Bed Floor Questions

[Longbed68]

Everything I need (I think) from Mar-K is about $415. Maybe it's worth it if they're quality is superior.

Dan

[gale]

I don't think it could be any better. The holes and counterbores are all done, ready to bolt in.

I spread my boards out and put several coats of Thompson's Water Seal on all surfaces, paying special attention to the ends to slow down eventual rot. TWS is clear and thin so it should soak in pretty well.

I let that dry and thinned Rust-O-Leum black enamel with acetone and painted all surfaces with that. If it lasts as well as the original wood I'll be happy.

I painted the metal strips the color of the truck.

[Longbed68]

So you painted the wood black? Is that how they were from the factory? I've often wondered this. Someone once told me everything was body color (though I was asking about how my dad's '68 should be).

The pre-drilled holes is a huge plus and worth every penny. I did a new bed on a '56 I worked on once and boy was it a pain doing all that myself, especially routing out the holes for the offset washers (though I admit we came up with a rather brilliant method of doing it).

Here's the '56. The guy wanted it fully restored but I refused, telling him it was in too good original condition and that he'd regret it later. A few years later, old trucks and original paint cars are both red hot. He's been thanking me for talking him out of it! The bed was really far gone, though, so we replaced that.





Dan

[gale]

I only remember black wood in the beds of new trucks and I had quite a few starting in '64. The metal strips were either body color or black and that may have been determined by the plant of origin. Makes sense to go with body color since the outside strip is part of the bed side panel. If you go to the trouble to remove that piece you find primer underneath.

[gale]

Originally Posted by Longbed68

So you painted the wood black? Is that how they were from the factory? I've often wondered this. Someone once told me everything was body color (though I was asking about how my dad's '68 should be).

The pre-drilled holes is a huge plus and worth every penny. I did a new bed on a '56 I worked on once and boy was it a pain doing all that myself, especially routing out the holes for the offset washers (though I admit we came up with a rather brilliant method of doing it).
Dan

That's a nice looking truck. The '68 long stepside bed I bought in a pasture still had about 2/3 of its wood and it was black, rotten but black where the paint had remained.

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by Longbed68

Everything I need (I think) from Mar-K is about $415. Maybe it's worth it if they're quality is superior.

Dan

You will be VERY HAPPY with Mar-K, I have used them on many builds