crew cab and 4X4 beds

[IsoGrifo]

So I've noticed that just about every crew cab or 4X4 I've ever seen had the old style bed on it, the 58-60 bed that was used until 64(? or was it 63?) anyways, I was wondering if it was possible to when purchased new, not after the fact done, get it with the bed that matches the cab lines? Also, was there such a thing as a crew cab with a long bed? I haven't seen one yet, my brother and I would like to, as soon as we get some money and finish our current trucks, somewhere find, or most likely build a 4X4 crew cab. planned to be a long bed, and most likely make it a ranger. also, I noticed up top it says The UNOFFICIAL resource center for Ford Truck enthusiasts anyone think it should say the BEST?

[jowilker]

What you see is correct.

Hey it's your truck, your chassis to stretch, pull on it till you can have a 4 door 8 ft. bed truck.

Then come back here and post 25 pictures of it in a thread.


John

[garbz2]

All Ford Crew Cabs till 65 were made by the after market and made on A standard long bed factory chassis for F350s and F250s 2 and 4 wheel drive. All used the factory bed that came on the donor truck. The bed was cut down and modified to fit.

The first factory units came in 65 with the short bed in the case of four wheel drives being the 57 to 63 and the 2 wheel drives receiving the 64 up bed. A long bed was only available on 2 wheel drive F250s and 350s. Ford made the chassis wheel base to fit the cabs and beds.

The aftermarket continued to make crew cabs after 65 and used again what ever bed was supplied on the long bed truck, cut down to fit. Its why the beds look hokey and home made..

Garbz

[gritsngumbo]

Now you've seen one!



I have a 63 F100 Crew Cab with an 8' Long "Wrong" Bed (57-60 Fridge side type bed) NOT cut down or modified. It was built by the Stageway Coach Works (a division of the Armbruster Corp which is still in business BTW) in Fort Smith AR. It is my understanding that this particular truck was used in the old patches in Northern Arkansas. Which makes sense when you see the rusty floor from the salt water used in the drilling process.

It has "inside hinges" on the rear doors, and the lines from the front doors follow uninterupted over the rear doors and around the back of the cab as the single cab did. On the "factory" crews I've seen that line is interrupted.

The "matching" bed (that follows the lines of the cab) was not introduced until 1964. It would be "possible" to put a 64 bed on an earlier truck, but it is my understanding that the wheel bases are different on the 64 and later trucks and would require bed and/or frame modifications.

Like many, I'm not a big fan of the "wrong bed", but I'll have to say that they are growing on me, especially in a dark color (blue/black). My plan is to substitute a long bed flare side bed for the current bed. In fact I bought my F250 (just purchased) with the idea of putting the long bed on the crew, but that idea was immediately vetoed when my wife and 13 year old daughter saw the F250. "Don't touch that truck! It would be a sin." So, I'll be on the hunt again for a bed. BTW: It was always my understanding that the crews and 4X4's were all F250's or 350's, but this one belies that theory.

It is a long sucker...totally fills up my 20' deep garage (Note: the pic is before I culled it from the herd in a Northern Arkansas pasture. Doesn't look much different today, but I'm working it).

[garbz2]

Grits.

Your Chassis is modified from a factory frame, it was stretched. Most aftermarket suppliers did not do this option as it voids the factory ford warranty. Ford would warranty the truck after modifications to the body but retained stock drive train and underpinnings as the most makers were under licence to ford.

Yours is an exception to that, And in fact resembles a factory 65 crew cab with the space between the doors and the inside hinges.

What is the wheel base on your warranty plate? Photos only please.

Garbz

[gritsngumbo]

Originally Posted by garbz2

Photos only please.Garbz

????

Yes the frame has been modified, lengthened and strengthened. The wheel base on the Warranty Plate shows 122. BTW: The GVW is listed as 5000 lbs, which is 100 lbs more than my F250 Long Flare.

[garbz2]

I like to see warranty plates.. A fetish i have as collect them along with historical documents.

Yours is the only 61 to 66 F100 Crew Cab i have ever seen that appears to be all stock since it was manufactured by the aftermarket.. All others have been 250s and 350s.

Garbz

[NumberDummy]

ALL 4WD Styleside pickups from 1961 thru 1966 used the 1957/60 Styleside pickup bed, with one exception.

1966 F100 4WD's used the same Styleside bed the 1964/66 F100/250 2WD's used.

btw: There were no factory F350 4WD's available until 1979.

If...you see one made before 1979, it's an aftermarket conversion.

[IsoGrifo]

kinda funny to me, everyone else kinda wanders around in their posts as if actually speaking to one another in person. and then ND comes in and it's straight fact, and no fluff. nothing bad by it, just humors me.

[jowilker]

Kind of robot like. Maybe he is an impostor, and is not human at all.

Can't adjust and make parts with incorrect part numbers work in places that have a out of range build date. Interesting thought grif.



John

[1963uni-bodycrewcab]

i have a 1963 ford f100 crew cab unmodified body/frame it is a custom cab unibody it has a short bed

[modeleh]

That is definitely a rarity. Do you know the history of that unibody crew? Perhaps you could post the DSO code from the data plate for ND to decode. I have seen photos of strange old Ford trucks like that in Argentina and South America but never from the US or Canada.

[1963uni-bodycrewcab]

i believe that the truck was financed in 1966 by my grandfather and has been in the family ever since

[garbz2]

Your truck is not a factory piece. It was modified by the aftermarket. Your Grandfather possibly paid a body shop to modify a standard long bed Integral cab.

Looks like a good job. Post some pictures of the profile and of the inside steps of the rear doors, hinged and B post. From those i can tell if they are Crown Pieces.

Also post as suggested a photo of the data plate located on the drivers door.

Where are you located in Arizona?

Garbz.

[1963uni-bodycrewcab]

this truck was bought in az at earnhardts ford of chandler. My grandpa bought it from Tex himself. My grandfather did not modify the body of this truck in anyway.