56 Apache

[cal0077]

Hello everyone,
New to forum snf new owner of a project 56 Apache. First of many questions to come in can someone show me what the bottom of the inside of the beds look like. I think the previous owner took something off as I see a bunch spot welds that were drilled out...like maybe a lip was there? thanks

[dsraven]

post up some pics and we will have a better idea of where you are looking, front, rear, left, right?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Raven is right, you DO need to post pictures for us to help you.

But I can tell you the only thing spot welded in the bottom of the bed is the angle strips along each side of the stock bedsides. But these trucks are over 60 years old now so many of them have been modified over and over in their long lives.

Mine had a 16” thick steel plate spot welded over the factory wood to the angle strips. I nearly cut off my finger cutting those welds with an angle grinder. This could be the case with yours or there could be many other options

[cal0077]

Thanks for the replies, I think its what you are talking about Dan. The angle strips. When I get home tonight I will take some pics of inside of bed. Here is a picture of when I picked it up and you can see all the gray primer marks where it was drilled

[duramax55]

not a very good pic but from what i can see that is where the angel that runs on top of the floor of the box.

[_Ogre]

not sure chevy used any oem angels in tf trucks, maybe later years
but yes that is the area that the bed angles were spot welded
typically the angles are plug welded back in

[cal0077]

Here is a pic of inside the bed. I think there is a L bracket missing. Do they sell these to be welded back on?

[dsraven]

sheet metal shop could whip one up in minutes if you have a guage thickness and a dimension. cheap and ready while you wait prolly.

[cal0077]

but does anyone sell them premade I wonder?

[Rods57]

Originally Posted by cal0077

but does anyone sell them premade I wonder?

Yes LMC, Brothers and others sell them. I put one in and they are pretty easy. they do have the square holes for the correct bolts too. its called the angle strip in the catalog.

[Kim57]

Here's a link to the Brothers site.
Kim
https://www.brotherstrucks.com/Angle...products/1516/

[cal0077]

thanks everyone

[_Ogre]

if your not trying to build a stock truck, i used 1.25x1.25x.125 angle

[Dan in Pasadena]

Don't forget to look at Mar-K's site.

Nearly EVERY aftermarket part supplier for these trucks carries them in both carbon steel to be painted and in polished stainless to simulate chrome.

[cal0077]

Great images and help....I ordered them in steel from brothers since they will be painted
Thanks again
chris