Factory bed wood - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

custom10nut · 11-06-2016, 07:58 PM

What type of wood was used from the factory for the bed wood in our trucks?
Is it a sort of Pine?
I know people use just about every kind of wood you could think of, but I want to cut and mill my own, for no other Eason than I can say "I did it myself".
I'm looking at yellow pine, soaked down with Boiled Linseed Oil.
I love the way it looks as it ages, and it would outlive me in the long run. My original bed has lasted 46+ years and still looks decent, but I'm fixin to relocate my gas tank, and move on to finishing the body work, so it's time to replace the wood.

LongBox · 11-06-2016, 08:12 PM

I cannot answer your question, but the individual boards in the wood bed in the 71 longbed I owned back in the day curled. The climate where I lived was fairly hot and dry. I guess my point is that either they chose the wrong species of wood, or else they did not treat and finish it correctly.

custom10nut · 11-06-2016, 08:53 PM

Mine became a mushroom farm underneath. When I bought the truck 24 years ago, the wood was solid, so I thought I was doing a good thing by treating it with marine grade varnish. Bad. The top stayed nice, but it rotted from the bottom.
I figure that soaking the boards in the BLO, that they'll be permeated and moisture won't have a chance to get in.
I'm also looking into adding a green dye to the BLO, since my truck color is Medium Olive, o mimic the way they did it from the factory(when they painted the wood and strips body color).

davepl · 11-06-2016, 09:05 PM

I think it was pine, but am not 100% sure. I do know they were painted body color, not stained and varnished like we all do these days!

custom10nut · 11-06-2016, 09:15 PM

I thought so.
I thought about painting the wood body color, but I would also like have some of the woodgrain visible

old51sedan · 11-07-2016, 10:07 AM

I believe the wood was pine from the factory, it along with the strips were all painted the same color as the body. If you get an original Boucher with a picture of a wood box you can see it.

**Tom Vogel** · 11-07-2016, 07:30 PM

If it was pine, it was the hardest clear pine I ever saw.

OregonNed · 11-07-2016, 07:35 PM

Southern Yellow Pine, I believe?

CaptRMW · 11-07-2016, 07:51 PM

Originally pine but if you treat yours with Coppertox you will have your green color and the best wood preservative on the planet.

BLAZERMAN · 11-07-2016, 11:28 PM

Bed wood and strips were painted black up until 1967, 68 and after were painted body color.

old51sedan · 11-08-2016, 09:59 AM

I posted yesterday that they were pine & painted body color from the factory. I just bought a 69 step side this spring & the reason I wanted a 69 was because I had bought one new in the fall of 1968. It had a pine wood floor and the whole thing, strips and all were painted same as the truck. They may have been painted black before that, I don't know. The 69 I have now has the original floor (needs replaced) and it is painted same color as the body. Hope this helps.

11-06-2016, 07:58 PM	#1
custom10nut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: East Tn (In the heart of the Smoky Mtns) Posts: 1,867	Factory bed wood What type of wood was used from the factory for the bed wood in our trucks? Is it a sort of Pine? I know people use just about every kind of wood you could think of, but I want to cut and mill my own, for no other Eason than I can say "I did it myself". I'm looking at yellow pine, soaked down with Boiled Linseed Oil. I love the way it looks as it ages, and it would outlive me in the long run. My original bed has lasted 46+ years and still looks decent, but I'm fixin to relocate my gas tank, and move on to finishing the body work, so it's time to replace the wood.

11-06-2016, 08:12 PM	#2
LongBox Registered User Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 784	Re: Factory bed wood I cannot answer your question, but the individual boards in the wood bed in the 71 longbed I owned back in the day curled. The climate where I lived was fairly hot and dry. I guess my point is that either they chose the wrong species of wood, or else they did not treat and finish it correctly. __________________ Rick -69 GMC 910 Long Box, 350 -98 Chev Silverado 1500, 350 Vortec 4L60e -08 Mustang GT Convertible

11-06-2016, 08:53 PM	#3
custom10nut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: East Tn (In the heart of the Smoky Mtns) Posts: 1,867	Re: Factory bed wood Mine became a mushroom farm underneath. When I bought the truck 24 years ago, the wood was solid, so I thought I was doing a good thing by treating it with marine grade varnish. Bad. The top stayed nice, but it rotted from the bottom. I figure that soaking the boards in the BLO, that they'll be permeated and moisture won't have a chance to get in. I'm also looking into adding a green dye to the BLO, since my truck color is Medium Olive, o mimic the way they did it from the factory(when they painted the wood and strips body color).

11-06-2016, 09:05 PM	#4
davepl Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 6,332	Re: Factory bed wood I think it was pine, but am not 100% sure. I do know they were painted body color, not stained and varnished like we all do these days! __________________ 1970 GMC Sierra Grande Custom Camper - Built, not Bought 1969 Pontiac 2+2 427/390 4-speed Coupe 1969 Pontiac 2+2 427/390 4-speed Convertible

11-06-2016, 09:15 PM	#5
custom10nut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: East Tn (In the heart of the Smoky Mtns) Posts: 1,867	Re: Factory bed wood I thought so. I thought about painting the wood body color, but I would also like have some of the woodgrain visible

11-07-2016, 10:07 AM	#6
old51sedan Registered User Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Williamston, Mi Posts: 881	Re: Factory bed wood I believe the wood was pine from the factory, it along with the strips were all painted the same color as the body. If you get an original Boucher with a picture of a wood box you can see it.

11-07-2016, 07:30 PM	#7
Tom Vogel 2WD Jimmy Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Davis County, Utah Posts: 2,564	Re: Factory bed wood If it was pine, it was the hardest clear pine I ever saw.

11-07-2016, 07:35 PM	#8
OregonNed Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Vancouver, Washington Posts: 1,644	Re: Factory bed wood Southern Yellow Pine, I believe? __________________ 1968 Chevrolet C/10 LWB - 327, TH350 - 4/5 Drop

11-07-2016, 07:51 PM	#9
CaptRMW Custom Sport W/T Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tarpon Springs,Fl & Annapolis,Md. ....................Quaint drinking villages with a fishing problem Posts: 898	Re: Factory bed wood Originally pine but if you treat yours with Coppertox you will have your green color and the best wood preservative on the planet.

11-07-2016, 11:28 PM	#10
BLAZERMAN Currently Blazerless Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: St. Joseph Mo. Posts: 4,826	Re: Factory bed wood Bed wood and strips were painted black up until 1967, 68 and after were painted body color. __________________ 1972 C/30 133" W.B. C&C 1970 GMC 3500 157" W.B. single wheel C&C

11-08-2016, 09:59 AM	#11
old51sedan Registered User Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Williamston, Mi Posts: 881	Re: Factory bed wood I posted yesterday that they were pine & painted body color from the factory. I just bought a 69 step side this spring & the reason I wanted a 69 was because I had bought one new in the fall of 1968. It had a pine wood floor and the whole thing, strips and all were painted same as the truck. They may have been painted black before that, I don't know. The 69 I have now has the original floor (needs replaced) and it is painted same color as the body. Hope this helps.



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