solid wood bed???

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by 47 Fasttoys

On my '46 I used 3/4 oak plywood with stain on it. On top of that I installed 4 lenghts of electrical uni-strut rail, this stopped the bolts from pulling through and gave a good adjustable system for hold down "eye" bolts. I use my truck daily and the bed gets a lot of abuse. The wood only lasts 3 years on average. Not the best looking system but very effective.
Fasttoys.

3 years does not seem to long. I had a sheet of exterior plywood over my original holey bed that lasted 12 years in Idaho weather with lots of abuse too. If utility is primary concern you might think about getting some fiberglass (I think) inpregnated marine plywood. Stuff I have seen come in a green color but could be painted. biggest problem I see with solid beds in drainage (assuming they get washed or rained on) and the wood absorbing moisture and warping.