Bed Liner?

[Caffeinated]

Hi all!

New to the forum and new to owning my own lovely 1972 C20 Highlander model - it's BEAUTIFUL and I am fully in love. :-) I'd like to be able to use it for the occasional light hauling (furniture or whatever) and would like to pop in a bed liner. Is there a place or a liner you all would recommend?

Many thanks!

Caffeinated

[DA71Grande]

I did just the floor of the bed with a roll in liner.

www.durabakcompany.com

[siggyfreud]

I had mine done with LineX premium. Very happy so far.

I cleaned the bed, did an encapsulator, then had a local place do the LineX.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I like raptor liner myself. They give you enough to do a thin coat on a long bed plus a gun. I get a extra project to do a nice thick coat

[Caffeinated]

Thank you so much for your replies and photos -- really appreciated! Including a few photos of my baby for your viewing pleasure. :-)

[Mike C]

When you say "pop in" the plastic liner comes to mind, and they are HORRIBLE!

Either get a bed mat or pay what the Line-X costs. I will not have another truck I expect to use as a truck that is NOT Lin-X'ed.

Beautiful truck. Line X costs more than any of the other liners and is the only one (or was) that was heated and mixed and it's worth it IMO.

[62bagger]

your truck looks really nice.

[siggyfreud]

I agree, I'd avoid anything that isn't a coating. Mats and plastic liners can trap moisture between themselves and the bed, either rotting wood or rusting metal. My "short" (really a long bed chopped about 6") cost about $525 for LineX premium if I recall right.

[72c20customcamper]

What's the bed look like now? If it's as nice as the truck I would do a mat. So I could just throw it in when needed. Dont know about any one else but when I see a really nice truck then see rino or linex in the bed it's an instant what are they hiding.

Beautiful truck by the way

[SonnyBoy]

Welcome to the forum
Beautiful truck !
I have a 68 short fleet .
Just finishing the wood floor .
We are going to have Full metal Jacket in Tacoma spray ours.

Our son used them and it looks great .
Enjoy your truck !

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

What's the bed look like now? If it's as nice as the truck I would do a mat. So I could just throw it in when needed. Dont know about any one else but when I see a really nice truck then see rino or linex in the bed it's an instant what are they hiding.

Beautiful truck by the way

Understandable sentiment. I guess no matter how nice I get my truck though, it's still a truck to me, and if I have to run up to home depot it's coming with me. I wouldn't bed-line a show truck though. I'd either do a nice wood, or paint. But I also wouldn't put a water-heater into a show truck .

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

What's the bed look like now? If it's as nice as the truck I would do a mat. So I could just throw it in when needed. Dont know about any one else but when I see a really nice truck then see rino or linex in the bed it's an instant what are they hiding.

Beautiful truck by the way

I totally agree! I personally cant stand spray in bed liners, and your truck looks like a really nice survivor, so to put a spray in bed liner would be ruining its originality and therefore value in my opinion. Contrary to popular belief, you can scratch a spay in liner..... Unless you're going to be hauling a load of gravel all the time, which I don't see you doing with that truck, you can use it as GM intended, Just put the stuff in the bed!

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

I totally agree! I personally cant stand spray in bed liners, and your truck looks like a really nice survivor, so to put a spray in bed liner would be ruining its originality and therefore value in my opinion. Contrary to popular belief, you can scratch a spay in liner..... Unless you're going to be hauling a load of gravel all the time, which I don't see you doing with that truck, you can use it as GM intended, Just put the stuff in the bed!

Of course you can scratch and damage the liner. But that's kind of the point right? Better to do it to something that you can repair cheaply than to screw up nice fresh wood or paint. If you're going for originality, awesome, and I respect that. But some people also just want a truck, and happen to like this generation (like me!) Not every one of these needs to be a survivor, or treated that way. They're simply not that rare. Fortunately, there is enough room in this hobby for everyone to play as they want. That's what makes it great. If everyone built the same truck, or simply kept everything original, it would be pretty darn boring if you ask me.

[72c20customcamper]

I guess it's a regional thing too. There aren't all that many older trucks here being used as trucks unless they are rotted out hulks. It's not uncommon to see trucks held together with ratchet straps. I'm talking 90's and early 2000's.

[mrein3]

I read on these pages some time ago that the poster used a "stall mat" from Tractor Supply.

I've used one - two actually - for over a year now.

My truck sits inside. If it does get rained on - I pull the mats and let everything dry.

The 3/4" mats come in 4'x6' sections so you have to cut out the wheel wells.

They are near impossible to handle by myself.

The 3/4" mats weight about a brazilian pounds. I finally cut them in half. Now they are manageable at 3'x4' but that created a different problem. I was hauling brush the other day. Tons of tree debris got in the crack I created by cutting the mats in half. Like when it rains, I pulled the mats, cleaned up the mess, and re-installed them.

I'm not saying this is the best solution but it works for me. I haul crap. After one year of careful maintenance, the stall mats have protected my steel painted floor well. I've noticed no signs of wear from the mat itself.

[bozly]

Just dropping in to say hey from Sumner, WA. I will keep a lookout for you around the area. We have similar color trucks but my cab top is a factory yellow. Nice looking truck!