damaged bedside

[bmar]

I was searching for any information on repairing bedsides with a sheet metal overlay. The bedsides I have now are heavily damaged and I was thinking and overlay, similar to what is often done to the firewall, would be the best way to go. Any thoughts or has someone used this method? I was thinking maybe 22 gauge metal? The bed is a shortbed stepside.

[NEWFISHER]

Most bedside repairs require drilling out the spot welds and removing the current bedside, installing a new outer panel and seam sealing, painting etc. I am not sure if reproduction bedsides can be had for your truck. Have you located an " overlay" bed panel that someone is producing?

[bmar]

I was wanting to overlay the inside of the bed were the fenders attach. I doubt I will use the truck much for hauling anything, but 22 gauge could take a lot of abuse.

[mr48chev]

That's about normal for a bed that age that actually got used. I'd pull it apart, strip it to bare metal and work the dings out.

[bmar]

The biggest problem is the panel "oil canning" on me. I have tried shrinking and the results have not gone well. My other option is to use the bedsides from a 1987 stepside. Half of the bed pictured, the red panels, are from the '87. I will have to change the stake pockets on the front and add some metal so the step can be attached- the '87 is 16 inches long and the 55-66 panel is 21 inches long. At this point, this may be my best option.

[mr48chev]

I'd go with the 87 bed sides then.

[bmar]

I think your right. The stake pockets are 55.00 each from Classic Chevy.
Also, the tail lites are off of the '87, and would bolt right on as well as the tailgate and front panel are the '87 also.

[_Ogre]

your bed sides don't look bad from the picture
most oilcanning will be gone when you bolt the fenders on.
if not mini tubs will get it out
22 gauge is pretty thin, like new car thin.
i don't think that would take much abuse
i think our beds are 11 gauge

[bmar]

You are right on the gauge, what I would need, to try and straighten the metal, would be around 8 to 11 gauge.
But, I decided at this point to modify the bedsides from the 1987 pickup. I spent a few hours extending the stake pockets on one of the bedsides and tomorrow I will extend the sheetmetal for attaching the step. I will get some pictures posted tomorrow. thanks

[bmar]

Here is a picture of the modification to the 1987 stepside bed. I still need to fabricate the sheetmetal for mounting the step. I let the stake pocket run longer than needed so I can cut it to fit when I finally mount the step.



This picture is out of focus, but shows another angle of what I'm modifying

[mr48chev]

Ok, it looks like you have a good start on it then. One of those sneaky little differences you don't see until you try to use it where it wasn't intended to go but not insurmountable.

It looked like you could have knocked the dings out of the original stake pocket from the inside pretty easily.

[bmar]

The bedside showing in the picture is the good side. The hidden bedside is the one that had a large dent in it which allowed mud and such to pack in and rusted the section below the angle bracket for mounting the wood. I cut out the rusted parts and put in some patches but couldn't get the twisting and oil canning to stop. for all the time I have spent on this one side, I could have modified the '87 panels 5 time over. Live and learn.

[bmar]

Here are a few pictures of the '87 bedside panels modified to a 1955-66 fender/step shortbed







and a picture of the damaged bedside

[bmar]

a few more pictures

[bmar]

Why is there no edit feature?

[Root2812]

You can only edit for a short period of time and then your post is permanent.