Tips to replace bed floor on '71 blazer?

[Jennandrand]

I am starting restoration on a '71, will need to replace the rear bed floor. Have found the full bed floor at Classic Industries and several other sites. Anyone have experience with the full floor? Also wondering if ordering the half length truck bed floor (front and back) panels might work as a less expensive alternative?
Thanks

[Chad22873]

There is a thread with the title Blazer Bed Floor Replacement. Lots of people chimed in with a lot of good info and advice. I would go with the entire floor because it's completely in tact. All the cross sills and everything is all attached. It's just matter of pulling out the old and bolting in the new.

[SoCoC10]

Just did it on my 72 CST. I was lucky enough to have found an almost rust free donor Blazer and removed the rear floor. I was able to keep the hood, driver's door, torque box end caps and lots of miscellaneous hardware that was too rusted and unusable or so rusted that it had to be cut or torched off my CSTs floor body. Sold the donor Blazer for what I bought it for so everything I kept including the floor was free.

If recommend the same rout if you can find a donor Blazer. I might know of one if you want more info PM me.

[SoCoC10]

My CST

[SoCoC10]

Orange floor in my medium blue CST. Donor floor was media blasted, metal repaired, seam sealed, primered, painted, and undercoated before installing with new hardware and urethane body mounts.

[Tomo]

Originally Posted by SoCoC10

Orange floor in my medium blue CST. Donor floor was media blasted, metal repaired, seam sealed, primered, painted, and undercoated before installing with new hardware and urethane body mounts.

Hope this doesn't take away from the OPs post - I think this could help us both.

Hey SoCo - I plan on replacing the rear floor in my 70 k5 this winter (front floor has been patched and is solid). From the picture it looks like you braced up the door openings when you replaced your floor - did you also make legs to support the weight at the back of the quarters? Any other braces you recommend? All of my angle brackets (on the inner quarters) that the floor bolts up to are in great shape so I won't be replacing them. The way I see it is I will have to do my bracing then lift the tub off the frame remove the old floor and install the replacement - sound accurate? Also should I install my rocker boxes before I start my floor replacement?

I'd appreciate any tips or tricks you can share.

[SoCoC10]

Originally Posted by Tomo

Hope this doesn't take away from the OPs post - I think this could help us both.

Hey SoCo - I plan on replacing the rear floor in my 70 k5 this winter (front floor has been patched and is solid). From the picture it looks like you braced up the door openings when you replaced your floor - did you also make legs to support the weight at the back of the quarters? Any other braces you recommend? All of my angle brackets (on the inner quarters) that the floor bolts up to are in great shape so I won't be replacing them. The way I see it is I will have to do my bracing then lift the tub off the frame remove the old floor and install the replacement - sound accurate? Also should I install my rocker boxes before I start my floor replacement?

I'd appreciate any tips or tricks you can share.

Tomo
My rocker boxes were pretty solid. That being said I took 3 measurements on each door opening before even removing the top. When I removed the top, my door measurements didn't change at all. We replaced the rear floor area with the tub still on the frame. Just used hanging chains to support the rear of the bed sides. The rear floor was replaced then we re measured and braced the door openings before and rocker, "A" or "B" pillar repaird were started. Plan is to finish each rocker A" and "B" pillar repair then replace the torque boxes last. This way any pin holes or incomplete welds from above can be finished from below.