The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed anyone use a 49 bed on a 46?

Seems the beds are pretty close if not identical.
The fenders are clearly different but I think they will look fine.
At least for a few years till I find the right fenders.

I got a complete 49 bed for $300.
I have had no luck finding a single 46 fender for under $400 each.
not counting shipping.

The 49 bed will be about 3" wider than the 46 (has a 9 board bed instead of 7 boards wide)and the tailgate will be stamped "Chevrolet" while the 46 would be plain. Took about a year to find workable rear fenders for my 46 and the price was north of $800 for the pair.

Yeah, they're quite a bit different and the differences are very noticable to those experienced with these trucks. I really hate seeing the wrong bed on a truck though, but I notice it right away on these.

Seems easier to narrow the 49 bed, then to shorten my 46 bed.
I will compare when I get them both here and decide what way to go.

I'm not spending $800 for two fenders.
I have about $2k in the entire project.
Including 3 trucks, engine and tranny.

Paid $900 for a 95% complete truck.
just did not have rear fenders.

Eventually I will find 46 fenders in a field.
Found 3 49's Sunday.

Glad to know why my 46 tail gate doesn't say Chevrolet.
I was wondering if it was a really old repop.

Exactly what is the difference between the bed sides of the two models? I recently got a good look at a 46 truck and couldn't pick out any obvious difference from an AD bed side. I'm not saying that there isn't, just wondering what it is.

The bed is wider, I see that now.
I don't dis like it. I actually think I like it better.
my tuck is in no way stock.

52Carl, this is a picture of a 49 bed on a 41 truck.
The owner did not know it was the wrong bed till someone asked him about it.

http://gordonfrench.com/46/49Bed.jpg

I can not find a difference in the bed sides.
But I don't have the two beds next to each other yet.

I purchased my first bolt, '42 1/2 ton, about 15 years ago. I owned the truck about 2 months before I realized the rear fenders were not correct. Turns out, someone dropped a '53 bed on it with the desirable spare tire cutout. I don't know what they had to do to make it fit, other than it is apparent that the running boards were cut short at the rear about 1 inch, where they come in contact with the rear fenders.

So, it is not even close to a stock truck, but it doesn't look that bad the way it is (the bed sides are in very good condition). To restore it to stock, I would need new running boards, as well as the correct bed.
Kent

Mine has a C20 Frame, Camaro Subframe, 4 Link, Air Ride, 350 and th400.
So, I am not concerned with stock.

I pulled parts out of fields to put this truck back on the road.
Never once considered it a restoration.

Sorry to all those who love to keep these original.
On the good side, mine wasn't a truck to start with, just
left over parts from other peoples restorations.

Glad to know you liked the way yours looked.
After reading the post here and looking through image threads
I can actually see quite a few of with the wrong bed.

There are quite a few with the wrong bed as the 41-46 beds can be hard to find.

To some they don't look bad, but to me I think they look awful, that's personal preference though. Not only is the box wider, but the stake pockets are shaped slightly different, the filler panels from running board to box are way different, and if the fenders are used they just don't match the rest of the truck, at all.

I just think the newer rounded rear fenders and wider box look bad on these trucks, that's just my opinion. I can pick one out right away. If it doesn't bother you though, go for it.

I shortened my '46 bed. There are several ways to do it, it's not that hard really.

That can be a difficult part on any build, you might only have a small amount invested into the truck, but certain parts you need can be VERY expensive. I was missing some hard to find GMC parts, but I have them now and it was worth the price I had to pay. I luckily didn't have to pay the ransom prices for a bed and fenders, though.

I know how to shorten the bed, that was the original plan.
It doesn't have fenders. The 49 bed does and it seems easier
to narrow then to shorten. No visible cuts.

I will use the 49 bed till I find a pair
of 46 fenders in a field. It will happen.
But not in the next couple days when I have to have the fenders.

I need to know where to place the axle and I cannot do that without the fenders. Not going to leave the truck in pieces
while I wait to find them.

Thanks for all the info.

I have an AD bed with original 46 fenders on my 1946 3100. I welded up the fender hole pattern on the AD bed sides and re-drilled for the 46 fenders. If I remember correctly, the AD bed has the same mounting points to bolt it on through the bed wood to the frame. I made my own wood so don't quote me on that as a certainty. I use 6-hole spacers like the kind they sell at custom wheel shops between brake drums and rear wheels so the radial tires on stock rims clear the bed sides. But JUST barely! My truck was already bastardized with an AD front axle and bed when I bought it so there wasn't an original bed to be saved. I think it turned out well other than the raised Chevrolet letters on the tailgate.

Sounds interesting Pinetree. Do you have any photos of your truck?

Sorry, I own neither digital camera nor cell phone so no photos. But my point is that it is possible to use stock 46 sheet metal (fenders, running boards, filler panels) and stock torque-tube rear end with stock wheels without having to narrow an AD bed. If I hit a big bump in the road and get more than usual rear suspension bounce, I get very slight inner tire sidewall contact with the bedsides. Just enough to rub the dirt off the sidewall. That's why I say the tires BARELY clear using the spacers. Probably original 6.00x16 tires wouldn't rub at all. The 215/85 radials I'm using are a little bigger. If I regularly carried substantial weight in the bed, I'd have to be more concerned with tire/bed contact.

Yeah, it probably works just fine, but someone picky like me notices the difference and it just looks wrong, to me. If you're happy with it on your trucks that's all well and good. I think the way you did it with the right fenders and wider bed would look better (the ones with 48-54 fenders are hideous IMO), but I would still think it would look "off" if you're familiar with those trucks. Most people probably wouldn't notice or mind though.

How did you deal with the extra width where the fenders meet the running boards?

I agree with you about the appearance of AD fenders on a 41-46 truck. As for the running boards, there's enough slack in the elongated slots at the end of the 3 running board-to-frame supports to angle the boards outward just enough that they bolt right on at the rear fenders and also at the front fenders without any modification. Were talking 1 1/2" of taper over the entire front to back length of the running boards. The filler panels bolt onto the bed as well. You can't tell by looking that anything is out of whack.

Actually, according to Chevy factory specs, the I.D. of a 46 box is 48 1/2" and the I.D. of an AD box is 50". So the taper per running board is 3/4", not 1 1/2". Both beds have a 78" length and 16 1/4" board-to-top-of-bedside measurement. Having not seen a correct bed to judge the difference in stake pockets from an AD bed, other than the raised-letter tailgate, I can't visualize there being a big difference in appearance or function. I notice that Jim Carter lists the same stake pocket as fitting 40-53. Were they the same from the factory?

If you haven't already, you should check out mar-k.com. They have lots of pictures of trucks with emphasis on the beds.

Dennis

here is picture of the 49 bed sitting on the 46.
Its sitting on the jack stands.
The bed mounts have not been made.

http://gordonfrench.com/46/bed-on.jpg

The 46 bed I have is 1" narrower then the 49 bed.
I do not see a difference in stake pockets.

Tailgate on 46 does not have letters, 49 does.
Tailgate is 1" narrower then the 49.

I do not have 46 fenders to compare.

I can measure my '46 fenders tonight, but the shape is much different. I'm not sure on the wheelwell location compared to the 49 fenders.