Hi guys,

Had this truck since 2000 and with the luxury of time on my hands after retiring, decided to restore the thing before it's too late. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found a local auto body shop guy who invited me to learn OTJ at his shop. Frankly, I'm doing the trained ape work and mostly watching the stuff that requires skill but I'm having a ball and learning a lot. I'm not committed to original parts - especially other than the body - but I am making a pretty good effort in that regard. First question:

The bed floor was the early '50 metal over wood kind but I want to replace that with the late '50 wood & polished stainless steel strips over the cross members. I'd like to make the wood strips. (I'm tellin' ya - I've got time and, in this case the equipment and some experience.) Any thoughts on this? Assuming I proceed after your comments, any ideas on where I might be able to get plans to build the wood strips?

Looking forward to learning from you and thanks in advance.

 

That is a nice looking truck.
This may help: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...imensions.html

 

Geez, topmoo that's awesome. Pretty safe bet that you and your compatriots have seen it all. Thanks so much.

 

Welcome, Harrison, to FTE, the best Ford Truck Forum on the world wide Web!

What part of that nice truck needs body work? It looks good!

About the bed boards, there is a diagram somewhere on here, or somebody has it, that gives the detailed specs about the boards.

In the mean time now about more pics of your truck and tell us a out the history of it and where you are from.

 

Love your truck!
As far as the wood bed boards, I'm sure this is correct?!
I've come across a couple, but the dimensions are the same as this one.
...Terry

 

Is that a '49 F! ? Bedsides and metal over box wood?

Doesnot look like much body work to do, from the picture.

Good luck with it.

 

Welcome and very nice truck. Looks just like the one in my avatar that my dad had when I was a kid back in 1975. I am doing my 1949 to look just like yours but with a 289 and c4 tranny.

 

Thats a very nice truck as it sits, I'd check the fluids, brakes & tires and then go for a drive.

 

Geez, you guys are awesome. Your help is already worth way more than the price of admission. Okay, you asked for some details so here you go:

Probably to the disappointment of most of you, Harrison's got a re-manned 351W with a C4 in 'em. Bought him in 2000 in Rockford, IL. He was younger and in pretty good shape at the time. Kinda of like me. Bought from a dealer and, alas got virtually no history. These days I'd drive him across the country without hesitation if I had to. I'm taking him down to the cab because there's significant rust starting on all of the fenders. He looks pretty good but if I don't tend to him now, he'll go downhill fast. After restoration he'll be something else. We live in WI on 80 acres with goats, chickens, 1.5 acres of hops and we're remodeling the house and restoring a circa 1880 log cabin. Harrison helps out almost every day April through November, otherwise resides in the barn. As for photos, I'll have to work on that. I'm terrible about that kind of thing.

I'd love to hear more and get photos from all of you. Is there a way to get to that without making you all repeat your stories on this forum?

 

Welcome to the forum. Good looking truck you have there. Wise move to keep it from going further down hill. Hit this link for some member builds, many with pictures.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...d-threads.html

 

Welcome Harrison!
Fine looking truck you rescued from the clutches of the dreaded flatlanders. Where abouts in our fine state do you call home? As for history, this thread has been active forever and will give you a thumb nail history (just skip past anything that starts with Julie - long story, non-truck conclusion).

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...right-now.html

 

Hey DW - We live in the heart of the driftless area, just outside of Richland Center. You?

Thanks for the link. That was a fun perusal. I can see I need to learn to be more patient. Seems this is not going to be a sprint.

 

Com'on you can admit to being from Hub City. Go RCHS Hornets!

I've always enjoyed your part of the state. Some grand landscape to be sure. I'm just north of MKE in the bastion of gracious living - 'tis all good. We have a few members near you - including a fellow just a bit south of you with an old Coast Guard panel. You'll see him about here, if you haven't already.

You are free to sprint the the full limits of your money and time. For most, there are clear trade-offs to be made.

Enjoy the journey.

 

Man, DW you're really flushing me out of the dark out here in the middle of nowhere. I feel like I have to admit to owning a '39 Buick Special. All original and gorgeous. Don't hate me because it's not a Ford.

Back in our salad days we lived on the NW side of MKE. 'twas a great distance from gracious living.

 

Welcome Harrison, I went with no plans and raw materials for my '49. Bought some seasoned oak planks off eBay. Cut them to size, sanded them back and then bought some stainless flat bar from my local metal shop. Just need to polish up the flat bar, router a channel for it and stain the planks. Below are a couple of photos of what I have done so far.

Planks off ebay £25 ($40) a plank

Cut to size using the best bits of each plank and the angle iron to get a straight edge

Test fitting planks before sanding

Left plank sanded back, stainless flat bar before polishing

planks in and sanded, just the stainless flat bar to polish, router a channel for the flat bar, stain the planks and bolt down flat bar with carriage bolts is the plan.