How does one go about installing a wood bed?

[ts71281]

Is it as simple as taking the box off, removing the crossmembers, remove floor, then reverse? Any recommended vendors that have nice prefinished wood? Can this be done for under $600?

[vegaschevy]

I think you would be closer to 1k as you have a couple cross pieces and a header panel that need to replaced I think. Not to mention the least inexpensive kits I have seen are upwards of 500 for the wood.

[mclairmo]

I found a damaged wood bed kit for $100 on Ebay from the Paddock. Cost another $80 bucks to ship but $180 is not bad for a work truck. Wood is only slightly chipped on a few boards. I will probably just varnish or paint the wood and call it a day. You can search here for other alternatives to kits. Some guys make their own wood slats or use plywood.

[jeffro788]

I have seen some kits for $385 with pine and raw (paintable) metal. I plan on doing one myself. I saw a truck in Branson with the pine and a clear poly-urethane and it looked good. He also painted the metal the same color as the truck. Soon after I saw another truck that had rhino lining on the metal and inner bed parts with the wood slats and I believe I may go with that. It looked suprisingly good. From what I understand there is not a lot to doing one. You can probably get your own wood and use a router to make your slats, either way you will have to finish them yourself.

[Mudder]

If your metal is decent you can have the boards cut locally. Mine where about 80 bucks cut and shaped for oak. I had to stain them. I would get kit of stainless bolts. I bet most vendors here have them, if not, LMC has the kits just for what you need. If your rails are bad you can replace those relatively cheap also. I had my bed all loose but did not take it off of the truck. You will have to drill new holes for bolting the bed down.

[unclewatts]

I replaced the wood in my 70. Did not have to take the bed off. You didn't specify whether you have a fleetside or step. Mine's a step which I think is a little easier. Neither LMC or Classic parts offer their wood bed kits with finished planks. I had to finish my own. Cost was a little over $1,000 but you can buy just the strips and hardware in plain steel, bright stainless or polished stainless and buy your wood locally to save money. Remember you have to mill a groove in both sides of the top of each plank for the strips to fit in and drill the holes in the wood for the bed to frame mounting bolts.

[dan42]

Originally Posted by unclewatts

I replaced the wood in my 70. Did not have to take the bed off. You didn't specify whether you have a fleetside or step. Mine's a step which I think is a little easier. Neither LMC or Classic parts offer their wood bed kits with finished planks. I had to finish my own. Cost was a little over $1,000 but you can buy just the strips and hardware in plain steel, bright stainless or polished stainless and buy your wood locally to save money. Remember you have to mill a groove in both sides of the top of each plank for the strips to fit in and drill the holes in the wood for the bed to frame mounting bolts.

I'm going to replace mine this winter as well - my '67 short fleet. I'm gonna put a gas tank under the bed while I'm at it. So you don't have to take the bed off?

[unclewatts]

Originally Posted by dan42

I'm going to replace mine this winter as well - my '67 short fleet. I'm gonna put a gas tank under the bed while I'm at it. So you don't have to take the bed off?

Nope. Of course you have to remove the spare tire. I would imagine it would be easier with the bed off. You oughta combine the bed wood job and the rear gas tank install job and remove the bed. That way it would make both jobs easier.

[Ackattack]

I'm replacing my wood floor in project no buck tomorrow. I cut a piece of 3/4 in pressure treated plywood down to the appropriate size already and the used a table saw to cut out the area for the slats to fit intom

For the slats I'm using 1-1/2 x 3/16 metal strips to hoild it down. Total cost will be less than $200.

[russj67]

Mar-K has instructions online
http://www.mar-k.com/installation_hints.html

There is another website that shows all of the dimensions required if you make your own.
http://www.classicheartbeat.com/bed_wood.htm

[msgross]

is your bed already wood?

If so then you don't need to remove the whole bed. Unbolt the metal slats (between the pieces of wood) from the bottom and leave the outer pieces in to hold up the bedsides.

How nice of wood do you need? My local cabinet guy quoted $330 for oak with all the correct grooves, then add a bolt kit and metal strip kit from mar-k and you're set.

check out my 68 build thread around 3/4 way through to see what a bed looks like installed without wood in it..

[mbgmike]

We do this all the time. Its easier to do with the bed off and it comes out better. Its a lot of work but you will be happier with the final job.
You can clean up the rust if rusted easier to. it just depends on what your final out come you want is and what shape your truck is in now.
We have cut down trees,rough sawn, dried, milled, bought pre cut lumber,plastic, and made them out of a variety of materials.
I do not know of any pre finished wood all ready cut for the trucks.

I would take it off clean up all the supports and body flanges. Overall its alot easier. you can get to the bottom bolts without obstructions and the overall job looks better.
Get all new bolts
if you want to get by cheap well thats what you will get. And I am not saying anything wrong with that but put in plywood for now.

Actually installing a wood bed is one of the easier things an average person can do on these trucks. Follow the instructions from Mar-K and you will do fine. There are many posts on the net as far as finishing the wood. Some have even used bedliner on it.

[hemihead]

Got my wood, strips and hareare off ebay for $550. shipped. Polished strips, polished harware, and oak.