Wood Bed vs. Diamond plate? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

67Project · 06-15-2003, 11:23 PM

Looking for suggestions. Wood bed or diamond plate...Which would you or have you chosen?

If you went with a wood bed...where did you order it through and were you happy with that vendor?

If you went with the diamond plating, are you happy with it or wished you had stuck with the wood?

**67sss** · 06-15-2003, 11:35 PM

wood bed.....find a old building in your town they're tearing down and get some of the old straight grain fir and make you own bed.
There was a post sometime ago with the correct measurements on how to do this.

frost89434 · 06-16-2003, 12:19 AM

I am going to make my floor out of diamond plate and then have it duralined. I think it will turn out nice.

wxman1 · 06-16-2003, 12:20 AM

My 69 C/10 P/U has a rusted warped bed floor
and was wondering whether to replace it
with a good OEM replacement bed floor or go
with a wooden bed. Does anyone know how much
the stock metal bed costs? I have plenty of
3/4" red oak, but I heard you have to use
different wheel tubs and a different bed
front, can anybody verify this?? I thought
about the diamond tread, but I really don't
like the look.

Jim M.

OhioDan · 06-16-2003, 05:41 AM

Yes you will have to use a different bed front. But the wheel tubs are the same. My$.02

Longhorn Man · 06-16-2003, 04:05 PM

The diamond plate is VEY expensive if you get the pretty polished stuff. And all diamond plate is slick as hell untill it rusts onless you do the spray in stuff.
I would go with wood myself, but the diamond plate is a cool option seldome done.

SEVEND2 · 06-16-2003, 04:29 PM

I bought oak bed kit with polished stainless rails with bolt kit from Brotherstrucks. They look great (in the box) i have not put them in yet, waiting for paint job. so i can do a 1 time sweep!!
I did lay them out in the bed and the holes and rails seem to line up great

**Palf70Step** · 06-16-2003, 04:36 PM

I'mdoing a combo sorta....I have some marine plywood lamenated in fiberglass resin that I am lying down. Mostly as a spacer for where the wood was. I am then lying a sheet of polished aluminum diamond plate on top of that. The wood also helps as a resonator to keep the aluminum sheet from vibrating.

I am told the stuff is expensive, but they had a few extra sheets at my wifes work from an old job years ago that were going to be scrapped, so I got it for the cost a scrap.

Don't know the final results yet, but I think it will look great and hold up better far as looks go with less upkeep than the wood will.

matt_field · 06-16-2003, 08:01 PM

gmc pauls, and i got stainless steel strips, looks great right outa the box. easy to install also

**old Rusty C10** · 06-16-2003, 08:24 PM

ithink alot depends on the look youre going for a stock show truck looks betttter with a wood bed a custom truck i think may look better witht he diamond plate

06-15-2003, 11:23 PM	#1
67Project Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 44	Wood Bed vs. Diamond plate? Looking for suggestions. Wood bed or diamond plate...Which would you or have you chosen? If you went with a wood bed...where did you order it through and were you happy with that vendor? If you went with the diamond plating, are you happy with it or wished you had stuck with the wood? __________________ Mark Novak 1967 Work in Progress

06-16-2003, 12:19 AM	#3
frost89434 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: sparks, NV Posts: 1,141	I am going to make my floor out of diamond plate and then have it duralined. I think it will turn out nice. __________________ 68 short fleet with 71 front clip 2wd jaguar blue 99 chevy ext cab shrtbed z71 loaded 99 chevy swb fleetside(daily driver) Sparks, Nevada

06-16-2003, 05:41 AM	#5
OhioDan Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Carlisle, Ohio,USA Posts: 1,404	Yes you will have to use a different bed front. But the wheel tubs are the same. My$.02 __________________ LIFE AIN'T EASY WHEN YER FAT AND GREASY! GMC= Got More Class! 1970 GMC LWB, Fleetside, 350/4spd, Flowmaster "40's", 2002 GMC 16" Rallies, cowl hood,and added a bunch of options that weren't there when I started.

06-16-2003, 04:29 PM	#7
SEVEND2 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Menifee, Calif, USA Posts: 2,145	I bought oak bed kit with polished stainless rails with bolt kit from Brotherstrucks. They look great (in the box) i have not put them in yet, waiting for paint job. so i can do a 1 time sweep!! I did lay them out in the bed and the holes and rails seem to line up great __________________ With a 1972 Chevy Custom-10 Long bed w/350cid th350, (under-construction). Progress on truck so far (follow link): http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=51051 and stage 2 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=58132 ~ "Why couldn't you have just put the bunny back in the box?" ~

06-16-2003, 04:36 PM	#8
Palf70Step State of Confusion! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gulfport, MS USA Posts: 46,818	I'mdoing a combo sorta....I have some marine plywood lamenated in fiberglass resin that I am lying down. Mostly as a spacer for where the wood was. I am then lying a sheet of polished aluminum diamond plate on top of that. The wood also helps as a resonator to keep the aluminum sheet from vibrating. I am told the stuff is expensive, but they had a few extra sheets at my wifes work from an old job years ago that were going to be scrapped, so I got it for the cost a scrap. Don't know the final results yet, but I think it will look great and hold up better far as looks go with less upkeep than the wood will. __________________ Bill 1970 Chevy Custom/10 LWB Fleetside 2010 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner SR5 Double Cab - DD Member of Louisiana Classic Truck Club (LCTC) Bill's Gallery Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God!

06-15-2003, 11:35 PM	#2
67sss Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mt. Vernon, WA.. Posts: 2,322	wood bed.....find a old building in your town they're tearing down and get some of the old straight grain fir and make you own bed. There was a post sometime ago with the correct measurements on how to do this.

06-16-2003, 12:20 AM	#4
wxman1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: mt juliet, tennessee, usa Posts: 237	My 69 C/10 P/U has a rusted warped bed floor and was wondering whether to replace it with a good OEM replacement bed floor or go with a wooden bed. Does anyone know how much the stock metal bed costs? I have plenty of 3/4" red oak, but I heard you have to use different wheel tubs and a different bed front, can anybody verify this?? I thought about the diamond tread, but I really don't like the look. Jim M.

06-16-2003, 04:05 PM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	The diamond plate is VEY expensive if you get the pretty polished stuff. And all diamond plate is slick as hell untill it rusts onless you do the spray in stuff. I would go with wood myself, but the diamond plate is a cool option seldome done.

06-16-2003, 08:01 PM	#9
matt_field Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Posts: 885	gmc pauls, and i got stainless steel strips, looks great right outa the box. easy to install also __________________ 1971 k5 blazer 80k mike survivor 1972 3/4 ton 4wd Cummins 12v 1967 swb 2wd 427bbc 1968 4wd shortbox 1971 Cheyenne swb k10 unrestored 1971 Cheyenne super 40k 402bb survivor 1967 Chevy k10 (first truck) 1968 L78 camaro survivor 18k miles 1969 z28 survivor 60k miles 1969 z28 survivor 39k miles 1969 z28 rs survivor 80k miles

06-16-2003, 08:24 PM	#10
old Rusty C10 Robert Olson Transport Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: recent transplant to NC USA Posts: 20,283	ithink alot depends on the look youre going for a stock show truck looks betttter with a wood bed a custom truck i think may look better witht he diamond plate __________________ Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!!



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