The bed dimensions on my 1950 F68 truck bed are 8 feet long, 53 1/2" wide and 45" wide at the wheel wells. I have seen the Ford specs and they show a little over 48 inches wide at the wheel wells.

The PO did change out the rear axle for a Dana 44 with 15 inch wheels using a 5 1/2 bolt pattern.



Picture of bed





width at wheel well

 

Here's the chart for the Express bed used on F-2/3s, and the chart for the half ton bed. Your bed seems to have had its wheel wells modified. It also looks like you have metal cross members. Originals were wood. Stu

 

I thought so. I think I need to get wood cross members since the frame is higher over the axle and the wood cross members were thinner on that part of the frame. I was going to contact Horkeys Wood and Parts and ask if they could make a set of wooden frames with a 45" set of crossmembers.

 

I'm sure they can. No reason they can't. I also looked at the diagram of the 53-56 Express bed to see if that might be what you have. Not. Same width as the older one, and with slab sides where yours has stock raised panel side boards. Stu