Body Panels
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2005
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Body Panels
Hey all, want to see what folks think about body panels from Surplus Suply in Ohio. They claim made in US and 19 guage.
2nd question is. How close does the 4'x8' center section of a 1980 bed floor match up to a 73-79 bed floor. They say the center sections are stamped with all the indentions for bolt locations etc. The floor skin part numbers are the same for the 73-79 and the 1980 + models, but I have also seen floor patch panels with different part numbers.
Any help would be appreciated.
2nd question is. How close does the 4'x8' center section of a 1980 bed floor match up to a 73-79 bed floor. They say the center sections are stamped with all the indentions for bolt locations etc. The floor skin part numbers are the same for the 73-79 and the 1980 + models, but I have also seen floor patch panels with different part numbers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
That company may get them from here, I don't know. I've heard good things about Tabco.
Welcome to Tabco
Welcome to Tabco
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 140
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I have talked to both Tabco and Surplus Suply Co. Tabco does not make the full 4x8 center section, but does make a "half section" that is full length. The guy at surplus supply said they do have the full center section and it is listed for 70's and 80's era pickups. That full center section he quoted me at $166. (yeah, for US made too) At that price I can't justify welding two halves or multiple pieces together. I just am not certain about the match between those years of trucks.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 15
From: Costa Mesa, CA
Also - here is my experience with putting what I'm pretty positive was an '87 bed on my '74 supercab.
This won't answer your main question but hopefully it will help a little.
Having just put an '87 (pretty positive it was an 87) bed on my '74 F-100 supercab 2wd I can tell you the bolt holes in the beds aren't exactly the same like I had read...
From what I had heard/read the inside of the beds were the same from 73-96 - aside from the holes being in a different spot for the 4wd trucks that had the narrow frame rails.
While I had a bed on my '74 I was going to be cutting the stock bedsides off and replacing them with flared fiberglass bedsides. A guy had asked me if I could sell my bed and after thinking about it for a bit and reading the 80's and 90's beds would "bolt on" I told him if he gave me some cash and a replacement bed in decent shape I would. Since 80's and 90's beds are easier to find and cheaper this worked for him.
Well I got the 80's bed on and there are some differences. For starters the 87(?) bed I got uses 6 bolts to hold it on instead of the 8 my '74 had. Granted you can see where the 2 other bolts would/should go and there is a hole in the bottom of the bed - but it doesn't come up through the top layer of the bed skin.
I have the 2 rearmost bolts in the bed through the frame and the other 4 from the 80's bed are slightly off from the holes in the frame on the '74. I didn't spend a ton of time looking at it as I was just setting the bed on there for now, but it seems as if the holes in the frame on the '74 are about 1/2" or so outside of the holes in the bed. They are close, but not close enough to get the bolts to go through.
So the shortened version is - the beds are close and will swap but I'd expect to drill some holes.
Here's pics of the bed/truck I was referring to.
Having just put an '87 (pretty positive it was an 87) bed on my '74 F-100 supercab 2wd I can tell you the bolt holes in the beds aren't exactly the same like I had read...
From what I had heard/read the inside of the beds were the same from 73-96 - aside from the holes being in a different spot for the 4wd trucks that had the narrow frame rails.
While I had a bed on my '74 I was going to be cutting the stock bedsides off and replacing them with flared fiberglass bedsides. A guy had asked me if I could sell my bed and after thinking about it for a bit and reading the 80's and 90's beds would "bolt on" I told him if he gave me some cash and a replacement bed in decent shape I would. Since 80's and 90's beds are easier to find and cheaper this worked for him.
Well I got the 80's bed on and there are some differences. For starters the 87(?) bed I got uses 6 bolts to hold it on instead of the 8 my '74 had. Granted you can see where the 2 other bolts would/should go and there is a hole in the bottom of the bed - but it doesn't come up through the top layer of the bed skin.
I have the 2 rearmost bolts in the bed through the frame and the other 4 from the 80's bed are slightly off from the holes in the frame on the '74. I didn't spend a ton of time looking at it as I was just setting the bed on there for now, but it seems as if the holes in the frame on the '74 are about 1/2" or so outside of the holes in the bed. They are close, but not close enough to get the bolts to go through.
So the shortened version is - the beds are close and will swap but I'd expect to drill some holes.
Here's pics of the bed/truck I was referring to.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 788
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From: Cascade, ID
Once again.....
That is an interesting idea......I wonder if one could do the same with some steel skins.....take an '80s-'90s inner bed and put the '70s skins on it......I remember the inners looking similar between all 3 decades.....Could be a good way to get a cherry floor for a nice resto.....since most of the '70s beds prolly need new sides anyhow....
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 15
From: Costa Mesa, CA
That is an interesting idea......I wonder if one could do the same with some steel skins.....take an '80s-'90s inner bed and put the '70s skins on it......I remember the inners looking similar between all 3 decades.....Could be a good way to get a cherry floor for a nice resto.....since most of the '70s beds prolly need new sides anyhow....
Scott - the issue I see with this is the tail gate fitment. The "corners" of the bed that are near the tail lights - where the tail gate pivots off of and latches to are different. I knew this going in and I'm sure it could be made to work with a little fab, but I wasn't going to be running a tail gate so I didn't care. If you are serious about trying this - have a look 1st. I'm sure it could be made to work but I haven't looked close enough to see how much effort would need to be put in.
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