The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed bed angle strips location

I need the measurements for the location of the bed angle strips on a 47 shortbed. Been a while since i tore it apart and can't find my notes of the measurements. Any help would be greatly appreciated. The body is the same as a 48 shortbed.

Do your bedsides have the fender mounting holes in them? One bolt at the front and one at the rear go thru the angle strip,then thru the boxside and thru the fender flange. Installing those bolts should position it correctly.

Curt B.

I am making a new detailed instruction for replacing angles on your bed right now. It should be on the website in a couple days. Do you have new angle strips? Are they punched with holes?

Mar-Ktech

thanks for getting back with me. Yes i have new angle strips. The only holes in them are for the bolts that go to the bed wood. I'm thinking of welding them on. Any other tips ???

The new instruction for installing angle strips will be up in a day or two. Here is the text from it for positioning the angle strip on the bed side. Be sure to test fit everything before welding.

ANGLE STRIP INSTALLATION FOR ’37 - ‘53 GM PICKUP BEDSIDES

The following instruction will guide you through the removal and replacement of the angle strips for the early GM pickups. If it is not damaged, the old angle strip is a good guide for positioning the new angle exactly as the original. Measurements should be made before removing the old angle strip. If the old angle strip has been removed or severely damaged or if you are working with new bedsides without angles, follow these steps to assure the angles will be installed in the correct location. Be sure to measure carefully and test fit the assembly to the front panel, rear sill, and wood boards before welding or bolting the angle to the bedside.

Positioning the Angle Strip on the Bedside

The bolt holes in the angle strips line up with the corresponding bolt holes in the bed strips except for one or two holes depending on the year. The rear of the bed strip has the last hole about 1/2”from the end of the bed strip and the front hole is noticeably farther from the front, about 1 3/4” from the front end of the bed strip. These dimensions are approximate and to be used only for identification. It is not obvious which end of the angle strip is front and rear, so line it up to the hole pattern of the bed strips to know which is front and rear on the angle strip.


The angle strip MUST BE SHIFTED REARWARD about 7/8” on the bedside relative to the bed strips to make the holes line up. This shift is very important so that there is clearance at the front bed panel where it bolts inside the bedside. If you are using an angle strip without holes, it still must be shifted to the rear relative to the bed strips to make clearance for the front bed panel mounting flange. The rear end of the angle strip must not extend past the rear face of the rear sill.



Note that the angle strip extends over the rear sill and rests on the top surface of the rear sill. The rear 5/16” square hole in the angle strip should align exactly with the corresponding hole in the rear sill when the angle strip is positioned properly. If you have disassembled the bed, temporarily bolt the rear sill back into the bedside rear stake pocket and the front bed panel to the bedside at front to establish the proper location of the angle strip, both vertically and front to back. The bed wood thickness should slide between the front bed panel lower mounting flange and the angle at the front. The bedwood thickness should slide snugly between the rear sill and the angle at the rear. Clamp the angle to the bedside in that position. Use several clamps to make sure the angle is straight and not bowed up or down.


When you have the proper relationship between the angle strip and the rear sill and front bed panel, the angle is ready to install. Check that the front of the angle strip is toward the front of the bed and that it is exactly straight as clamped to the bedside. Be sure the bolt hole in the rear sill lines up with the rearmost angle strip bolt hole and that the bed strip holes line up with the angle strip holes.


Hope this helps. Check the website for the full instruction with photos.

Mar-Ktech

We completed the angle strip installation instruction. http://www.mar-k.com/37-53anglestrips.pdf I will appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Mar-Ktech