cross-sills/supports by laying out the length-wise metal strips that go between the bed boards.

Lay the metal strips lengthwise in the bed - the holes in the metal strips are for bolts that go through the cross-sills?

If I am incorrect, we will soon see a correction?

Study these pictures from Brad Allen. They helped me even though they were for a earlier truck. Brad's pictures are for a short box, but I would expect that you should get an idea how it all works. Note how the holes in the angle strips line up with the cross sills. So, if the angle strips are welded on your sides, that should help you locate the cross sills.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/sets/72157631884205225

On my '37 restoration I purchased a complete bed kit from Mar-K. The kit came with detailed instructions for assembly, which was mostly done off the truck. You place the box on the truck before most of the wood and strips are installed, and before fenders and tailgate are attached, so it was pretty easy for me and another guy to lift it on the frame. Your bed would be heavier since it is longer but I still think two people could easily do that.

I would bet that if you purchase your needed panels, tailgate, cross sills, mounting blocks and bed wood from Mar-K, they would supply instructions for your '53 bed that will be detailed enough. Give them a call,
Regards,
Kent

Tim, I took some pictures of my bed without most of the wood if that helps at all. Check out the '50 album in my signature below.
If I can get any other pictures or measurements let me know.

Thanks so much for the link to the photos. With the tape measure in there I at least have some idea of where the cross sills go.
That should help a lot when I start laying things out. I'm assuming that the bed sides somehow bolt to the ends of the cross sills, so maybe that will also help in lining things up. Although now I need to go down to the barn and take a close look at the bed sides.

Update!

I got out to the barn and looked at the bed sides, and they have holes along the bottom edge where the cross sills bolt on. I should have seen those earlier.

Tim

Wow, I would consider losing that boat anchor of a bumper and locate a non-industrial bumper. IMHO

Actually, I love the bumper. Not only does it look cool, wrapped around and tying into the fender, it has a good hitch spot, and a great place to stand on while loading/unloading stuff from the bed. And on a one ton, the weight is negligible.pports the

Plus, with the brackets for the tail lights it supports the back ends of the bed sides. (they aren't attached to the bumper in the photo, but you can see one of them hanging from the bed side in the top of the photo.

I'll attach a photo of them in place on the bumper as they are now.

Tim

On second thought keep the boat anchor (bumper)᠁it takes a 1 Ton to get it moving...LOL

Yeah, the one ton will pull just about anything, although very slowly. The other day I had it out running up and down my drive way (1/4 mile long) and got it up to nearly 4 mph in first! Luckily I don't plan on driving this on expressways, which we don't have around here anyway. I'd have to drive an hour just to find one.

Years ago, when I was actually driving this as my daily driver, we hauled about 2 yards of gravel for our road. It was sitting on the overloads and the rear rims were about 2" above the pavement. Didn't go very fast, and had next to no steering, but we got it home!

Tim

That was impressive. I didn't expect it to run. The winch on it is freaking sweet too.

i'm also starting on the bed of my 3/4ton... to make things worse i put a gas tank between the framerails and off course thats where there will be a cross bar.
A little mc guyver and a lot of ..... will get it done. will attach some pics.

[img]https://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o576/rirarob/20200110_172422_zpsb4qtspfi.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o576/rirarob/20200110_172422_zpsb4qtspfi.jpg[/img]