I have an idea, need input

[69 K-5]

Just would like everyone's thoughts on this custom idea I have.
My 69 has some pretty good bed rust in the rear. I was thinkinf about a bed patch panel, but got to thinking, what about a wood bed? Is it even possible? Do you see potential problems. I thought it would be perfect for going topless, and would be way original.

Eric

[Jtrux]

Look at the last few pages of Jaros44's build up, there are some pics of one with it, looks really sharp too.

[vtblazer]

It's a great idea that looks killer.

Jim's thread here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=210641

Pic of the floor found on page 6 -

[LUV2XCLR8]

If I was keeping "Merlot" (Which I am not) I was going with this idea,
however I was going with a drop in show deck. There is a guy in KY?
I think that makes these drop in kits. (Remove when ya want to haul
or know it's possibly gonna get wet) Down side was he around $700?

[Chevyman63]

I think it's a great idea as well. I wish I would've thought of doing it myself. Jaros44 did a great job on his.

[jaros44sr]

Hey Guys thanks for the props, here are some more

[69-72]

Looks nice, easy solution to a rusted floor but I think there is a pretty good reason they didn't come like that from the factory.

Unlike the bed on a pickup which is basically just an open box sitting on a frame, the steel floor on a Blazer is an integral part of the body.

The original metal floor has mounting points that the rocker boxes attach to. This is what basically keeps the body from bending in half at the doors.

If you were never planning on taking your top off again then I could see it might be a possibilty but the way that the bed floor is such an integral part in keeping the body from flexing, IMO without some pretty tricky framework underneath there is no way strips of wood could replace the strength of a solid piece of steel.

[jaros44sr]

All of the original crossmembers are under it, and it does tie into the torsion/rocker boxes....but I suppose you could argue that a 3/4" pc. of oak is not as strong as a 1/16" pc. of steel.

[Chevyman63]

Originally Posted by 69-72

Looks nice, easy solution to a rusted floor but I think there is a pretty good reason they didn't come like that from the factory.

Unlike the bed on a pickup which is basically just an open box sitting on a frame, the steel floor on a Blazer is an integral part of the body.

The original metal floor has mounting points that the rocker boxes attach to. This is what basically keeps the body from bending in half at the doors.

If you were never planning on taking your top off again then I could see it might be a possibilty but the way that the bed floor is such an integral part in keeping the body from flexing, IMO without some pretty tricky framework underneath there is no way strips of wood could replace the strength of a solid piece of steel.

These are good points, but I believe that the kick panel / A-post area provides the most important amount of integrity to the Blazer / Jimmy to keep it from folding in half without the top on. Because the front and rear floors are all tied to the frame, I think one could get away with installing a wood floor without any major problems. Just my $.02

[69 K-5]

Thanks for the input. The structural integrity was an issue to me also, I thought the supports underneath provided most of it. I know with the top off and tailgate down the bedsides aren't that stable anyway. I'm sure a few mods here and there could shore it all up.

Jaro, it looks fantastic! What are you using for front and rear trim on the wood?

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 69 K-5

Thanks for the input. The structural integrity was an issue to me also, I thought the supports underneath provided most of it. I know with the top off and tailgate down the bedsides aren't that stable anyway. I'm sure a few mods here and there could shore it all up.

Jaro, it looks fantastic! What are you using for front and rear trim on the wood?

Havn't figured that out yet, but you could come up with some ideas and let me know. The rear blends nicely into the last crossmember so I'm finished there, but the front has issues, I'm thinking just bend a pc. of SS at a 90 degree and tuck it under the bed strips

BTW, thanks

[67_C-30]

I have been kicking the idea of a wood floor like that with custom wood door panels stained the same color like Frizzle Fry's in my Blazer. It would almost have a woody look on the inside!

[69-72]

Originally Posted by Chevyman63

These are good points, but I believe that the kick panel / A-post area provides the most important amount of integrity to the Blazer / Jimmy to keep it from folding in half without the top on. Because the front and rear floors are all tied to the frame, I think one could get away with installing a wood floor without any major problems. Just my $.02

Yes the kick panel area holds the front windsheild frame in position. I guess my point was the area where the cab floor meets the bed floor. What happens if you take the top off a Blazer that has the rocker boxes rusted out?

The body isnt so much tied to the frame as it is sitting on it. My main area of concern in tieing the rocker boxes into the floor is the rear most cross piece on the bed that the end cap attaches to. That cross piece is spot welded to the bed floor and not sitting on mounts. I guess all these thoughts stem from having seperated the front half from the bed floor on a Blazer, I realized how much stress the rocker box end caps are under once they are bolted in.

One more thought I had was what about the extra thickness of the wood compared to the steel when the bedsides are on it? Wouldn't that raise the bedsides up higher then where they should be?

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 69-72

One more thought I had was what about the extra thickness of the wood compared to the steel when the bedsides are on it? Wouldn't that raise the bedsides up higher then where they should be?

My wood is mounted on top of the flange, where the metal is spot welded, so there is no additional height...I don't have my torsion boxes mounted up yet, but the bed wood seems to be handling/spreading the load nicely.

You shouldn't be running around with rusted out torsion boxes, or you will be asking for flex problems

[Long Roof]

It's been done a few times on here. Do a search.