I bought a new bed front and roll pan from Mar-K tonight so I went out to the shop and cut the old one off and installed the new front and welded it out. It fit like a glove and was a pleasure to install. I'm going to put the roll pan on in the morning and pull the fenders off to start doing bodywork tomorrow afternoon.

It was pretty cool to see the only spot that I found any bodywork on the bed that has been done was leaded in on the bed rail.

 

Its great to make progress. Some very "old school" body repair you uncovered. Be sure to post pictures as you go, you know we all like the pics.
brian...

 

When you found that, did it seem like it was a later repair, or could it have been done from damage at assembly? Could you tell? Just curious.

 

You know it's an unwritten rule...you gotta show pictures!

 

Looks like something fell in the bed at one time and they fixed it before the one partial repaint. It was all red when I got it but red with black fenders under that.

Im going to install the roll pan today then post some pictures this evening.

It is nice to be doing something to it, I was at the point of either finishing it or selling it.

 

Pictures added in my folder.

I almost got the tailgate hinges built today check them out.

 

A few pictures of the progress.

 

The tailgate hinges I started yesterday. I will finish them and have them on this week. I also started a set of pin style latches on the lathe tonight I will take a few pictures tomorrow after work.

It is nice to use some of my equipment to work on my own truck instead of customers stuff for a change.

 

I have been considering ordering a roll pan for my Truck. I was just curious are they a bolt on part?

 

There is about 6 or so holes in the top lip under the tailgate that you could screw it to the bed. You have to cut the bed where the LP cutout is and I bet you could drill and screw/bolt the ends where they go under the lower bed sides.

 

Thanks I appreciate the information.

 

On the tailgate pivot point. Had you thought about making the hole large enough to put a nylon/poly sleeve to lessen the tailgate rattle. I thought it would help. I just don't have the equipment. Nice parts. chuck

 

I was looking for some input here to help me on my F1 project.
Since you have boxed the chassis and you have a big IFS crossmember, are you doing anything to tie the chassis together at the second set of cab mounts?
I have a similar setup in mine and the original crossmember had been removed before I bought the chassis. Popular opinion in these forums is that you need a crossmember to prevent the frame from twisting and allowing the cab mounts to sag. They seem pretty rigid with boxing, the IFS crossmember in front of the mounts, and the trans mount behind it.
Thoughts????
Dan

 

I am planing on building a removable cross member for the trans and having another about the rear of the cab out of 1 5/8" DOM with a 360 degree driveshaft loop out of 1" DOM tubing. It will be welded at the top of the frame with two drops coming off of the center near the DS loop to the bottom edge of the frame.


I have 1" tubing (3/4" inside) with about .005" clearance for the pins on the hinges. If I had used 1 1/4" on the tailgate I would have had room for a delron bushing but I was not thinking far enough ahead when I welded the tubing on, I don't think I will have much rattle but if so I will turn down the hinge pins and build a bushing. Kind of winging it for the mounts now. I have the spring loaded latch pins about half done now if I get off early enough tomorrow I will finish them tomorrow.

 

After I wrote the question I went back to another thread....there's enough evidence that the crossmember is necessary that I guess I really didn't need to ask.

I sketched up a bolt-in fabricated cross member that can tie to the frame next to the cab mounts and run under the trans. Some square tubing mitered to angle up to the frame with a gusset on each side should do the trick.

Since I'm converting my F2 to an F1, I was looking at the F2 chassis which is currently sitting outside my barn. The F2 has an extra crossmember that is right at the rear of the cab. It is one of those heavy pressed steel units that is riveted in. The F1 chassis doesn't have that feature.

Dan