Steel or Wood? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

culp7 · 06-19-2009, 11:26 PM

I have several 67-72 chevy trucks and have been thinking about getting a 60-66. I am somewhat partial to the 60 and 63 models. Did these years come with Steel bed floors? And if so, how rare are they?

TwiggyTheDrummer · 06-19-2009, 11:29 PM

The floors were all pine painted in the matching exterior color. If it's steel, it was added because the wood rotted out. That goes for 60-66.

**Captainfab** · 06-19-2009, 11:51 PM

No they did not come with steel floors from the factory. If you are so inclined though, you can retrofit a steel floor from a '67-'72 into a '60-'66 bed with little to no modifications.

**Chevy Fleetside** · 06-20-2009, 09:22 AM

Yeah... what they said...

mbgmike · 06-20-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captainfab

No they did not come with steel floors from the factory. If you are so inclined though, you can retrofit a steel floor from a '67-'72 into a '60-'66 bed with little to no modifications.

True and you can also use one out of the newer trucks also.

rendus · 06-20-2009, 11:24 AM

A previous owner welded in a big piece of diamond plate over the original wood bed in my '66. Don't know what to do about that.

**Captainfab** · 06-20-2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rendus

A previous owner welded in a big piece of diamond plate over the original wood bed in my '66. Don't know what to do about that.

You'll just have to carefully cut it out trying not to damage the bedsides, front and rear sill.....and wheelwells. It might be best done with a cutoff wheel on a 4 1/2 grinder. However you do it, it's gonna be a PITA.

Franks Fab Shop · 11-25-2009, 02:13 AM

i have a 62 burb with wood floors and as a kid my dad had a 66 burb with steel .... i think? ( a long time ago!) does anyboy know about 60-66 burban floors? all wood or were there steel floors too?

**Captainfab** · 11-25-2009, 02:19 AM

All the '60-'66 burbs I've seen had a plywood floor with rubber on the top.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franks Fab Shop

i have a 62 burb with wood floors and as a kid my dad had a 66 burb with steel .... i think? ( a long time ago!) does anyboy know about 60-66 burban floors? all wood or were there steel floors too?

*LILRED66* · 11-25-2009, 02:49 AM

The original beds were southern yellow pine and coated with a proprietary formula of flat black paint/kreosote. The wear strips were painted flat black. The bed wood and wear strips were not painted the body color.

To my knowledge, as well as the dealer & manufacturer's literature, the '60-'66 Chevy/GMC Suburbans and Panels also had wood. No steel floors as standard equipment or optional on '60-'66 C10, C20, C20, K10 & K20 Chevy/GMC trucks.

jonzcustomshop · 11-25-2009, 08:12 AM

my 65 has the tiniest bit of the black paint left on some of the boards..

hill64step · 11-25-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rendus

A previous owner welded in a big piece of diamond plate over the original wood bed in my '66. Don't know what to do about that.

I just got done cutting out a steel floor that had been welded in mine by a previous owner. Luckily it wasn't welded to the bed sides, and was only tacked to the headboard. They did however weld it all the way across the rear at the tailgate. We just used a cutoff wheel, and carefully cut through. I'm still cleaning up the area where it was welded at the rear.
This is what I'm dealing with now:
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...k/IMG_1403.jpg

*LILRED66* · 11-25-2009, 12:07 PM

Nice recovery hill64step. I like it when someone takes the time to bring one back to it's original glory.

*lakeroadster* · 11-26-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hill64step

This is what I'm dealing with now:
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...k/IMG_1403.jpg

Sorry this is off topic but I gotta say I love this website! Looking at the picture you posted reminds me of my 44 years of living in Ohio. Wrenching was certainly a different experience in the rust belt.

Having lived in Colorado now for 5 years, and wrenching on my '65 C10 project that has spent it's life in Colorado, the difference is amazing.

Not that vehicles out here don't have any rust, they do, but it's a "dry kind of rust". It is just different, more of a what you see is what you get. Not the hidden.. "Oh My God" variety.

hossmann · 11-26-2009, 08:44 PM

there's no question about it wood all the way

forestb · 11-27-2009, 05:28 PM

If you a looking for a 60-63 I would try my hardest to find a 63. They are the only one that has coils in the front the rest have torsion bars which are not easy to do any work on.

