The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed '49 Big Bolt original bed project (Flatbed)

I had a thread going in the Big Bolts section about this, but thought it should really be in here.

I'm nearing completion of a restoration project of a Task Force-era factory flatbed for my '49 Big Bolt. The bed was originally on a '56 Chevy 2-ton. Even though the bed is not correct for my '49, it is closer than having a bed built. It will have to do until I can find a period correct bed for the truck.

To sum up, about all that was usable off the original bed were the outer rails (the important part anyway) and the crossmember braces. The crossmembers and the pieces that cover the tops of the wood frame rails (where the bed to truck frame u-bolts go) I had fabricated by our local Mennonite welder (he duplicated the original crossmembers almost perfectly -- the originals were stamped in one piece, Lloyd had to bend three pieces and weld them together).

The bed is reassembled and on the truck, waiting for the bed strips (on order from Mar-K) and the bed wood planks.

Here's the photo album of the project to date.

Regards,
John

looking good, keep the pics coming

John, after all the years victory is really going to be sweeeet. When do we celebrate!! Hey, Dakota has a 2 ton you get as your next project. He's been trying to get it "down south" for a year or more but I rather YOU have it!! hehehe

That is great! I need to git me a local Mennonite welder...

I've been looking for references for original stake bed construction, and those photos are very helpful. That last photo that Grigg shot is super, too.

That is an awesome bed!

I'm curious. How do the runners fasten to the frame? You mentioned the U-bolts above; I just didn't see in the pics how that fit together.

nice lookin big truck!

With Arnswine's SB Tech Tip and your photo gallery, I have been able to design my own flat bed. It's sad to hear she's up for sale, but someone's gonna buy a well built truck! Thanks for sharing the photos!

Thanks Dave -- Glad to hear my fumbling around was actually helpful to someone. Sorry I didn't see your question in September -- it really is 6 large u-bolts that clamp the runners to the frame. Because the runners aren't as wide as the frame rails, there are spacers that ride inside of the u-bolts along the runners to make up the difference.

Yep, ole Blue has to go, along with 2 or three of the others. Too many "mouths" to "feed" around here.

John

John, the link for the pics is bad do you have pics somewhere I could view. I would like to see how you did. Did you use metal bed strips? If so where did you find them?

Hey John;
I'd like to see the pics as well. I'm doing pretty much the same conversion, got an old flatbed off of something and putting it onto my 1950 3800. Would love to see what you've done and how you did it.

Thx - Bruce

Hey guys, I was looking for John's pictures of his flatbed build as well as I'm hoping to build one for my 1955 1st series NAPCO, Budd. I searched photobucket and I think I found the current link to those pictures.
Hopefully, this is the album: Miliman Big Bolt

You are correct. That is the album. Thanks for finding it again!

Hi John,

I'm rebuilding a '46 3/4 stake bed and have to replace the wooden rails that run the length of the frame between the frame and the bed like you did. What kind of wood did you use? As best I can tell they are 4" x 6" pieces that are cut out where the wheel portion of the frame curves. I've been told to use white oak, but man that's expensive, almost what I paid for the whole truck, lol. I've found a source of "barnwood" but most of it is pine. Would that be too soft a wood for that purpose?

Thanks for any help,
Joe