This is all very good info posted above. I will be doing this eventually as well.
I wonder if these were originally just spot welded to the bedsides where they attach?

About all i have to contribute is some pictures from one of my favorite yards where nothing is for sale. You can look but not buy!

And yes, the Dr. (aka. Stu) should update his build thread... unlike me he is actually working on a truck... Keep up the progress guys lookin good.


Drivers side welds. They are broke loose.




Welds attaching to bedside. Factory??




Below tailgate.




Inside corner pass side




Paasenger side frame rail.




Nice, almost perfect lower piece plus bumper.<br/>




So sad!

 

Great pics, Josh. It's amazing to see clean 65 year old western metal like that.

Josh and I swap texts so I know that that '52 is soon to have a nice new home. Hopefully before the yard parks something on top of it. Stu

 

Thanks for the additional pics. Helps a lot. I was thinking somebody flame cut mine off at one time but, I think it is torn off welds like yours has.

I also see broken off bolts or screws where it was attached at one time. I think I can make one based on the pics. Unless you guys have one to sell me?

There's a couple small towns here in AZ. I have been through where there are a couple of hoarders with acres of vehicles you can see from the highway. Signs saying keep out or private, not for sale, don't even ask kind of stuff. What a waste.

 

I tried again. The last time i tried to buy that truck a few years ago i was told something similar to this time. He said he could have that truck painted in three days. Then he would sell it for lots oh money. .. . Guess it will just waste away in there or get smashed by another car.

Maybe ill check again in a few years and see.

 

What is it about some yard operators? Senseless to let it sit and get squished by the next wreck he adds to his collection. Stu

 

I too with express my thanks for the pictures. My F-2 also has no valance. I can only speculate that Ford installed them so that they would be easy to remove for folks wanting to install after market bumpers and such.

 

My truck bed is completely off the frame so excuse me if this is a dumb question. Can the bumper not be installed with the normal brackets with the valance in place?

 

As shown in the 1952 truck photos, you definitely can install bumper brackets and a bumper with the valance in place.

However, Ford didn't actually offer a rear bumper during the 48-50 truck years. May of the heavy duty after market rear bumpers do not drop down and go under the valance, they go straight back from the frame and through where the valance would be factory installed. I attached (hopefully) a couple pictures of vintage after market bumpers. The first sits just below the valance, the second has a big plate that replaces the valance.

Also, if someone has a couple spare bed valances in good shape, I'll gladly take the second one...


Edit: I initially had the years where Ford didn't offer a rear bumper wrong. Stu had the correct information, see a couple posts down.

 

The bumper in Josh's pictures was a factory option during '51 and '52. It's listed in the options section of the Truck Handbook. Stu

 

Thanks for the correction. I will update my post.

 

Those are both on my wish list. A valance and a bumper. I'll keep lookin.

 

Valance is completed, installed and just painted. Picture as requested.

 

Nice! It came out great. Thanks for the pic.

I noticed today that the valance should structurally help support the bed sides. I could flex the bed sides slightly. I saw the lower area where the side of the valance SHOULD be attached moving in and out when I pushed or pulled on the bed sides.

I think I'm going to use some 14 gauge for my valance to tie it all together.

Doug, what gauge metal did you use and how did you attach it at the sides?

 

I used 18 gauge metal and attached it on the sides via 3 spot welds per side. The center is attached via 5 screws in the flat area of the rear cross member. 18 gauge metal is hard enough to bend especially at the length of this panel. I don't think I could use my bender with metal that thick. It would definitely be stronger though. I wonder how many of these got torn off because they caught something in the center of the panel while working at the farm. Rather than fix them, they just cut them off. Mine will never be used for farming so I guess I'm good.

 

I wasn't thinking of the difficulty of the bend at a 14 gauge thickness. Hmmmm, if I can't use the heavier gauge, I guess I could hide a brace under there if I need to.

I now see why many of the beds had the angle iron out at the sides and down to a bumper.

I'll post up pics of whatever I end up doing. Gotta get the house projects done first though. Thanks for the pics and input everyone.

Scott