Hi. I am new to the forum and have a question. I have a 1969 F250 that I finally got around to taking the plastic bed liner off after I had had the truck for 5 years. Truck is in good shape, has a 460 and really runs good. No dents in the body and is straight. The bed is in terrible shape. The top 2 bolt holes that hold it to the frame (right behind cab) are rusted completed through. The other four bolts seem to be in OK shape. There are other rust holes all over the bed. I have been looking around for a bed for this truck. It is very hard to find a bed from 67-72. Will the 73-79 beds fit this this 1969 truck. They seem to be a lot easier to find that the earliest models. Any help is appreciated. D. Black

 

I haven't tried to do that so the best thing I can recomend is to measure your bed then go measure one you might want to buy. It will probably be about the same, pay close attention to the location of the wheel openings. The bolt holes could be moved easily if they don't line up.

Good luck and let us know how it works out

 

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't he be putting a dentside bed on a bumpside truck? Maybe it doesn't matter, but I would think the juxtaposition would look strange.

 

I know when people have done the body swaps there is a larger gap between the cab and the bed. I don't know if that is because the cab is larger or the bed is longer. Take a look at the builders books that Fordification has on their site. they have all the measurements.

 

Longbed? It'll fit but you'll end up with a large gap between the cab and bed.

Heloooo.. remember that there's a two-inch difference in wheelbase.

 

If your corrugated deck (inside bed floor) is the only portion that is bad. Then just cut it out & drop in diamond plate. Ive done that on several trucks over the years.

 

The gap is because the 73-79 cabs have 2" more room built into them so the cab isn't so cramped. The beds are exact same measurements between the 67-72 and 73-79 beds only thing is the body lines are different. So when putting a 67-72 cab and bed on a 73-79 frame you get the 2" gap due to a smaller cab.

 

Ah OK.. I had my brain on backwards. Thanks for the correction.

 

I believe that rear med frame area is even wider. So you may have to make new mounting holes in the bed 73-79 beds..
Orich

 

We all have them moments can't remember everything about these trucks

 

Your right frame does get wider over the years in the back half. But only the 2wd's 4x4's are same width frames behind the cab 67-79 if I remember right.

 

Hmm wasn't just the 76 & 79's 4wd wider in the *** ends?
Or it's just a senior moment happening.
Orich

 

The frames were widened behind the cab beginning in 1973 for all F-100 to F-250 except '73-early '77 F-250 4x4s, considered "high boys".

 

Your right. 77.5 and earlier f250 4x4's 34" outside to outside of frame rails under bed. 77.5-79 4x4's are 37 1/2" just went out and measured a factory (high boy) and (low boy) welp ima go start my spring under frame conversion

 

On top of all of the measurements and technical details, there's the aesthetic factor. Trucks from 67-72 are "bumpsides," which is to say that the body line is convex and comes out away from the body. Trucks from 73-79 are "dentsides" with concave body lines, which are pushed in. Even if you would cut and weld and do all the work to get the bed on, it would look mismatched and awkward. If you're using it as a beat around farm truck and just need any bed, go for it. If you want to restore it, keep looking for a period correct bed.