bed help

[crazyjim]

I know you need blocks under the bed on the frame,what size and do you put them on all 4 corners.

[mr48chev]

The LMC catalog shows that 54/59 use rubber pads and no blocks . http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=24

You should be able to get those from your favorite truck trinket peddler or possibly make your own out of the sidewall of a junk tire if you figure out the thickness you need.

[Knothead]

They go between bed rails and frame where the bed is bolted the frame.

[crazyjim]

Originally Posted by Knothead

They go between bed rails and frame where the bed is bolted the frame.

I know where they go but what I really like to know is what size they are.thank's jim

[mr48chev]

You shouldn't need wood blocks on the 54 bed with a 54 frame. Blocks are needed on 47/53 trucks to raise the bed up above the kick in the frame over the rear axle but I have my 48 on a 54 frame with the 48 bed and don't think I put blocks in it.

I've never bought the pads to mount my bed because I always cut the sidewall out of a junk tire (worked in a Firestone tire store when I first built the 48 in 1973) cut squares out of it and took my hole punch and punched holes in it but I am Joe Cheap when it comes to spending money on stuff I can make in ten minutes. I even made brake retainer pins for a kid with a Honda who was stranded at the store Friday night and couldn't get them at Autozone.

[oldman3]

Not sure, since you haven't said at this point. But if you are putting a 54 bed (which you have) on a 47-53 frame, the frame will need to be modified for it to fit. Unless you cut into the floor. I put a 54 bed on my 52 frame. I can give you more details if you need them. Dont' want to take over your post. Here's a couple pics...Jim

[crazyjim]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Not sure, since you have said at this point. But if you are putting a 54 bed (which you have) on a 47-53 frame, the frame will need to be modified for it to fit. Unless you cut into the floor. I put a 54 bed on my 50 frame. I can give you more details if you need them. Dont' want to take over your post. Here's a couple pics...Jim

Yes I would love more details, Thanks you for all your help

[crazyjim]

Here's a couple of pic of the problem Im incountering.

[OrrieG]

I would put the fenders on with a couple of bolts so you only have to fix the step issue once. Also, level the frame front to back and side to side with jack stands. I have a bunch of cheap magnetic torpedo levels I keep on the frame and what ever I am trying to fit to make sure things stay level.

[oldman3]

Jim and Raf, got your PM's and will post up what I did with mine. Need to get pics and write up ready, give me a day or two...Jim

[crazyjim]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Jim and Raf, got your PM's and will post up what I did with mine. Need to get pics and write up ready, give me a day or two...Jim

no problem thanks

[oldman3]

Ok guys and gals, I think I have enough info and pics to get this thing started. I may be giving you more info than you need, but it may help someone else with bed issues.

Most of my information come from "Bed Restoration Manual for Early Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks" that was purchased from Classicparts.com for around $5.00 (Part #16-001).

1/2 Ton step side beds:

1937 bed was 15" high, 46" wide and 77" long.
1940 width changed to 48-1/2" wide, height and length unchanged.
1947 widened again, now up to 50" wide, height and length unchanged.
1954 still another change, depth now 17" with flat top rails, width and length unchanged.
The 54 step side bed size remained the same up thru 1987.

1947-51 beds had 9 boards
1952-53 beds had 8 boards
1954 beds had 8 boards

On 1947-53 beds the front panel is attached to the front cross sill.
1954 beds, the front panel and cross sill are separate.

[oldman3]

In these two pics from the manual it tells about the front cross sill, I know it's hard to read, so I will type out the important part. It tells that there is a 12" long by 3/8" carriage bolt. "The placement of the front or #1 cross sill is easily located. Not only is it bolted to the front bed panel on the 1947-53 model but also will be directly above the two 1/2 inch factory holes in the vehicle frame. This allows for the 12 inch long 3/8 inch carriage bolts to go here. These two longest bed to frame bolts on 1947-53 go through the bed wood, cross sill, 2 inch supporting bed block, bed block pad and vehicle frame. Due to parts of emergency brake being in this area, they are the only bed to frame bolts that must go through both top and bottom of vehicle frame. The front cross sill b ed to frame bolts a 7 inches long on 1946 and older, and 4 inches on 1954 and newer."

