The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Bedsides sources

As far as I can determine, there are two makers of bedsides: Mar-K and Mack Products. Prices between the two are very similiar, anybody have any opinions on the qualtiy of product of each vendor? I am not sure which is carried by the vendors either.
If you are not aware of these part makers, here is their websites:
Mark-K: http://www.mar-k.com/
Mack: http://mackhils.com/mack_products/

Brian: There also is a company importing them and they are being sold through some of the dealers. I have not seen them to check the quality. Maybe other board members have experience with these imported parts. They would be the black EDP coated parts without fender holes.
Mar-Ktech

Well, I did not know bedsides were being made in the far east. I will avoid them like the plague. I am wondering if the Mack Products items were in this category.
I already know the Mar-K items are made here. And from your name, I assume you know it too! Any chance your company can offer stovebolters a discount? We recently had one from another vendor. My motto; it never hurts to ask!

Pro's Pick also makes bedsides. They are based in Canada. www.pros-pick.com

I can vouch for the Mar-K bedsides. The entire bed I ordered for my '53 was beautifully made in every detail. It arrived well crated and comes with some kind of galvanized coating and no EDP. To prepare for paint, I cleaned it with prep sol, scuffed it, and shot epoxy primer on it. Proudly made in the USA heartland too.

Just wanted to let you know that we'll be having a BED CLINIC with Mar-K, starting tomorrow. We've got the forum mostly set up. Hope to have it going by the evening. Their staff will be back at work tomorrow ... and that'll be the kick off!

Peggy

I had dealings with Mack back as far as 1996 and purchased entire bed assemblies...no disappointments there gang and good fit/quality.

While on this subject........
How come no one is making a repro bed side for the AD 1 tons.
I Know they would be costly,But if anything,they would probably sell if for nothing else,the originals were worked to death

Steve:
This question comes up from time to time. It is really a matter of supply and demand, and whether or not an investment in tools will be justified. After reading your post I had my tool supplier quote a tool that makes the top bed curl on a 1-ton. $7000 just for the basic tool to curl that edge. Plus shipping and any modification we have to do when it gets here. Figure at least that much again for the flange that goes on the bottom to do it right. There would be maybe $20000 in the tools to make these parts and how many realistically would be sold? I would be surprised (pleasantly) if more than 20 per year were sold, 100 in 5 years. That's $200 burden per bed side just for the specialized tools to make them and simple payback in 5 years. Likely price of a part would be $650 to $750. To me and apparently to others in this business the risk is not worth the investment.

I don't mean to bore you with these numbers and they were rather quickly figured without much deep thought or analysis. But you see where it is going. It is truly hard to justify the investment for a new product that is such low volume. That is what has to be done for every new product. No matter how much we might want to do it, it has to make economic sense.

Mar-Ktech

Thank you for your reply
Kinda new what the answer was gonna be.....
Us 1Tonners are orphaned again LOL
Regards