The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed 1954 Chevy Bed Wood Offset Washers

Does anyone know where I can find the offset bolt positions (4) on a 54 Chevy 1/2 ton. I am going to make the boards myself and I have the deminsions for that but not sure where the offset washers are located. Thought maybe there would be a pattern someplace. If not, guess I will try and guess at it.

Jim Carters has them....most of the aftermarket retailers also carry them.

What I would do is assemble and square the bed to the truck the way you like it (fit and finish wasn't invented back in the 50's yet) and drill from below, the through hole. Then place your washer hole over the through hole and mark it's outline and router it out. Even if you got a pattern, I doubt it would line up the way you would like it to,
Just my 2 cents,
Scott

Scott, I think you are thinking the same as myself. That is probably the only way I will be able to line it up. Guess I will make the 8 boards, lay them out as you suggest, crawl under and use a long thin drill bit and mark the bottom 4 holes, then lay the offset washer with the square hole over the drilled hole and then use a forstner bit to cut the offset washer holes. Was looking for an easy way out but I think this is it. Thanks for replying.

I thought the purpose of the offset was to keep the bolt from turning? So wouldn't you want to make them all the same?

There are 4 offset washers, one in each corner of the bed. The offset is to keep the washer from turning when tightning the bolts. You have to sink the hole for the washer off from the actual bolt hole to achieve this.

All the rest pass through metal, i.e. bed strips and side rails.
They all have square shouldered holes.

Hi Jon,

Just spoke with Mar-K Quality Parts. They said it would be fine to pass on information from their bed parts assembly guide. I bought new bed strips from them and cut my own bed wood just a while ago. With the new strips they included lots of helpfull information. The old wood was long gone on my truck. Would recommend this vendor to anyone.

Quoting... Attach the cross sills to the 5/16" angle strip bolts approximately 2-1/2", 26-11/16" and 53-11/16" respectively from the front bed panel.

The second, fourth, and sixth bed strip holes should line up with the cross sills.

The first cross sill at the front is the first bed-to-frame hole location. Mark the bottom of the second boards from each side through the 1/2" diameter cross sill holes that are 36-5/8" apart from center of hole to center of hole.

The second bed-to-frame bolt location is in the third cross sill counting back from the front bed panel. Mark the bottom of the outer wood boards through the 1/2" diameter cross sill holes that are 44-1/4" apart from center of hole to center of hole. The second cross sill does not have a bed-to-frame bolt.

The third bed-to-frame bolt location does not pass through a cross sill. There are two brackets attached to the rear cross sill. These large brackets should fit against the bottom of the wood boards.

Mark the bottom of the wood boards through the big brackets. The spacing of the bracket holes in reference to each other should be 44-1/4" apart from center of the hole to the center of the other hole. These marks should be 73-1/4" back from the front of the wood.

Make reference as to which end of each board is at the front of the bed. Remove the bed strips, cross sills and wood boards. The bottom side of these boards should now have 1/2" diameter holes marked on them. Drill a 1/8" diameter pilot hole through the center of these marks completely through the boards.

On the top surface of the boards, measure toward the front of each board 3/16" from each pilot hole and mark the boards for the countersink.

Using a 1-9/16" Forstner bit, a drill press if available, or a hand drill, countersink each location approximately 1/8" to 5/32" deep.

From the top surface, drill through the 1/8" pilot holes with a 1/2" drill bit to complete the bed-to-frame holes.

I would add to pay attention to the orientation of the offset counterbore in relation to the bedstrips/sides for best results.

There is a pretty good general instruction on the website http://www.mar-k.com/installation_hints.html for drilling mounting holes. Just scroll down and click on "drilling mounting holes" and then click on the appropriate link. There are photos on that instruction that will be helpful.

Your 54 short bed should have 6 bed to frame holes with offset washers instead of four. The dimensions given by Elleen are correct.


Mar-Ktech

Thanks, I'm sure I will use this information.