The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Bed making!

Anyone have any experience making beds for trucks looking for tips and or advice, have my rear fenders on order and once they arrive I will be able to mock up the rear.
How do I avoid it looking like its broke its back?, do I keep the bed level with the running boards? what about the tailgate? thats the kinda things I need advice on any help would be appreciated, thanks

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...Main=135143&Number=935222#Post935222 This was my response to another post yesterday, maybe it will help, maybe not. There is a lot I left out as I was worried about getting to long, PM me if you want.

Lots of custom work here ! Sounds like your bed is longer, wider, and higher than stock, plus will be tubbed for the duallys ? You can buy a reproduction tailgate for the '40, that has the Chevrolet script stamped into it, however, its not going to be wide enough, or high enough. Since you already have the sides fabbed, might as well go back and have him make the tailgate - its just roll formed top and bottom. You can buy a Chevrolet script decal if you want.
Boards are easiest part. Finding bed strips, and bed angle is going to be difficult. You could have something custom fabricated from stainless or aluminum I guess

Yes the bed is larger in all dimensions than a stock longbed and yes I have tubs from 60-66 fleetside to go into it, they also will have to be reworked as they are about 10" wide and I need only about 5 1/2. Yes I plan to go back to the same guy when I'm ready for the front panel and the tailgate, the truck is a GMC and I have the correct tailgate that I plan to cut the flat panel with the GMC script out of and frame in the new tailgate, trying to make it look like General Motors would have had they made a 1 ton stepside. Bed strips and bed angle are not a problem as there is at least one aftermarket supplier that makes them with no holes for 9 foot 1 ton beds. That's what I've got for running boards and the bedside to running board panels.Should look correct when I'm done. Wish me luck! It's a lot of welding.

Should this be in making a stovebolt bed?

Paul, I'm sure you can make the sides cheaper than Mar-K sells them for, but there is a lot of info on their site that may be of interest to you in case you're not aware of them.

www.Mar-K.com

Thanks Drew checked the website looks good, I was thinking of making my own from some 2" box section and skin it with sheet steel a lot of work but it will be a one off anyway and I am not trying to get a traditional look just make it practical maybe even a tipper for easy access

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/bed/bedsides/index.html

Check this out on Tech Tips. This was the solution for me and it worked well and I think it looks good. Very stock looking.