The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed A.D. corner bed strip Q.?

I understand that the original bed floor (wood, metal strips, and bolt heads) was all black. I have a '48 Chevy 1/2 ton 5-window deluxe that is Forester Green. These are my two questions:

1) My steel corner bed strips are currently painted Forester Green. Was this factory correct, or should they be painted black like the rest of the bed floor?
2) What color originally were the bolt heads used to fasten the steel corner bed strips?

Thank you in advance for the setting the record straight.

LUKE

Luke, its just my opinion but I would think the corner bed strips were welded(?) to the bedsides and painted along with the bed side thus it got painted green.
...no speculation on the bolts. I'm curious myself.

Luke,

With them welded I would guess Alvin is correct. Are the bolts you are referring to the four that go through the strip into the fender? That one is a good question we need someone with a very original truck to answer perhaps.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/12315229543/in/set-72157640522200463

The bolts/heads go through pre-punched holes in the welded steel corner pieces. I believe there are 9 in each piece. From a "looks" standpoint, it makes sense that the corner pieces were painted body color AND that the bolt heads were painted body color as well. I am just looking for verification as to how it rolled off the assembly line. Thanks.

LUKE

....I've thought about this since the first post and maybe, somehow,the bolts that also hold the fenders to the sides were painted to. Back in 70 I became the owner of a 1950 which had belonged to my wife's grandfather. He had purchased it from the original owner which was town mayor. It was a low mileage original and very well cared for.

....I THINK or it seems to me, that the bolts holding the fenders on were painted. That would mean the bed was painted and assembled before going on the truck. Other wise there'd be no paint lower back of cab. Now, that would beg the question of when did the wood and bed strips get painted since they were black?

I agree with Brad, we need a "very original" truck to examine.

I combed my archives for a good factory picture of bed assembly and this is all I could find (biggun). It does make sense they would have been painted and assembled at least partially before install?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/12315086455/in/set-72157640522200463
Looks like bed assembly was quite the operation.

Brad, assembled in your link and then perhaps the next step the black paint???....other stuff body color?

thank you for sharing that picture.

I'd almost think the corner bed strips being welded to the bed sides would have been the body color. I doubt they would have mask them off at the factory to make them a different color??

John

Fonz - My corner strips are factory green same as the inside of the bed.

Good Luck

I should have said, the same as the side walls of the bed, not the bed itself. As others have stated it was black.

Thanks