Custom Wood bed

[plowro8]

Question about wood beds. I am a carpenter and built a custom walnut dash for my 72, along with walnut veneer on the glove box, radio delete, ashtray and instrument cluster. Wondering if anyone knows how hard it would be to make custom wood slats for the truck bed. Looking at pictures in Classic magazines and it looks like there are specific engineered grooves routered into the edges of the boards. Anyone have any experience with crafting your own? I would purchase the stainless bed strips from a supplier. Thanks

[rockyrivermark]

With a Decent table saw and it’s very easy. Dado blades make it even easier. Or router table.
GMC Paul’s website has the specs.
Mark
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[bill3rail]

Not too hard and the dimensions are available. After a quick search I could not find them but they are here.
I have linked to them before.

Bill

[rockyrivermark]

https://gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm
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[OregonNed]

Originally Posted by plowro8

Question about wood beds. I am a carpenter and built a custom walnut dash for my 72, along with walnut veneer on the glove box, radio delete, ashtray and instrument cluster. Wondering if anyone knows how hard it would be to make custom wood slats for the truck bed. Looking at pictures in Classic magazines and it looks like there are specific engineered grooves routered into the edges of the boards. Anyone have any experience with crafting your own? I would purchase the stainless bed strips from a supplier. Thanks

I’d love to see pics of your glovebox and ashtray. I’m working on the same to match and tie into my custom bed wood

[72c20customcamper]

If you have a table saw it's not all that hard I did mine from rough sawn white oak .
My build thread
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...=782063&page=3

[72c20customcamper]

Wood bed info GMC Paul's

https://gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm

[Snake72]

Just did this myself. Used GMC Pauls info, table saw and dado blade. Have a buddy to help, makes handling the long boards much easier. Used rough sawn hackberry for mine. Fun project

[OregonNed]

A friend of mine harvested the most beautiful Myrtle tree on his south Oregon coast farm, (had beautiful flame figure in the wood), but he didn't kiln dry the boards, and they mostly warped on my before we could work them. Instead I bought some beautiful red oak from the local lumber store that was maybe a total of $200 or so that my friend worked for me. It turned out great - but sad that a unique wood like Myrtle fell through..

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by Snake72

Just did this myself. Used GMC Pauls info, table saw and dado blade. Have a buddy to help, makes handling the long boards much easier. Used rough sawn hackberry for mine. Fun project

I noticed on your thread you used hackberry. I had not heard of many folks harvesting those trees for lumber. Usually they end up in fireplaces,,,

[Snake72]

OP, since you are a carpenter you will have no problem with the bed.

Here's my hackberry firewood in progress...

[plowro8]

So this may be a dumb question, but how involved is the process of installing a wood bed when your existing bed is steel? Do you have to remove the entire bed, discard the steel bed floor and so-on?

[plowro8]

Originally Posted by OregonNed

I’d love to see pics of your glovebox and ashtray. I’m working on the same to match and tie into my custom bed wood

Here you go... walnut veneers and I made the dash from solid walnut as well

[plowro8]

Originally Posted by Snake72

OP, since you are a carpenter you will have no problem with the bed.

Here's my hackberry firewood in progress...

Snake, are you putting that over a existing steel bed?

[Snake72]

Originally Posted by plowro8

Snake, are you putting that over a existing steel bed?

No my floor was wood originally. You could do a wood layover on steel but personally I think they look a little hokey and cheap. To change from steel to wood, you need a new front bed panel (wood and steel beds used different front panels) and rear cross sill. I "think" that is all that is needed but others may chime in with more info.

Try using the search bar above as I'm sure this topic has been covered in depth.
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[plowro8]

Originally Posted by Snake72

No my floor was wood originally. You could do a wood layover on steel but personally I think they look a little hokey and cheap. To change from steel to wood, you need a new front bed panel (wood and steel beds used different front panels) and rear cross sill. I "think" that is all that is needed but others may chime in with more info.

Try using the search bar above as I'm sure this topic has been covered in depth.
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Yeah, I am starting to realize the project is going to be quite in depth.

[franken]

I think its all the cross sills, not just one. It's probably a typo above. I seem to recall the rearmost welded cross brace is needed, but I could be full of it.
Mar-k also has bed wood drawings.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mar-...w=1233&bih=766

[OregonNed]

Originally Posted by plowro8

Here you go... walnut veneers and I made the dash from solid walnut as well

Oh nice! Thank you! Plan on doing mine with a quarter-sawn oak veneers to match the new bed as best as we can..

[hayhauler71]

My custom bed with storage

[Steeveedee]

Some nice looking beds in here!