Task Force Bed Wood Dimensions

[thumper56]

Greetings All,
I'm approaching having my bed sides and associated parts in paint, I'm getting ready to purchase my missing bed sills (all of them) and thinking about bed wood. Truck is a 56 short bed.

I operate a small cabinet and furniture business so have whatever I need for milling lumber and also have a fair stock of rough sawn cherry and maple. That said, would like to save some $ and make my own bed wood.

I see on the web that eight pieces of lumber are used- varying in width.

Can anyone answer the following?...
1) How thick are the boards for proper fit?
2) Looks like rabbets are cut into board edges for rails to fit into- how deep? Assuming about half thickness of rails.
3) Outer boards rabbeted to fit under side "L" on bedside- again how deep?
4) Boards just butt fit under rails, right? No tongue and groove?

Thanks a bunch for any info. There will be a lot of trial and error fits, but hope to keep to a minimum.

[Tomb23]

http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/PDF/Ins...Dimensions.pdf

[OrrieG]

GMC Pauls has good information too. You will see that the recess the metal strips fit into form a channel. In the original design any moisture had to run to either end to get out. Cut grooves the same depth about 18" apart perpendicular to the channel, that will let water out so it does not accumulate on the front and rear sills to rust away.

[thumper56]

These look like great resources- now time to study further.

Thanks much for the info guys!!!

[gale]

I have new wood from Mar-K for two beds stacked in my garage. The trucks are '54 3100 and '67 C10 step side. The sides do NOT butt I can measure the boards but there is a generous gap.

GMC Paul's dimensions do not match the boards I have.

[Russell Ashley]

I used GMC Paul's dimensions when I made mine and they fit good. His measurements are a little easier to cut boards to than Mar-K's, but if I were going to purchase pre-cut wood Mar-K would be my choice.

Thumper, FYI. You mentioned that you will be purchasing bed sills: One of them is different and it goes in position three, (not in the middle over the axle where I put mine before I knew better, LOL).

[thumper56]

Gale and Russell, thanks for the additional input. Right now I have the very rusty and bent remains of the old bed cross sills- unfortunately, the truck is an abandoned project so I didn't get to disassemble and take photos and notes. Will be anxious to get the new pieces and figure things out.

Russell, I see on LMC Trucks diagram that my shortbed uses 1 front, 2 center and 1 rear cross sill. So it would look like position 2 and three are identical parts= but I'm not sure if you are saying positions 2 and 3 are different pieces or if I just need to watch my position placement of sill #3?

I'm a big believer in learning from mishaps, so sure appreciate any further input you have on the cross sills before I order.

Thanks, Thumper "procrastinate now" 56

[Russell Ashley]

Cross sill number one is different in that it has holes for the step braces to bolt into, but otherwise is the same as sill number two. Sill number three is like number two but has a raised edge at the ends. Sill number four is totally different and mine is welded to the bed sides.
I didn't have a FAM when I put my bed together and I put it back together like it was when I got it, with two and three reversed. It doesn't seem to matter and I'm not sure if the number three style is reproduced.
The number three sill is over the rear end of the springs and I assume the raised edges of the sill was for clearance if the truck was loaded down to the axle stops, which wasn't unusual for these trucks when they were new and being worked.
If I should ever take my bed back off I will correct my mistake and swap two and three, but for now I don't see any reason to do it.

[gale]

The welds at the rear crossmember to the bed sides were simply to hold the spacing until the tailgate closed. I have both of my step side beds apart for painting and I used a die grinder with a thin cut off wheel to slice down the middle of these two welds. The welds are really skimpy. The middle (root) is washed out and it looks like they used a 6014 welding rod down hand. I'll weld the same two spots just before final base and clear coats. I've done this a couple of times before and I used short pieces of masking tape to keep paint off the weld surfaces. The parts are much easier to repair, sand, and finish when they are scattered around the shop.

[thumper56]

Thanks again for the expanded info guys. Appreciate your time and info.
This Thursday the wife and I will take our "other" car (30 model A) to the first Hemmings Motor News cruise in of the year-they are based here in our town.

Rare to see, but may come across a bed or two to look at and take more notes. Your info has really helped!