06-19-2009, 11:26 PM	#1
culp7 HickTown Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ANDOVER, Kansas Posts: 355	Steel or Wood? I have several 67-72 chevy trucks and have been thinking about getting a 60-66. I am somewhat partial to the 60 and 63 models. Did these years come with Steel bed floors? And if so, how rare are they? __________________ 1993 Ford Mustang Vert w/ 2.3 1969 Chevy C/10 w/350 1968 Chevy C-20 w/250 1976 Dodge Aspen W/ 225 2000 Toyota Tundra w/4.7 1987 Dodge Ram D-100 w/360 255/70-15 ___________ (oo)══╬══(oo) ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

06-19-2009, 11:29 PM	#2
TwiggyTheDrummer Keep It Simple Stupid.. Nope.. Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Live Oak, FL Posts: 665	Re: Steel or Wood? The floors were all pine painted in the matching exterior color. If it's steel, it was added because the wood rotted out. That goes for 60-66. __________________ 1963 GMC SWB Fleetside in Sunburst Orange Metallic 305E V6 w/ Plaid VC, Powerglide, BOSS 313 20" Chrome Wheels, Kumho Ecsta STX 275/45/R20's, Alpine/Clarion System, Dynomax Exhaust Old custom classic trucks have soul. Their dashboards aren't plastic, and they've survived both the best and worst of what the 20th century had to offer. For the owners of these trucks, it's often the same story. Through both good and bad times they persevered, until one day they could turn the key and roll up in a customized truck everyone with good taste would admire. – Custom Classic Trucks

06-19-2009, 11:51 PM	#3
Captainfab 60-66 Nut Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Posts: 23,246	Re: Steel or Wood? No they did not come with steel floors from the factory. If you are so inclined though, you can retrofit a steel floor from a '67-'72 into a '60-'66 bed with little to no modifications. __________________ Power Steering Box Adapter Plates For Sale HERE Power Brake Booster Adapter Brackets For Sale '63-'66 HERE and '67-'72 HERE and '60-'62 HERE and "60-'62 with clutch HERE Rear Disc Brake Brackets For Sale. Impala SS calipers HERE Camaro Calipers HERE D52 Calipers HERE 6 Lug HERE Hydroboost Mounting Plates HERE

06-20-2009, 09:22 AM	#4
Chevy Fleetside Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 4,779	Re: Steel or Wood? Yeah... what they said... __________________ "A man and his truck, what a beautiful thing" 65 Short Fleetside BBC 65 Long Fleetside 283 3 on the tree for now. my build thread http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=259536

06-20-2009, 11:24 AM	#6
rendus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: smyrna tn Posts: 221	Re: Steel or Wood? A previous owner welded in a big piece of diamond plate over the original wood bed in my '66. Don't know what to do about that.

11-25-2009, 02:13 AM	#8
Franks Fab Shop Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: costa mesa , Calif. Posts: 120	Re: Steel or Wood? i have a 62 burb with wood floors and as a kid my dad had a 66 burb with steel .... i think? ( a long time ago!) does anyboy know about 60-66 burban floors? all wood or were there steel floors too?

11-25-2009, 02:49 AM	#10
LILRED66 Account Suspended Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas City, KS Posts: 3,906	Re: Steel or Wood? The original beds were southern yellow pine and coated with a proprietary formula of flat black paint/kreosote. The wear strips were painted flat black. The bed wood and wear strips were not painted the body color. To my knowledge, as well as the dealer & manufacturer's literature, the '60-'66 Chevy/GMC Suburbans and Panels also had wood. No steel floors as standard equipment or optional on '60-'66 C10, C20, C20, K10 & K20 Chevy/GMC trucks.

11-25-2009, 08:12 AM	#11
jonzcustomshop 1961 crewcab Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: missoula, mt Posts: 6,164	Re: Steel or Wood? my 65 has the tiniest bit of the black paint left on some of the boards.. __________________ 60 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=280904 61 crew build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=646830 63 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=336537 64 'burb build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=448681 65 'burb build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=590715 65 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=281955

11-25-2009, 12:07 PM	#13
LILRED66 Account Suspended Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas City, KS Posts: 3,906	Re: Steel or Wood? Nice recovery hill64step. I like it when someone takes the time to bring one back to it's original glory.

11-26-2009, 08:44 PM	#15
hossmann Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Grinnell iowa Posts: 42	Re: Steel or Wood? there's no question about it wood all the way

11-27-2009, 05:28 PM	#16
forestb Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 3,592	Re: Steel or Wood? If you a looking for a 60-63 I would try my hardest to find a 63. They are the only one that has coils in the front the rest have torsion bars which are not easy to do any work on.



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