wood bed rails

[hank]

my truck is a very stock looking 71 cheyenne(pic below) and i was thinking of making some wooden bed rails like the ones pictured on the antique below.(other pics below)


my plan is to use the hardest wood i can find and treat it to make it as tough as i can. i'm thinking of using darker wood to match the "wood" trim on my truck and bolting them in through the little hole on the side of the holes in the top of the bed.

anybody ever built as set for your truck and have any tips before i start in regards to construction or the treatment of my wood?

what about pictures? anyone have a pic of their truck with rails? i'm looking for design ideas and you people generally have TONS of them.

thanks for any advice.