1953 bed question
 

I have two beds now but both have problems, one is just beat up and rusty and the other is beat up and PO welded a sheet of steel across the back as a tailgate. I'm a long ways off from actualy putting a bed on my truck (gathering parts) but I have been searching for one on craigslist in the range of 1953-1956 and would like to know how many years this bed stayed the same style? Seams like I noticed them looking the same on 60s f100s too.

Also, I have heard somewhere that in 1957 ford raised the fenders 1'' higher........can anybody tell me if thats true?

On the last sentence, that is what I got from Sy at MidFifty when I told her my Prior Owner had mismounted the right side fender 1in higher.
Only in 57.

as I understand it the bed front/walls are the same 53-72. (except for the one year bolt holes)

tailgate changed multiple times

fenders I think are also the same 53-72.

Sam

Thanks Sam, that is just what I needed to know. Now if I can find a 57 bed it would save me a lot of work.

Yep. I think the fenders till 79 also work with a little hole changing. The beds between 73-79 are wider and taller, like the long beds.

Lots of people use them as trailers around here.

Why would you want a 57 bed for your 53? You really don't want the higher mounted fenders...for one thing they won't mount up correctly to your 53-56 running boards. I have a set of bed sides, 57-72, out in storage that are very servicable just no body wants them.

I'm bagging the truck and would like the extra 1'' of clearance above the rear wheels. just an option I have been thinking about. I could add 1'' to the bottom of the fenders at the running boards and dont think it would be too noticable.

Stephen, I wish lots of people around still used them as trailers.........I think everybody around here pulled them across the scales and sold their homemade trailers for scap!

never mind - previously stated.

That would work...if you choose to go that direction you may want to consider buying a couple of rear fender patch panels and using them to extend the fenders enough to reach the running boards.

my red truck has the one 57 bedside, and the wider fiberglass fenders.. I didn't notice any alignment problem at the running board..

I can tell the difference at the wheel well vs the tire behind it.

gotta get a new bedside..

Sam

Sam, did your fenders come pre-drilled? It may have been that you aligned your fenders to the existing setup and drilled to match. If so then you shouldn't have any problems...the FG fenders have a fairly wide flange on them so you probably wouldn't even have noticed if they were an inch or so lower in the front.

these are the wider 3in fg fenders, so not predrilled.
the PO mounted them. there is no spare flange space to lower (unfortunately)

Sam

I guess I wasn't clear in my statement about the fender flange...it sounds like the PO aligned the front edge of the fenders with the running boards and then drilled the flanges on the fenders to match the holes in the bed. Had he opted to use pre-drilled fenders, ala OEM stock Ford steel fenders, then he would have surely had a problem with the running board mounting holes lining up.

ah.. you were talking about the front alignment.. I was talking about the actual fender/bed bolt holes..

got it..

Sam