Truck Bed Issues, should I look for replacement?

[hotwls13]

I bought this 70 GMC 1/2T longbed last Friday. When I purchased it, the bed floor was full of stuff (including dirt, trash and a full length rubber mat). After getting it home, the bed was the first thing I cleaned out.

Also of note is the fact that previous owner started a rear frame mount gas tank swap but didn't finish. Bed was just sitting on frame/tank when I got it. I'm in the process of getting the bed off to do the crossmember notch and figure out gas fill line etc.

Anyway, after cleaning out the bed I saw that a partial bed floor replacement had been welded in at some point.

Now that I am taking off the bed I realized that the forward 4 bed bolts are still in. The added bed floor panel was welded over the old one and therefore covers the bed bolt heads.

So, I have some options. My plans for this truck is for it to be a driver, throwing a rubber mat over the bed floor (probably after ratllecanning it or doing the bedliner thing).

My options are:

1. Leave the captured bolts as they are (assuming they are in the carriage slot and don't spin). Finish bed and tank work, put the bed back on and bold down.

2. Figure out where the bolt heads are on the welded in panel (either by measuring or banging on the bottom of the bolts to make an impression), drill out the bed surface above the bolt heads so I can get the bolts out, then use bolts/washers for those 4 holes.

3. Look for a replacement bed. I think there is a metal floor longbed in town in decent shape for around $350. This bed/bedsides aren't in that great of shape anyway.

Lastly, I'm not going to take the time to cutout the bedfloor and do a proper repair/replace. Just not worth it to me and not where I want to spend my time/money on this truck.

Thoughts???

[hotwls13]

Sorry for the sideways pics, they arent like that on my phone. :/

[MidLifer]

One man's opinion but if the $350 bed is in good shape I'd buy it and get rid of that frankenstein.

[sick472]

It sounds like the old bed has some issues IF it were destined to be restored. BUT, if you just want it to become a good driver and a good work truck...It will go the mile! I can bet that the bed floor patch is covering some nasty rust on the original underlying bed floor and that type of metal sandwich is only going to create more rust. You should consider getting the old carriage bolts out and replaced so that you KNOW the bed won't decide to come off down the road.

[67ChevyRedneck]

That bed looks rough for CA, probably accident damage with bondo caked on. For $350 I'd go with the other bed, assuming it's a nice CA longbed.

[leddzepp]

LWB beds are a dime a dozen here in Cali. You should be able to find a really NICE one that has been taken off for a swb conversion.

[hotwls13]

Ok thanks for the suggestions. I’m gonna contact the guy in town about the bed for sale. It was quite an event getting this truck home. I don’t own a truck/trailer for towing. So if I get another bed I’ll have to figure out how to get it home.

[hotwls13]

Metal floor bed for $350 local is gone. He has a wood bed one for $450 that had a 5th wheel hitch in it at one time. I'm gonna keep on looking.

For now, I'm moving forward with getting this one off, get the tank figured out and make my current bed work for now. I was planning on doing an in-bed fuel fill line (near rear stake pocket). I'll probably move ahead with that, just sheet metal screw the box I was gonna use so I can transfer it over later if/when I get a better bed. Just want to get this thing on the road and useable before dumping a bunch of time/$$ into a bed.