Welding in Metal bed in place of Wood Bed - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

5150 · 04-21-2005, 12:35 AM

Hey guys can I just get a factory metal bed floor and weld it in to my stepside floor. I originally have wood in there.

Bryan

68C15 · 04-21-2005, 07:06 AM

I think there is more involved than a simple weld-in. something to do with the thickness of the wood compared to steel. (around edges under wheel wells & bedsides) am I right?

**special-K** · 04-21-2005, 07:48 AM

That what I was thinking.I`ve done what you`re thinking on a pro-street truck where I used a factory floor and whellhouses.You just need to make up the difference in floor thickness.The sides were ok using the steel floor cross-members.The front and rear needed about 3/4-1".You`ll have to set-up and measure.I can`t remember if I needed to do anything on the sides.1/4" if anything.Sorry,been a while,truck`s gone.

lilred67 · 04-21-2005, 09:35 AM

i just got finished installing a metal floor in my short step side.used 16 ga.3/4" square tube for spacers in the place of the wood.i ran 6 pieces longways in the bed,spaced apart evenly.i welded the sq.tube to the factory crossmembers.i removed the factory angle strips on the side of the bed and replaced them with 1x1x3/16" angle iron and put a sheet of 3/16" sheet iron in for the floor.i spot welded the angleiron to the bed sides and the floor and then welded the floor to the sq. tubing from the bottom.i filled all the seams with 3m seamsealer.i'm going to have a sprayin liner put over the new floor.it wasn't too bad of a job sorry no pics,no digital camera

boraxman · 04-21-2005, 10:16 AM

I wish I had a wood bed

68C15 · 04-21-2005, 09:06 PM

I used to have a wood bed floor. now all I have is a rot bed floor.
I want to go with a steel floor/spray-in liner. would it work doing the 3/4 square tubing under a 73-87 floor panel?

lilred67 · 04-22-2005, 11:18 AM

i don't see why not. if you run the tubing longways in the bed you will have to be sure to get the tubing lined up with the ridges in the fac.panel so it will sit right.or you can run the tubing in the direction as the crossmembers.

kaycee · 04-22-2005, 02:33 PM

I found a good metal floor out of a F#$% and cut it to fit my stepside used all the orignal floor supports and bolted it in.Bolted angle iron on the side's and put some seam sealer on it.I used all the existing bolt holes that were on the sides and had to drill some for the floor to keep the floor from rattling in the middle seems to be a pretty solid floor.

ChebyCheyenne · 04-23-2005, 03:22 PM

Wood beds are way more better looking.

matt

CHEVYE · 04-26-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChebyCheyenne

Wood beds are way more better looking.

matt

exactomondo, you can't beat good wood!

lilred67 · 04-26-2005, 05:54 PM

i had $200 or less changing my floor over to plate but it doesn't look as factory as bed panels do.

**special-K** · 04-24-2005, 09:47 AM

Wood bed floors are awesome!The only problem is,unless it`s a show truck,once you restore you can`t haul anything(even coolers,road gear,etc for trip to show)w/o taking a chance on messing it up.I restored a`72 K/20 CheyenneSuper CustomCamper loaded with options including wood bed-floor which I did in cherry & polished stainless strips/hidden hardware.It was beautiful with all the other woodgrain(I re-did the interior in planed-down cherry).But,I sold it before the floor got messed-up.Just a thought.

Bobalouie · 04-26-2005, 12:34 PM

I dont recommend trying to fab something up with the replacement panels that you can get. It is very difficult and very expensive. I am currently replacing my wood floor with steel on my fleetside, and it is a royal pain. I am new to bodywork so it may be easy for someone with experience. Of the list of things to do, the ends are not finished, so you have to find something to do there, there is not a single dimension that is correct, and I had to split the panels in half, thru the wheel wells, trim an inch out, and weld back together, new crossmembers have to go in, etc. I will be in it for about a grand by the time I am done. Just for the floor. I would recommend using a piece of diamond plate steel, pull your wood floor out, and weld tubular crosspieces in to attatch the frame, and then use your bedsides as a template to drill the holes for mounting the sides. You will also have to weld in a support lip in the front for the front panel to fit correctly. Here is a pic of my bedfloor project, and you can see the amount of cutting and welding involved. I also had to trim 3/4 of an inch off of the sides to make the wheelwells fit right.

