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!

[OrrieG]

Mar-K has good bed install instructions. I think there was recent thread that had a link to another rod site with instructions too.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Mar-K has good bed install instructions. I think there was recent thread that had a link to another rod site with instructions too.

Thanks Orrie!!

[oldcouple]

All I had was plywood and cross sills, so would have cost over a 1000 bucks to replace. Mine is 11ga steel, remove the rear sill, it slides right in under the side rails,add a half inch angle across the front. Four bolts thru the bottom and the the cross supports into the frame. The middle support is bolted with carriage bolts to the frame to hold it in position.

Its in the shop now, just got the inside of bed done with bed liner. Added weight in the rear lowered it about an inch as well.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by oldcouple

All I had was plywood and cross sills, so would have cost over a 1000 bucks to replace. Mine is 11ga steel, remove the rear sill, it slides right in under the side rails,add a half inch angle across the front. Four bolts thru the bottom and the the cross supports into the frame. The middle support is bolted with carriage bolts to the frame to hold it in position.

Its in the shop now, just got the inside of bed done with bed liner. Added weight in the rear lowered it about an inch as well.

Thanks for that! That's pretty much exactly what I was planning and hoping would work. Sometimes it's good to know somebody else has already done it.

[_Ogre]

trex plastic decking might be in your price range.
you'll still need bed strips
i used standard 1.25x1.25x.125 angle for my bed angle

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

trex plastic decking might be in your price range.
you'll still need bed strips
i used standard 1.25x1.25x.125 angle for my bed angle

Thanks for the tip Ogre. I don't have the capabilities for the milling of the boards. The only woodworking tools I have are a Skil saw and a chop saw. So, I can't rip for width and I can't rout channels. But thanks again!

[dcmalone]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

trex plastic decking might be in your price range.
you'll still need bed strips
i used standard 1.25x1.25x.125 angle for my bed angle

I was thinking about using the composite decking myself. That looks real good Ogre. Did you use a router or make the strip cuts on a table saw. I figure a dado blade would probably mke quick work of it.

and Terd, your truck looks great!!!

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by dcmalone

I was thinking about using the composite decking myself. That looks real good Ogre. Did you use a router or make the strip cuts on a table saw. I figure a dado blade would probably mke quick work of it.

and Terd, your truck looks great!!!

I don't see you couldn't use a dado blade. And thanks for the compliment.

[_Ogre]

2 cuts for each groove with a regular blade
no ripping required, but you need 1 extra board and bed strip.
trex is only available in a 5.1'' wide board
back in my minimal tool days, i would have done this with a skill saw.

[Maximus]

Very cool truck!
any specs on the motor?
I was thinking of using an S10 bed floor, and cutting it down to fit, a few others have and it looks real nice and gives the bed like a 2" tub, which will eliminate my slight rubbing issue...

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Very cool truck!
any specs on the motor?
I was thinking of using an S10 bed floor, and cutting it down to fit, a few others have and it looks real nice and gives the bed like a 2" tub, which will eliminate my slight rubbing issue...

Engine is '59 Cadillac 390 rebuilt to stock specs. I am using the stock Cadillac Hydramatic trans, also rebuilt. I have a vintage Mallory MagSpark dual point distributor with with proper vintage Mallory transformer both gone through and made like new by GMC Bubba from the hamb. That's about it as far as performance.

I am currently running the stock intake with a Carter four barrel. I am waiting on three Rochester 2G's currently being built for the vintage Weiand 3x2 intake in the photo. The Stromberg WW's in the photo are not jetted correctly and the cost and learning curve to tune them is not quite cost effective.

I have an Eelco valley pan and vintage Offenhauser valve covers. Everything you can pull off the engine is plated except the fuel pump, oil pan, and timing cover. I recently had the water pump plated when it started leaking and needed to be rebuilt. I will probably do the timing cover also because the felt seal has started seeping just a little and the fan throws it all over the inner fenders.

Engine paint is all Dupont urethane, primer, base, pearl, and clear. The color is passion pink with tons of white pearl on top of the base.

I've been driving it pretty much every day since August when the swap was completed. Runs great and plenty of torque.