Bed - 8 foot

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 30, 2011 | 01:28 AM

CueMan's 78 F-150

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 104

Likes: 0

From: Milan, In.

Bed - 8 foot

I am still on the fence of getting a factory bed or keeping the flat bed. What do you guys think? Any one have a nice stock bed for an 8 foot F-150 for a good price that is nice enough to redo? And is close to Milan, Indiana so I can come pick it up? Ain't nothing around here for parts!!!
Here is a pick of the ole truck...

Apr 30, 2011 | 02:12 AM

Tsoptich

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 257

Likes: 0

From: Selah

I think if you do a little work that bed can look nice. Maybe paint it black and rhino line the floor and either put full length boxes on the side or cut those side racks in half (I think metal racks would look cleaner) it would clean up nice. I really like the headache rack but over the cab I think is a little old manish. But if you cut out those little vertical up rights and put 3 lights up there (one in the middle facing back and one on each corner facing forward turned out about 5 to 10 degrees) it would be a good utilitarian use, especially with the side boxes. And my last 2 cents replace the slates in the headache rack with expanded metal and I think you can see better. I bet you can get it all done like this for a few hundred bucks if you hunt around.

Apr 30, 2011 | 02:16 AM

Tsoptich

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 257

Likes: 0

From: Selah

Oh one more thing I like the look of those flat round led lights or the long oval ones like on tow trucks. Very clean look I think. Alrigt that's my idea. Junkyard finds, craigslist and eBay. Good luck.

Conclusion keep the flat bed and rework it.
If you keep it take lots of picks.

Apr 30, 2011 | 02:17 AM

Tsoptich

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 257

Likes: 0

From: Selah

Besides I bet man kind would be gone before that bed gets rusted away.

Apr 30, 2011 | 08:14 AM

Bullitt390

Certified Thread Hijacker

Joined: Aug 2001

Posts: 14,441

Likes: 59

The flatbed doesn't look too bad, just needs to be updated and brought up to the 21st century.

But after buying all the lights and metal, plus line-x you could have found a nice stock bed.

Josh

Apr 30, 2011 | 11:30 AM

ncl

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 1,371

Likes: 10

From: Green Springs, OH

I am in the same dillema as you are my 8 foot bed is rotted out and currently held together by ratchet strap. Unsure whether to go find a nice bed and have to worry about it rusting out again or just go with a really nice flatbed. There are pros and cons to both and depends on what the truck is used for. Currrently I am leaning towards flatbed cause my truck is mostly used to haul wood and such. I was going to restore the truck but I like using it too much and am afraid if I restore it then I wont want people to even breathe on it. I would like to just buy another old one that is really nice and keep it that way and just use current one as a nice looking work truck and post-apocalypse,utilitarian monster. Much to my wife's dismay.

Apr 30, 2011 | 12:02 PM

JNM76

Junior User

Joined: Jan 2010

Posts: 94

Likes: 0

From: Juneau, AK

I have a spare 8 foot bed on a 76 f20!, but im in Southern OR.

Trending Topics

64 and 63 f100 4x4s

63

1.5k
2025 F250 Travel Trailer WDH setup

70

3.9k
BREAKING: Ford Drops 6.8L V8 and Standard 6.7L Power Stroke from 2027...

233

18.1k
Looking at ordering an F-250. Questions on what I should be able to get...

25

968
DEF in Fuel Tank 6.7 Powerstroke

24

711

Apr 30, 2011 | 12:35 PM

Ziegelsteinfaust

Posting Guru

Joined: Dec 2010

Posts: 1,240

Likes: 2

From: Chino Hills

I would add some aluminum diamond plate tool boxes to the flat bed between the wheels and cab. Cut down the headache rack, and make some new bed rails out of stained, and sealed appaton wood. I think thats what they call the wood big rigs use for the bed floors. Its hard wood, but don't get a splinter from it. Another thing that would be trick would be to use Mustang tail lights, and add in a chrome off-road light for a back up light.

Pretty much that was my bench racing for my truck, but I would of used 24" big rig rims to finish it off.

I had a 75 flat bed dually I bought for a minute, and I was thinking ultimate cruiser or a work truck. Unfortunatly I was high on pain killer when I bought it becouse of a broken elbow, and it seemed like a great idea till I quit using them.