The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed '49 truck with '54 box

My 3100 shortbed is a '49 and I've determined the box to be a '54. Generally, I have figured that when I order the bed parts it should be for the '54 box. However, I'm wondering if the bed strips for a '54, which are longer than a '49, have the same hole pattern as the original '49. Do I need to order unpunched strips and locate the holes myself? :confused:
Aloha,
Rich

Rich:
You should order for 54 model. The bolt locations for 54 are not quite the same as the 49 and the 54 is 1/4" longer. Strips length needs to fit the 54 bed length. Check that the angle strips on the bedsides are original 54 and do not have the front cross sill location shifted. If that 54 bed is sitting on the frame how you like it and has not been modified, then any adjustments have been made on the frame mounting pattern and height, not the bed. You don't need to order unpunched strips unless you think the bolt locations are neither 49 or 54 because of the modifications.

Don't forget your bed needs some kind of blocks under the mounting points of the cross sills and rear sill so the wood will clear the frame over the axle.

Mar-Ktech

Thanks Mar-Ktech. This is very valuable information to me. I currently have some old improperly mounted boards in the bed. I will assume without checking, that it means I already have the clearance you described. The cross sills are part of the bed and not part of the frame, correct? Would you be willing to provide me with the measurment between sills? Then I know for sure what to order.

Aloha,
Rich

Rich:

I have not ever done this conversion, but base this following information strictly on measurements we have taken from trucks. Hopefully, another board member that has done this conversion can provide their input to your problem, based on their personal experience.

For the 54 bed, the cross sills are at 2-1/2", 26-11/16" and 53-11/16" measured back from the front bed panel or the front edge of the wood, and there should be an angle strip bolt hole at each of those locations. There should be a bed to frame bolt hole in the frame at the 53-11/16 cross sill. The bed does not have a bolt to the frame through the 26-11/16 cross sill. The 2-1/2 cross sill will not quite line up with the original 49 frame bolt hole, so it may have to be drilled in the frame to line up. You can't move a cross sill without changing the bolt holes in the angle strip which is what locates the cross sills in the bed. If you decide to move a cross sill from the original 54 location, then the bed strips will have to made with a custom hole pattern, which is easy enough to do if you want.

The measurement from the bottom of the wood to the top of the frame is 4" where there is a bed to frame bolt. That is where you will have to block the bed up to get the correct clearance. Your bed will sit a couple inches higher than a stock 54 truck because the 54 frame did not kick up so much over the axle as the 49 frame. Splash aprons may have to be custom made to adapt the different height. You will probably have to make custom wood blocks to get the 4" height right.

Hope this helps.

Mar-Ktech

Thanks again Mar-Ktech. I will take the measurments on my bed and compare to what you have provided.

Aloha,
Rich