The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks 1960-1966 panel truck floor

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone can tell me if the wood floor in a 60-66 panel truck was intended to support the body?
This is a 61 C30 so it's a long floor in there.

Previous owner removed floor (with saw and ax from how it looked) and now I'm getting ready to try and fit plywood sheets.
Bought two sheets of 12' long plywood, cut to size, routered a lap joint, looks like it should go right in.

Problem is I have trouble getting the wood to slide under metal flange where it appears to belong.
Thickness appears to be the same between old and new plywood.
Body sag?
Maybe I need to apply a little bit of upward pressure on body?
I'm thinking two jacks along side and a 2 by 4 or 4 by 4 to spread load.

Those with long memories may remember me and this panel truck.
Trying to get moving again.

Thanks

I owned and drove a 66 C30 panel for 25 years, and if I remember correctly the floor was planks, not plywood. That's a long truck you have there and the body flexes a LOT. Although it isn't the easy option, you many want to consider using planks instead of plywood as the planks are not as prone to flex or bend. Thers should be steel runners between and on top of the planks to strengthen the floor (and the truck as well once it is all bolted together) and also bolt to the body crossmembers. I am guessing that with a plywood floor replacement done long ago before you got the panel, those strips were probably not reinstalled.

I have a 62 c 30 panel , 2 layers of plywood with the bolts going through the steel runners to metal channel running across the frame rails .
John

The panels had plywood for those years.

I believe that the body does rest on top of the floor, You will want to raise it a little to put the new floor in. put a 2x4 (or 4x4 whatever works best for you and your jacks) between the jack and the body and gently raise it, put it on jack stands and repeat on the other side. I would recommend another set of hands and eyes there to help while raising the body, it's not light and there are a bit of parts that you need to watch to make sure you don't bend or break anything. I have seen people replace the floor in some older posts, they cover it pretty well.

Hi,
Thanks for responses.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/do...hevrolet-Trucks/1961-Chevrolet-Truck.pdf

If you go to page 52 of this pdf it will tell you it is plywood.

I think the gentle raising of body is best idea.

"panel fan" It's interesting your truck has two layers of 1/2" where mine was one 1" layer.
How many skids on yours? It says five on that pdf page, but I got extras with mine I think.

Pete

BTW: the GM info site is at

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/

The info kits are at:

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html

note that the pdfs often have a blank first page so don't let that fool you.

Pete

Of hand I cant remember how many skids and the truck is put away off sight for the winter . As for the type of wood , when removing the rear wheel I could see that it was plywood and was left with the impression there were two sheets I will have get an eyeball on it again to remind me how I came to that conclusion .

John

So.....apparently the floor in my panel was modified at some point before I bought it, or I was just plain wrong.....I have no problem here admitting it. Good Luck with your repairs.

Xena,
Can't be right all the time right?

It should/could be plywood or someone dropped something too hard and damaged the original floor and went with planks.
(You don't just run into HD or Lowe's and get a 12 ft sheet of plywood.)
The skids do give the floor a similar appearance to a pickup bed.
Our trucks have been around a while so strange things turn up.

btw: Anyone else have 10,000Lb GVW plate on their panel?
It has a LOT of leaves in the rear springs!

Pete

I have a '51 Chevy 3100 Carryall. I too, am replacing the floor. It's a big project but, so far I've removed the perimeter carriage bolts and will continue remove bolts on the cross member support irons. I recently replaced the wooden "body support blocks" so I am familiar with raising the body up, but to install an entire floor is a "ramped up" version of this !! LOL! My plans are to replace the existing floor with reclaimed Oak planks, from a semi trailer floor. They are 1" thick x 1 foot wide, plus channeled on the edge. I'll replace the current support iron underneath with new angle iron and carriage bolts. I'll have the planks cleaned up at a local wood mill and apply epoxy sealer on the bottom to help water proof it. The top side will be stained and varnished. I know this not what a lot you guys would do, but I always say as I look at someone else's truck and Think..."now why in the heck would they do that!!? I back up and reconsider my opinion & I say to myself...first off it's not mine and they didn't ask for my input and I didn't pay for the work done it plus and most importantly that truck is not mine! BTW I am amazed at the amount of knowledge and wisdom I read within this forum, I take advantage of it because I consider myself a rooky builder, this is the first one I have "gone through." The others all I wanted was to get them on the road, this one means more to me and I want to rebuild it the best I can with the resources & the skill sets I have (& those skills to come) that also means including this forum as a most respected source of information.