The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Bed strips

What color were the bed strips on a 1950 3100 coming out of the factory? Were the bed strip bolts zinc plated or painted? How about the bolts that attached the front of the bed to the sides?

Should I assemble the bed (without the wood) first and the paint or paint the pieces individually.

Thanks for any help.

This is a slide from a 1951 filmstrip (factory bed shots are rare). Looks all black or body color to me? I painted mine individually but others may have a better approach. The following link is also good for bed information.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/12315229543/in/album-72157640522200463/
http://www.mar-k.com/index.php?p=tips-and-tricks
These were work trucks so shiny hardware is more the exception then the rule.

black boards and black metal strips, until 1955-2nd series trucks?
except for, maybe, the deluxe 2-tone exterior/interior paint options in 54/55-2nd

http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/truck-beds-black-wood/

Some people claim the "black paint" was coal/lamp oil (creosote) with lamp black ("Lamp Black or lampblack is a soft bluish-black pigment that is very stable and unaffected by light, acids and alkalies").

I read awhile back that the 1st series trucks (like my '53 3600) were a mix of linseed oil and lampblack coming out of the factory.