CHEVYE · 04-26-2005, 05:33 PM

hey Bryan, if you ever want to go with a solid sheet of polished aluminum diamond plate, call these guys; Metal Molding Corp @ 615-865-9867, they are right in nashville. i was gonna do this on my stepside about 2 years ago, they did all of our work at Triton Boats and they will cut a sheet to size for around $140, (now that's 2 years ago price of course).

i think it would look killer, especially with the color that your truck is.

dave3156 · 04-21-2005, 05:28 AM

My 1970 Stepside has a flat metal plate welded where a wood floor once was. It makes the entire bed real stiff and sturdy. I am going to leave the metal plate in and put a wood floor over the top of it. I can post a picture of the plate metal bed if you like. Somebody just wanted it that way and welded in the plate.

04-21-2005, 12:35 AM	#1
5150 C10 Club Tennessee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: White House, TN 37188 Posts: 8,281	Welding in Metal bed in place of Wood Bed Hey guys can I just get a factory metal bed floor and weld it in to my stepside floor. I originally have wood in there. Bryan __________________ Bryan www.gmtruckshow.com Project "Andes"-Halen's First Truck Project: Patina Burb for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4

04-21-2005, 07:06 AM	#2
68C15 blood type; Retumbo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: next to my reloading bench Posts: 10,269	I think there is more involved than a simple weld-in. something to do with the thickness of the wood compared to steel. (around edges under wheel wells & bedsides) am I right? __________________ Man rule #77...if you own a 67 stepside with a caddy 472 you will never be in danger of loosing you man card

04-21-2005, 07:48 AM	#3
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,851	That what I was thinking.I`ve done what you`re thinking on a pro-street truck where I used a factory floor and whellhouses.You just need to make up the difference in floor thickness.The sides were ok using the steel floor cross-members.The front and rear needed about 3/4-1".You`ll have to set-up and measure.I can`t remember if I needed to do anything on the sides.1/4" if anything.Sorry,been a while,truck`s gone. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-21-2005, 10:16 AM	#5
boraxman Keepin an eye out Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: So.Cal Posts: 3,920	I wish I had a wood bed __________________ 1970 Chevy C10 SWB 5.3 1996 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 2007 Vespa GTS 250 Scooter ZIP 91351

04-21-2005, 09:06 PM	#6
68C15 blood type; Retumbo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: next to my reloading bench Posts: 10,269	I used to have a wood bed floor. now all I have is a rot bed floor. I want to go with a steel floor/spray-in liner. would it work doing the 3/4 square tubing under a 73-87 floor panel? __________________ Man rule #77...if you own a 67 stepside with a caddy 472 you will never be in danger of loosing you man card

04-21-2005, 09:35 AM	#4
lilred67 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: weatherford,texas Posts: 1,003	i just got finished installing a metal floor in my short step side.used 16 ga.3/4" square tube for spacers in the place of the wood.i ran 6 pieces longways in the bed,spaced apart evenly.i welded the sq.tube to the factory crossmembers.i removed the factory angle strips on the side of the bed and replaced them with 1x1x3/16" angle iron and put a sheet of 3/16" sheet iron in for the floor.i spot welded the angleiron to the bed sides and the floor and then welded the floor to the sq. tubing from the bottom.i filled all the seams with 3m seamsealer.i'm going to have a sprayin liner put over the new floor.it wasn't too bad of a job sorry no pics,no digital camera

04-22-2005, 11:18 AM	#7
lilred67 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: weatherford,texas Posts: 1,003	i don't see why not. if you run the tubing longways in the bed you will have to be sure to get the tubing lined up with the ridges in the fac.panel so it will sit right.or you can run the tubing in the direction as the crossmembers.

