Update and bed questions?

[terd ferguson]

Here's where the last big steps left me...







I've done a ton of stuff. Highlights include rewired, lowered, cab off frame, new floors, cab corners, frame painted from cab forward, firewall and inner fenders painted, and cadillac mill installed. A bunch more here and there.

This leads to where I am today. I had an extra bed I did rust repair on the fenders and got all that in epoxy primer. I took the old bed off. I am preparing to paint the rear of the frame and install the new bed.

This is how I've been tooling around.



Over the next few months, and after getting the new bed back on, I have to repair rust in my door bottoms, strip paint from and prime doors and cab and front feners, filler bodywork, paint, then paint interior and tuck'n'roll, then done. Well, that and a bunch of nickel and dime stuff along the way. But all the major pieces are already in place. And I have everything to finish except final paint, carpet, and vinyl for upholstery.



After the eye candy, here's my questions.
Has anyone installed a metal bed instead of wood planks? I'm mainly interested in this option due to cost. Bed wood kit is around $700, I can get 4x8 of appropriate thickness steel for $35, lol. So, I'm thinking of making a steel bead rolled floor.

Am I correct in understanding you bolt the floor to the frame first, then the bedsides to the floor? My old bed I removed was made of old warped plywood and I'm not even sure how the bedsides were held down or the floor attached to the bed (other than gravity, lol).

Other than these two questions, any and all info, help, or tips for installing a bed from the frame up are appreciated.

Thanks a ton!