This is one of the things that I keep on my change to a 54 bed to the 47-53 frame was the 12 inch bolt.

[oldman3]

Couple more notes on the bed:

"In 1954, a deeper step side bed was introduced. Its supporting cross sills are slightly higher and side on the vehicle frame rails without bed blocks. The top of the bed sides are at right angle to the ground. The 1953 and older pickups have the top of the bed sides tapered or sloped upward to the outside."

These are the materials I used to put my 54 bed on my 52 frame. All of these were ordered thru Classicparts.com. You can also get the same stuff thru LMC.

54-59 bed wood part #07-119
47-53 bed to frame bolt kit which has the 12" long bolt that goes thru the entire frame part #08-611 (stainless steel)
54-72 bed cross sills part # 13-015H (taller)
54-87 bed mounting pads part #13-555

Now with all this knowledge, lets change the frame to work with the 54 bed.

[oldman3]

Jim, I need to find a couple pics and show you what I did for the splash apron between bed and running boards. Been sitting in this chair for over 2 hours posting and my BUTT is sore. Will post tomorrow...Jim

[crazyjim]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Jim, I need to find a couple pics and show you what I did for the splash apron between bed and running boards. Been sitting in this chair for over 2 hours posting and my BUTT is sore. Will post tomorrow...Jim

Thank's jim the pics helps a lot.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by crazyjim

Thank's jim the pics helps a lot.

Glad it helped...Jim

[oldman3]

Busy day and night, but I will try to finish up this tonight. After the bed and everything was installed, I turned to the splash apron area to see what I could do.

Pic 1 The apron on the left is a stock 54. Middle one is my modified one.
The one on the right is the stock 47-53.

Pic 2 The apron on top is the 54. Middle in my modified one. and the bottom one is the 47-53.

I took a spare 47-53 and worked it into the size I needed. You can see in pic 1 that I'm not using the brackets to hold it to the running board. I drilled holes in the flat part of running board and flat part of apron and bolted them together.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 shows my modified one installed on the truck. As you can see I made mine shorter to align with the bed and same curve as the bottom of the cab. This left the frame showing, so I made plates.

Pic 2 same shot, but with the plates I made to help cover the frame.

Jim if you have any questions let me know...Jim

[oldman3]

Jim, I forgot to throw in these measurements. I think the stock 54 apron is 3-3/4" to 4" high. Stock 47-53 apron is 6" high. My modified one is 5" high....Jim

[FarmerSid]

Not only are you helping crazyjim out but me too. Would you be able to post a picture of how close the front of your running board is to the front fender? Mines about 3/4" away on the front and hits the rear fender.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by FarmerSid

Not only are you helping crazyjim out but me too. Would you be able to post a picture of how close the front of your running board is to the front fender? Mines about 3/4" away on the front and hits the rear fender.

Sid, glad I can be of help. I modified the front of my boards so no help there. I've seen pickups with as little as 1/2" up to about 1" or better. I'm showing two pics of mine, if you want more info look at my build on page 11 post #253 for how I did mine...Jim

[FarmerSid]

Thanks Jim! Will check out your build thread.

[Advanced Design]

Outstanding information on the bed Jim! I didn't realize there was a change on the 54. Learning so much here.

Your extended running board looks good. The second picture looks like the beading extended into to the new area? Does it?

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Outstanding information on the bed Jim! I didn't realize there was a change on the 54. Learning so much here.

Your extended running board looks good. The second picture looks like the beading extended into to the new area? Does it?

Yes, the extensions where made out of metal, welded in place and finished off with filler, made it look like it came that way. Don't have a close up of it finished, will see about taking one and posting...Jim