I have pretty much everything sorted to begin the process of rebuilding my 66, except the bed. Everything is good except the floor of the bed, which is rusted through pretty much all across the front area where it connects to the front wall. And of course that's also the part no one makes a repro of. So I want to know what the options are around a complete bed swap. Do I have to use another 66 donor - VERY hard to find a bed in good condition that is not attached to an entire truck in good condition and is $$$ because of that - or can I adapt another year (maybe the 77 I am buying to use as a donor for the rest of the stuff I needed??)
I realize there will be some wheelbase differences and some mounting differences possibly, but just wonder what I can do since what I have is not very useable. Thought about diamond plate, or completely new flat steel or aluminum cut to fit, but I really don't want to cut the entire floor out and hire someone to do all the welding for me if at all possible.

I am open to any and all ideas...thanks for helping!!

Brad

 

What bed, and how long? if you like stepsides you can pretty much use any year up to present as long as it's the same length. IE; 6 0r 8 foot.

 

Sorry about omitting those facts....Styleside LB. Don't like the look of stepsides personally.

 

One thing people over look are trailers made from truck beds. Just saw one in the tucson craigslist area sell for $450 and it looked real solid. It was listed under trailers.

 

Same Styleside beds: 1964/66 F100/250 2WD / 1966 F100 4WD

1967/72's have a raised scallop line (called a Bumpside); 1973/79's have a concave scallop line (called a Dentside). Neither will match the cab lines of your 1966.

Upper pic: 1967/72 / Lower pic: 1973/79.

 

Where are you located?

 

Calgary AB Canada

 

Pickup beds that have been made into trailers are a good source of finding one as it seems they were removed before suffering further abuse. I did that myself rather than scrap it. The outer shell was fine but like yours the floor has rust issues up front so I got a sheet of 16 gauge steel and covered the whole thing (wouldn't do that to one attached to a truck tho)