The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Question about bed assembly?

I'm getting ready to assemble the bed on my 49 1-ton chevy. The instructions from mar-K suggest to build it off the truck, With the outer edge boards in place, Then put it on the truck to finish. Can the bed be built on the truck installing the cross braces the front panel and rear sill and going from there? Thanks, Terry

In a word yes, that is how I did mine. Here are some pictures showing the construction of a 1/2-ton bed in that way, follow the link to them.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2020306670102454676xxSCeD

I built the bed on the truck a little different than Brad. I first put two 4x4"s across the frame and then put the sides and front panel together and installed the bolts finger tight. Next I installed the rear sill and the cross members. After that I put in the two outside planks(with the mounting holes) with the bed strips. Then I was able to aline the bed with the mounting holes and remove the 4x 4"s and lower it into place on to the mounting blocks. Next I installed the rest of the planks and bed strips finger tight and squared up the bed, then started tightening All the bolts in 3 stages.

Thank you, Brad Allen and Hippy, I will get started, May have a few questions later. Terry