Found a 73 with a wood floor and need some information

[1774btcrew]

I am out of down on a junkyard parts scavenging trip and came across a 73 fleetside with the optional wood floor. Since it is not feasible for me to bring the whole bed home I would like to know the parts of the floor that are specific to it. I originally thought the cross braces were unique but now I am not sure. I am kind of looking at disassembling it and binging the floor home in pieces and would like to bring back as little as possible but want to be sure to get all of the necessary parts. I would appreciate any info anyone can help me with. I am always watching for these and the last one I found was over a year ago. All steel pieces are in excellent shape with only surface rust.

[f.monroe]

If it is for sale I am interested. The bedsides and wheel tubs are the same so you can leave them. The entire floor,cross braces, rear sill, and all of the trim pieces that bolt to the bedsides are unique. I am not sure about the front panel. You might want to grab it if it looks different. If the wood is bad leave it, if not get it since it will be original dated wood.
I want a wood floor but they were not ordered in our area much at all. Mostly in areas where rust seemed to be an issue.
Frank

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by f.monroe

If it is for sale I am interested. The bedsides and wheel tubs are the same so you can leave them. The entire floor,cross braces, rear sill, and all of the trim pieces that bolt to the bedsides are unique. I am not sure about the front panel. You might want to grab it if it looks different. If the wood is bad leave it, if not get it since it will be original dated wood.
I want a wood floor but they were not ordered in our area much at all. Mostly in areas where rust seemed to be an issue.
Frank

Thank you for the information. It sounds like it would be 2-3 hours pulling the parts at the wrecking yard with my impact. I can't imagine how involved it would be to ship something like this. Even in pieces. I do know it would be expensive. For the most part I think the would is in pretty good condition. It is has had a plastic bedliner in it for quite a while and the climate is just dry and hot for the most part.

[f.monroe]

I can always buy replacement wood. I'd give $400 for the wood floor specific pieces delivered to a business addy. If you can make that work I'm in.
Frank

[RandyP]

Someone else might give $410 plus shipping.

[f.monroe]

Did you get the wood floor pieces? Looks like RandyP is looking for one.

[1774btcrew]

I am picking it up tomorrow. There were over 100 bolts and most had to be done by hand. I am probably just going to hang onto this. It honestly wouldn't be worth me selling for $400. My price to purchase this is $150, and 5 hours of my time to pull it and then if I had to disassemble it and ship it really wouldn't be worthwhile. It is a rare piece and who knows maybe I will come up with a deserving longbed.

[RandyP]

I don't think they are that rare to be honest. Had a truck last fall with one that I parted out and I passed on buying one this summer that the rest of the truck was just to far gone for what his bottom dollar price was. The one I had was a 76 model I think, the other was a 78 or 79.

[1774btcrew]

They must just be hard to find in AZ,CA and CO . Those are the areas I frequent most. I find and sell a lot of rare items and this is the first wood bed floor I have came up with. Heck, I have even found 2 flip down dome lights and a manual throttle control. Must just be rare to me since I find a lot of other rare stuff and have been watching for one if these. I am sure maybe areas where there is more rust there are more of them. Maybe I should say it is rare in this condition.

[RandyP]

I can only imagine how many were replaced with a steel floor or covered up with plate iron or something. You'd think those areas you frequent would have more since the cattle industry is of decent size round you.

The one I had here in my hands was covered over with a piece of 1/4" plate. One of the owners down the line had made himself a bed liner. Out of 1/4" plate. Poor truck.

[nekkidhillbilly]

i never seen an original in person just online. i wouldnt want one myself but i want a truck i can use. there pretty when done though thats for sure.

[83GMCK2500]

I have not seen ANY long-fleet wooden bed floors in WA. Would like to find one though...

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by f.monroe

The bedsides and wheel tubs are the same so you can leave them. The entire floor,cross braces, rear sill, and all of the trim pieces that bolt to the bedsides are unique. I am not sure about the front panel. You might want to grab it if it looks different.

I agree and would just like to add that the 73-80 fleetside wood floors did use the same front bed panel as a steel floor. They just have an added flange/trim piece bolted onto the bottom using the same holes as would be used for a steel floor. The 67-72 trucks on the other hand did have different front panels for wood vs. steel floors because the lower flange was part of the bed panel.

[4x4toy]

Can you take pictures before you disassemble? I have heard of these wooden floor squares, never seen one.

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by 4x4toy

Can you take pictures before you disassemble? I have heard of these wooden floor squares, never seen one.

Check the Renovation project from Kuwait thread, that truck has one.

[MusicMan70]

83GMCK2500 Re: Found a 73 with a wood floor and need some information

I have not seen ANY long-fleet wooden bed floors in WA. Would like to find one though...

I got this one from Washington last year.

[walkerb]

Ive personally seen a long box dually crew with a wood floor. It was a cool truck

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by MusicMan70

I got this one from Washington last year.

That one looks to be in comparable condition to the one I found. I may build me a long bed. I sure like the looks of these wood floors!

[f.monroe]

Keep me in mind and let me know when you decide to sell the bed pieces.
Thanks,
Frank

[nekkidhillbilly]

Originally Posted by walkerb

Ive personally seen a long box dually crew with a wood floor. It was a cool truck

i saw a red one for sale like that online

[f.monroe]

I wish you would have gotten this bed floor especially with all the work you put into it. If you don't mind can you tell me where it was? Maybe a board member can go get the pieces you removed and make a little money selling it to me. I am still looking for the wood floor for a fleet side .
Thanks,
Frank

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by f.monroe

I wish you would have gotten this bed floor especially with all the work you put into it. If you don't mind can you tell me where it was? Maybe a board member can go get the pieces you removed and make a little money selling it to me. I am still looking for the wood floor for a fleet side .
Thanks,
Frank

Frank, The floor is long gone. I checked last time I was there. You will be hard pressed to find one cheap. It is a ton of work and they are relatively hard to come by. There are very few here in my area. I have only found 3 and I find a lot of really rare stuff! It was discussed earlier but I am sure there are more in areas prone to rust.

[Billy81]

There was a guy in my area trying to sell one of these wood beds for years, it was in good shape but the wood had seen better days. He couldn't give it away so he ended up selling just the tailgate and the rest went to the scrap yard.

[manimal]

I personally have owned "4" long fleets with wood floors..."2" of them had the tool box in the side.

[Oldriginal86]

Was the wood floor only available in the long bed fleet? I know they were in short steps.