The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Rear Plywood Floor oin Canopy Express

I've just started on a complete restoration of my 51 Chevrolet Canopy Express, only about 3 years after I bought it. I found it in Colorado, where we lived at the time and about two years later we moved to California, trailering the old truck behind the Penske truck.

It's pretty complete, but it was used for 25 years in Colorado Springs as a window cleaning company's truck. The inside quarters are pretty rusted, but the outside is pretty good.

Before I left Denver, I found a panel truck and was able to cut the quarters, both inside and outside, off of it. I plan on replacing the rusted interior panels and I've started to disassemble the truck, but I'm worried about how I'm going to replace the plywood floor.

I can't see how the floor was put in unless the flanges on the sides along the quarters were welded in after it was put in place. It is one piece and fits around the wheel wells. What I have is pretty rotten, but I can at least use it for a pattern.

What I've come up with is that I think I'll have to cut the spot welds on one side's flanges, slide it under the other side and then reweld the flanges back on. I sure would appreciate any ideas that anyone may have that might keep me going in the right direction.

Please understand that I'm restoring the truck and not hot rodding it. When I'm done, I want it to look just like it was delivered to the original owner. I don't intend to use it for much driving, guess I have a trailer queen in mind.

Steve,

It sounds like your floor is like the floor in a Suburban (but without the pockets for the seat bolts).

What you describe for removing re-installing a floor is the only way that I have seen/heard that works if you want to use a single piece of plywood.

For previous discussions on this topic, use the "search" option that is under "Post a Reply" near the top of this page. Search for "floor" in this forum.

The Canopy Express is not a common model - it is nice to hear that you are restoring it to look original. Post pictures every so often.

Tim

Hey Steve,

We had a good long chat about this with my Suburban a month or so ago (search) :rolleyes:

Conclusion, cut the spot welds........

Buddy

I have never seen a canopy express with a plywood floor - I have a '38 canopy express with plank flooring similar to a pickup. Same story with a '50 that I am working on. All pictures I have gathered over the years also show CE's with plank bed.

Is your truck originally a canopy express? Do you have pictures?

I have a 48, and two 49's and they all have plank flooring. I have not seen the later year CE's, however I believe Jim Carter has two or three in his yard, give him a call. Post some pictures, there are a couple of us on the SB page that have the CE's.........g

1952 GMC Canopy Express

I think we have all concluded after many discussions, the only way to get out the old plywood is to drill out the spot welds on the metal flange and remove it from the top. I have been told you can purchase 5 foot wide plywood from a cabinet shop, use marine plywood if you can find it.

With my '51, after removing cab from frame and front and rear angle retainers and all channel suppport bars underneath , I ran a skill saw up the middle of the floor and took it out in two pieces without cutting any metal. To replace it I just put an L shaped butt joint in the replacement oak ply pieces and layed them back in. I'm of course leaving out the details but I feel this is a vialble solution. I think you'll find the one piece too large to slip in under one flange and if you go this route take both side flanges out, (the routed cut-outs that clear the ply panel around the frame humps at the rear axel are very neccessary). One other advantage is you don't have to run down large sheets of wood, two 4x8s do it.

The Sanderson way sounds better and better. I think I'll go that way.

Buddy

Hey guys, if you are plannibg to join two pieces of plywood, you might want to use a scarf joint.

Scarf joint

From what I can tell, the 3100 Canopy Express in the 47-55 years had the plywood floors and the 3800 had the plank floors. I suspect that the panels were the same way.

I feel better now that I'm getting some reinforcement of my plan. I'll have both sides out of the truck and I can drill out the spot welds.

I hope I live long enough to finish this project. I'm 63 now.

I'll post some photos in a day or two.

My 50 canopy express (1/2 ton) has plank floor. Again - it is odd that yours is plywood. I have seen a plywood floor in a 49 canopy express clone that was made from a suburban. The newest CE I have seen is a '54 GMC 1/2 ton which also had a plank floor.

Does anyone know of factory literature on these which might show if it was an option?

Ken

My 49 burb has the one piece plywood floor and it is painted black. There are 2 routed out radius areas that fit the frame kickup on the underside. These are clearance areas that allow the body to sit correctly on the wood blocks on the frame.

Weeds

I am with motion Guru on this one. I have three AD CE'S and all of them are 1/2 tons with the plank flooring. I also have Three AD Suburbans with plywood flooring. I have checked out several panels with plank flooring too. Check out that 52 GMC factory picture and it has the plank flooring. Do you have some pictures? Is the CE complete? Does it have the short clamshell tailgate with chains instead of wire rope? Does it have the metal panel behind the two bucket seats? I am sure there is a good explanation on why you have the plywood floor, I just don't know what it is!

It definitely has a plywood floor and the 49 panel that I cut up to get the side panels also has the plywood floor. Bear in mind that it is a Chevrolet, but I've never seen one with a plank floor. It does have the skid strips, but the plywood is one piece.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it has the partition and the short tailgate with chain supports. I'm pretty sure that the floor's never been replaced.

Steve as you take the truck apart can you post some pictures?

I need to take the interior and exterior panels off my Suburban and really want to know what the insides look like...

Thanks in advance!

The canopy express I am looking at has the regular wood slats and metal strips, well parts of them anyway.

Steve, I took a look at my CE that is in storage and lo and behold it has a plywood floor with metal strips! I do not know the year other than it is a pre-52. the floor is complete and original with all of the strips intact. I had never noticed this before and when I get a chance I will investigate the differences in mounting etc. ..........g