new steel bed floor's WHO HAS INSTALLED ONE ?

[19673ontree]

I am still pondering this

I wanted to see if any board member's have actually bought and installed one of the new repro metal bed floor's ? PICS would be great !

also their is a vendor near knoxville tn. and can't remember who it was ?
may have even been in knoxville ?

and last how much are those now ???

[mbgmike]

Their is a guy on here cause we sold him one. Named Eric

[trucks72]

I have installed 4 or 5 of them. They are really nice. There is still some body work to be done on them. The floor is made in 3 pieces. Then it is welded together. That is about a foot in from the side. The finish where they weld and finish it has to be fixed. Eveyone I have looked at has this same problem. I do not have pictures.

[sdailey]

Originally Posted by 19673ontree

I am still pondering this

I wanted to see if any board member's have actually bought and installed one of the new repro metal bed floor's ? PICS would be great !

also their is a vendor near knoxville tn. and can't remember who it was ?
may have even been in knoxville ?

and last how much are those now ???

Is this the bed floor you're talking about? If so, I'm curious as well about how good they fit. Southern Kentucky Classics out of Bowling Green, Ky has them listed for $850.

http://sokyclassics.com/shtmtlbdflrstl.php

Originally Posted by trucks72

I have installed 4 or 5 of them. They are really nice. There is still some body work to be done on them. The floor is made in 3 pieces. Then it is welded together. That is about a foot in from the side. The finish where they weld and finish it has to be fixed. Eveyone I have looked at has this same problem. I do not have pictures.

trucks72 are you talking about the same bed floor as the one pictured? I thought they were a direct bolt in.

[19673ontree]

yea ? I thought the complete bed floor would be one piece like stock ,
I did see where LMC is offering a FRONT SECTION and REAR SECTION that can be welded in ,

and yes this is the one I am asking about , funny thing is these have been out a while and I have not seen one single guy on here say that he installed one ? I just wanted a hand's on opinion and some actual pic's of it installed ,
if it has ANY problem's I am just gonna fix my original one ,,,

[PanelDeland]

Check with Tim Christian.I know he carries them and he's near Bristol/Johnson City area.
I haven't used one but I have seen them and they are heavy and look like a nice piece.

[ctrow]

I had to put one on mine. Bed is still at the paint shop so there could be some minor tweaking but overall I'm pleased with it. When I ordered mine (Southern Kenntucky) they gave me a discount just because I ordered so much from the but then also Brothers was cheaper at the time.

[19673ontree]

thats what I'm talking about ! look's good to me ,,,,

is tim christian in bristol ? I am only an hour or so from there I could drive down and pic one of these up without any problem ,,,hmmmmm ,,,
my wife say's I should just fix mine but in my current state of lazyness the above pic look's easy for some reason

[trucks72]

Yes that is the same floor. You do not have to do any welding to it. It comes complete. If you look at the pictures were it shows the top and bottom of it. If you look at the top side, the upper rightside about 3 ribs in it looks duller then the rest. Like primer has been sprayed on it. That is where they weld them together. It is not major, but you can not just scuff and spray them and it look good. I am not complaining about it. Just a warning when you buy one.

[ctrow]

I'm getting mine sprayed with Line-X so I didn't look that close to it. It wasn't cheap but when you compare that to some pitted bed floor it looks really nice. My fleet side was originally a wood bed so I had no choice but to buy one.

[texanidiot25]

How strong are they compared to the original steel floors?

[19673ontree]

GREAT INFO HERE !!!!

now we know about the weld seam ,,,, speak up ! vendor's ? what can you tell us ?

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by 19673ontree

GREAT INFO HERE !!!!

now we know about the weld seam ,,,, speak up ! vendor's ? what can you tell us ?

Quite a few parts have been welded together to form one panel. The auto industries did in the past and they do today on most all cars and trucks. Of course the technology is a hell of alot better. Its almost invisible on most panels Check out Noble Industries in Michigan. They are the largest welder of panels in the world.

On another bed subject. Check out Scotts Hot Rods. They have done some nice beds for custom beds.

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

How strong are they compared to the original steel floors?

I don't know how strong they are( maybe some one else has actually used one in a work truck
but i can tell you just try and pick one up by yourself.

[ctrow]

Well, like most reproductions I think its nothing like the originals. I dont plan on throwing bricks or anything major in it so I'm not too worried about it. In my case I think the Line-X will add a little bit of durability to it also.

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by ctrow

Well, like most reproductions I think its nothing like the originals. I dont plan on throwing bricks or anything major in it so I'm not too worried about it. In my case I think the Line-X will add a little bit of durability to it also.

If they are the same thickness as OEM then strength is not an issue. This crap about strength is ust crap to me. My Nissan did not have a thin bed if the argument is foreign steel versus american, my toyota held up just fine as well. The resellers of this stuff say it as strong. If it is not they would not say it. Why? cause ultimately they would be refunding money and eating a TON in freight.

If it is alignment that people are complaining about, then i could see that MAYBE. However, 1/16" of an inch at MOST oversize holes would make for more then enough adjustment side to side as it is a bottom piece, over-sizing bolts that much is done on about EVERY aftermarket piece on ANYTHING!!!

Hell if you guys are that picky about body work or final finishing touches glad no one is building the new prerunner fad with all this fiberglass finishing. These 16 yr old kids can do a lot more with a lot less knowledge as they finish these fiberglass parts ALL DAY EVERYDAY!!

[ctrow]

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

This crap about strength is ust crap to me.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Pick up any reproduction sitting next to an original and you'll know the difference. I went through 3 reproduction tailgates and none of them fit and none of them were just a quick adjustment. It would have been major surgery to make it work. Maybe I've got the only original 1968 screwed up bedsides in the world.

Back to the topic.... I'm more than pleased with the bed floor. If you need one, get it. It's worth it in my opinion.

[BarryB]

Tim Christians shop is in Rogersville. Right on Hwy 11-W. Stop by and get some Al's for the bed floor when you go thru to get a bed floor from Tim.

[A few 72's]

Here is Tims contact info. I know he has sold a few of them, because i have helped load them. Tim is one of the great vendors on here and will tell you if he has had any problems with a part. And he has used most or all of the parts he sales on his or his familys trucks

Christians Classics
4536 Hwy 11W
Rogersville, TN 37857

Phone: (423) 345-4711
Fax: 423.345.4718
Toll Free: 877.654.2287

[T/C]

I wish i could afford a new bed... Lol No bondo on my whole cab... the bed is trashed and full of bondo..

[CSGAS]

I've seen a couple ads that had a left half and right half bed panel for less total than just the back half...anyone know more about those, since I'm not restoring my truck...

[19673ontree]

some had mentioned the gauge and thickness and stregth of the bedfloors ?

to me I am worried more about the fit and the straightness of it , after all the heaviest thing I am gonna haul is my folding cruz night chair's

[lowrollin70gmc]

I'm curious to the strength (mainly dent resistance) of the floors, as I still put tools and gear in my bed even though the truck is show worthy. A motorcycle or motor is easier to load when the tailgate is a foot off the floor. I'm thinking of using a partial panel to finish my step notch in the bed.

I ask because of the quality of tailgates. I'm going to have to rebuild the aftermarket gate with steel tube and better welds (and a repaint) to reinforce the thin metal before I put a bike on it. I broke welds just shutting the tailgate and maybe standing on it getting in the bed! Really pisses you off when you have (had) fresh paint!