The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed question about wooden bed

Hello,

I am restoring a '56 3100 and have gotten to the point of preparing the bed. I was talking to a local restorer who has a sweet '57 Cameo that looks like its fresh from the showroom floor. The wooden bed on this truck was wet sanded so smooth that it looks like plastic, then finished with a glossy black paint. I want to prepare my bed to be as stock, so what is the correct color and finish. The restorer said black is correct, but he admitted that did go overboard on the sanding. So what is correct?

Thank you!

He is correct,but I would use a black stain it will last longer than paint,and not peal.

I just finished my bed wood on my 55.2 3100 stepside. The color from the factory was black, but I do not know if it was glossy.

I used POR15 and then top coated it with POR Blackcoat. It turned out pretty good. My biggest problem was the pors in the white oak. I would lay down a nice smooth coat of POR15 and come back in 20 minutes only to find hundreds of little bubbles. I just kept sanding and re coating until they were gone. It was a pain in the butt! I then top coated the boards with POR Blackcoat which is glossy. I sanded in between coats to get it as smooth as possible. There are a few brush marks here and there and minor imperfections but I can live with it. I just wish I had filled the pors in the wood first (though I do not know how well POR15 would adhere to wood filler) or started with a species that doesn't have so many pors in it to begin with.

In the end I feel like I will have bed wood that will be strong and durable. I will post some picks later.

thanks! so black it is... I'll think about the paint/stain/POR issue some more.

I am installing my wood this weekend on my 57 Chevy. Can someone please tell me what pieces of wood go where? I have an idea...does anyone have pics of completed wood beds? Seems like it can go in different ways from some of the photos I have seen. Thanks

"The color from the factory was black, but I do not know if it was glossy".


My truck is a later truck but I'm guessing they were all finished the same. Semi-gloss black is more accurate, although the gloss can be brought up a bit with polishing. check the bed pics on the gallery link and hit zoom for better detail. This is original factory paint, not restored.

What grit sandpaper do you all use on the bed after putting the stain on?

Thanks!

You should sand the wood before you put the stain on. On planed wood I would start out with 100 grit , followed by 150, and then if you want a very smooth finish hit it with 220 grit. You would then stain, followed by whatever top coat you are going to use. You would now sand with 220 grit between coats if you are using some form of polyurethane.

Hi coach,
Yes I am using 220 grit to sand before stain. I am using Minwax golden oak. I am also using Minwx pre-stain. I hear I should also seal the wood after I am done with a high UV. What would be a good product for that? The truck will not be in the sun much at all after the restoration is done.

Thanks!

Jon

Hi Jon, I used Helmsman Spar Urethane, 7 coats. I sanded with 220 grit between coats. My bed is made of cherry and purpleheart wood. It has beeen on now for 2 years and is holding up great.

Thank you coach,
I will give that product a go. Great looking truck and Nova! You have done amazing work on the truck. I hope mine will turn out as nice.

Thanks, Jon. It was a great father, son project! We took it slow and learned while we built it!

Like to hear stories like that. I wish I could have done that with my father. He got the truck when it was new. He passed away in 2007. I never bothered to ask him questions about it. Get details from him.