04-22-2005, 02:33 PM	#8
kaycee Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Wyoming USA Posts: 2,449	I found a good metal floor out of a F#$% and cut it to fit my stepside used all the orignal floor supports and bolted it in.Bolted angle iron on the side's and put some seam sealer on it.I used all the existing bolt holes that were on the sides and had to drill some for the floor to keep the floor from rattling in the middle seems to be a pretty solid floor. __________________ 2001 Silverado K-1500 2005 FXDWG stage3 69 CHEVY Short/Step 327/4L60 373 posi 63 IMPALA 327

04-23-2005, 03:22 PM	#9
ChebyCheyenne Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Issaquah, WA Posts: 72	Wood beds are way more better looking. matt __________________ Truck #1: 1972 Chevrolet K20 Cheyenne Custom Camper SB400, TH400, NP205 Truck #2 1967 Chevrolet C10 Custom Sport Truck 327 small journal, TH400

04-26-2005, 05:54 PM	#11
lilred67 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: weatherford,texas Posts: 1,003	i had $200 or less changing my floor over to plate but it doesn't look as factory as bed panels do.

04-24-2005, 09:47 AM	#12
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,851	Wood bed floors are awesome!The only problem is,unless it`s a show truck,once you restore you can`t haul anything(even coolers,road gear,etc for trip to show)w/o taking a chance on messing it up.I restored a`72 K/20 CheyenneSuper CustomCamper loaded with options including wood bed-floor which I did in cherry & polished stainless strips/hidden hardware.It was beautiful with all the other woodgrain(I re-did the interior in planed-down cherry).But,I sold it before the floor got messed-up.Just a thought. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-26-2005, 12:34 PM	#13
Bobalouie Fetzer Valve Technician Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Stillwater, OK Posts: 205	I dont recommend trying to fab something up with the replacement panels that you can get. It is very difficult and very expensive. I am currently replacing my wood floor with steel on my fleetside, and it is a royal pain. I am new to bodywork so it may be easy for someone with experience. Of the list of things to do, the ends are not finished, so you have to find something to do there, there is not a single dimension that is correct, and I had to split the panels in half, thru the wheel wells, trim an inch out, and weld back together, new crossmembers have to go in, etc. I will be in it for about a grand by the time I am done. Just for the floor. I would recommend using a piece of diamond plate steel, pull your wood floor out, and weld tubular crosspieces in to attatch the frame, and then use your bedsides as a template to drill the holes for mounting the sides. You will also have to weld in a support lip in the front for the front panel to fit correctly. Here is a pic of my bedfloor project, and you can see the amount of cutting and welding involved. I also had to trim 3/4 of an inch off of the sides to make the wheelwells fit right. Attached Images __________________ 1972 Chevy K10 SWB

04-26-2005, 05:33 PM	#14
CHEVYE my gas saver Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 2,046	hey Bryan, if you ever want to go with a solid sheet of polished aluminum diamond plate, call these guys; Metal Molding Corp @ 615-865-9867, they are right in nashville. i was gonna do this on my stepside about 2 years ago, they did all of our work at Triton Boats and they will cut a sheet to size for around $140, (now that's 2 years ago price of course). i think it would look killer, especially with the color that your truck is. __________________ 85' SWB, 4.3/TH350, getting ready for paint 84`SWB, 462ci./TH400, cowl hood, 15" billet spec., flows, blazer buckets/console, flat black 71`SWB, project ebay feedback

04-21-2005, 05:28 AM	#15
dave3156 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 336	My 1970 Stepside has a flat metal plate welded where a wood floor once was. It makes the entire bed real stiff and sturdy. I am going to leave the metal plate in and put a wood floor over the top of it. I can post a picture of the plate metal bed if you like. Somebody just wanted it that way and welded in the plate.



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