New wood and rails in bed

[GOPAPA]

I have a friend who has a 62 long box with a rottted out wood bed.


What is the cheapest good looking wood to put in for a daily driver? and what is a good choice for the rails ,,stainless ,chrome ,,painted ?

anyone have purple wood , if you do can you tell us what you think of it and if it's a way to go for a replacement ..

[MikeN]

Did mine with red oak, black semi-gloss exterior house paint (oil based) over an oil-based primer. Non-polished stainless strips and hardware.

[msgross]

I have a local cabinet maker that said he could make all the boards out of Oak for $330

GMC pauls website has all the specs.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by msgross

I have a local cabinet maker that said he could make all the boards out of Oak for $330

GMC pauls website has all the specs.

I think for the bed boards he wants to do it himself ,,but for the rest he could use pauls,,thx

here is some pictures

[msgross]

I mean GMC pauls website has the detailed measurements to make your own boards.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

How "cheap" are we talkin' here? I used T1-11 board for mine. As cheap as you can get.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

How "cheap" are we talkin' here? I used T1-11 board for mine. As cheap as you can get.

Hey for a daily driver ,why not ,,I don't know what purple wood cost ,,but he is thinking of it .. what is purple wood anyway ?

[jbgroby]

Purplewood correct name is Purple Heart and when finished is a beautiful shade of redish/brown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purpleheart

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/purpleheartinfo.htm

BUT you may want to consider Paducca (sp) which looks like Terra Cotta

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by jbgroby

Purplewood correct name is Purple Heart and when finished is a beautiful shade of redish/brown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purpleheart

http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/wood/purpleheartinfo.htm

BUT you may want to consider Paducca (sp) which looks like Terra Cotta

thanks for the correction on the wood ..now I can google it and maybe learn some about it.. I miscalled it as I was told purple heart ..

[l79m20]

Why don't you just replace the broken piece? Just a driver right?

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by l79m20

Why don't you just replace the broken piece? Just a driver right?

Thats the only hole ,,but the rest is about to be a hole . Not sure what he will do with it ,what a driver is to some people is not what it is to another.

If it were me I think I would go with some good marine plywood treated,,sand blast the rails and paint them black.

I owned a brand new 65 chevy short box with a wood bed and I treated it with linseed oil ever so often and it still warped so not sure in this wet country I personally would want boards.. but i could be talked into it with some show and tell experience. JMO

[63 & 64 Bowties]

This is my 64 with the T1-11. Nothin' fancy. I just couldn't justify spending $5-700 for nice pre-cut wood and stainless strips and bolts.
I have all the dimensions and measurements for cuts and holes on T1-11, but it's for a shortbox fleetside.

[Roadhammer]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

This is my 64 with the T1-11. Nothin' fancy. I just couldn't justify spending $5-700 for nice pre-cut wood and stainless strips and bolts.
I have all the dimensions and measurements for cuts and holes on T1-11, but it's for a shortbox fleetside.

I like that....i often think that rough nicely laid out lumber with no stips looks cooler that the stainless strips and perfectly finished oak or whatever fancy wood they use. If you actually ever plan on putting something in th back that will stay looking nice alot longer than stainless and oak.

IMHO anyway

Jory

[DaddyMack]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

thanks for the correction on the wood ..now I can google it and maybe learn some about it.. I miscalled it as I was told purple heart ..

Purple Heart is heavy and hard as hell... Just FYI

[jbgroby]

Yep, I forgot to post that bit of info, YOU WILL burn the wood trying to but it if you do not use a new blade.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

This is my 64 with the T1-11. Nothin' fancy. I just couldn't justify spending $5-700 for nice pre-cut wood and stainless strips and bolts.
I have all the dimensions and measurements for cuts and holes on T1-11, but it's for a shortbox fleetside.

I agree.. I went with cheap pine. Cost me 50 some odd bucks.. Plan on painting the bottom and about 4 quarts of urethane on the top.... ahah..

i like that T1.

[JRBECK64]

Try a Company out of Tennessee named Classic Wood. The guys name is Robert Noe. Do a google search and you will find him. I think he will do a Long fleet for just over $300 (RED OAK) and Im telling you the quality of the wood is outstanding. I have misplaced his number or I would give it to you.
JRBECK64

[JRBECK64]

Originally Posted by DaddyMack

Purple Heart is heavy and hard as hell... Just FYI

Not only is it hard as hell it turns grey fairly quick in the sunlight.

JRBECK64

[mbgmike]

The least expensive and too look good is to do like the later model Fords. Just use plywood. Does not have to be Marine Grade as all plywood is glued using the same glue which is what is called Marine. Just cut grooves/ recesses down the top layer for your bed strips. Looks good and hard to tell its just plywood.

[fleetsidelarry]

[QUOTE=GOPAPA;3592523]

What is the cheapest good looking wood to put in for a daily driver? and what is a good choice for the rails ,,stainless ,chrome ,,painted ?


be forwarned that oak is not a good choice for a daily driver/working truck that will see weather, regardless of what you seal it with. Check out Mark-K's tests, particularly the second one (http://www.mar-k.com/wood_finish_testing_ii.html) . I'm using yellow pine but haven't picked my sealer type yet (I really like the look of MikeN's truck above, I was thinking of using black, also). You can stain the wood (oak, pine, or whatever) whatever color you want so there's no need to purchase an expensive wood (which I'm assuming purpleheart is and I thought cost was a factor for your friend) unless you are wanting a fine grain pattern.

Dimensions (as someone already mentioned) at GMC Pauls (http://www.gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm)

I'm using the unpolished stainless strips mainly 'cause I had them already, but I think they're functional and won't show scratches/scuffs like painted ones.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that t-111, either, I think it looks great

[Camaro_nut2001]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

I have a friend who has a 62 long box with a rottted out wood bed.


What is the cheapest good looking wood to put in for a daily driver? and what is a good choice for the rails ,,stainless ,chrome ,,painted ?

anyone have purple wood , if you do can you tell us what you think of it and if it's a way to go for a replacement ..

Hello, do you have a saw mill close by? My buddy is going to cut my boards when I'm ready. He has an old mill left to him by his grandfather.

[Chevy Fleetside]

I have been looking for bedwood. I figure I would just get the pine for the work truck. After looking, and the vendors wanting up to and more then $300 is crazy. I am just going to go to the store and get some select pine and use that. I can do it for more then 1/2 the cost of buying it. Hell I am a carpenter so milling it the wood is not big deal. I can't wait to get my shortbed truck done. That one is going to be pretty.

[Turkey]

morning wood usually only lasts about 30 minutes

[sanford66]

Purple heart is maple i believe. A rare maple and very expensive. My dads a carpenter thats what he told me. I wouldn't spend that kind of $ for a wood floor in a driver. Anyone correct me if i'm wrong on the wood?. Joseph

[LILRED66]

Purple Heart is a species, as Maple is a species. They are not the same.

http://curiouswoods.com/wood--Purple-Heart--PH

There are so many options available, it is difficult to offer up the best choice, since it is a matter of opinion and taste.

There is good, fast & cheap...good is not fast or cheap...fast is cheap, but it's not good...cheap is not good, but it's fast.

If you want form over function, you go one direction...if you want function over form, you go another direction.

Here are a few we have done.