Guys,
My father in law and I moved my Panel Truck from his house to the shop today. Finally going to start tearing it down. Can't wait to get started on it.
On another note I was at his shop yesterday and a guy came in and started talking to him and my father in law Chuck started showing him some pieces he was helping him restore. he showed us a picture of one of his trucks, a 1948 F7. I said are you on Ford trucks.com? I put his name and truck together and said are you John NNY? He is and I told him I am 48FordJeffie. First person I have met from this website. Very nice guy, and I wouldn't have met him if I wasn't at the shop yesterday. Anyway, nice to meet you John!
Jeff

 

It's always fun putting a face to a name. I've met about a half dozen or more board member over the years. Just be aware, meeting Dick in person is just as strange as conversing with him on the board.

My old trucks have brought me in contact with many other local truck guys who aren't on the board. All I have to do is park one on my trucks outside my shop and I have people stopping by to talk old cars and truck.

 

Bob,
I am so far away from this but I was wondering what kind of wood is correct for the Panel truck floor. Looks like plywood in mine but I was wondering what you have in yours.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

There was plywood in my 56 panel if that's any help.

 

Plywood, like anything Ford, cheap and easy to get. If you want to go fancy you could use Oak plywood or other fancy wood but I'd be afraid to haul anything in the back.

 

The plywood must have been a real good marine grade because it out lasted the truck,lol and in very good condition.

 

Thanks Guys,
I wonder if my Panel has the original wood in it. Maybe I can sand it down and refinish it. If not a trip another trip to Home Depot is in the future,
Was the wood painted the color of the body 56PanelFord?
I like the look of wood finished, but it probably wasn't that way back then.
Jeff

 

Mine has plywood in the back as well, looks like still in relative good shape, but thinking about replacing it with new boards and a good thick clear coat to leave them natural, possibly some marine grade or polyform kind lacquer. Doesn't seem to be any paint under the years of use, grease and dirt.

Cheers,
Ed

 

Can't say for the top/inside as it was covered in grease, paint you name it but the underside was the meadow green same as the body so it was likely the same on the inside. The plywood was in very good shape concidering the number of years the truck was in use as from what I understand it was last on the road in the late 70's early 80's

 

Did they use marine grade plywood? I would think that regular plywood would have rotten over the years...

 

Again, Ford did everything on the cheap, and fast. They just hosed the entire truck down with body color paint. The boards in the pickup was painted body color. They only sprayed what they could reach easily, they didn't go out of their way to get every nook and cranny. The cab I have on my F-2 didn't have any paint or primer under the dash at all.

 

Bob,

I heard cheapest... I just hard to believe that wood from 60 years ago is till holding up in the back of a panel as a floor... I just know that I have plywood that hasn't lasted 20 years with paint on all corners

 

Did they use marine grade plywood? I would think that regular plywood would have rotten over the years...
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Moe
I would definately say it would have been a marine grade plywood to have lasted as long as it did. I threw mine out because I had no intention of using it after installing a metal floor from a pickup bed. The sheet of plywood had no rot what so ever, the truck was originally painted meadow green and so was the underside of the plywood but the finish on the topside was worn, grease stained and had a mutitude of paint spilled on it from once upon paint contractor.

 

I just know how long plywood last without being taking care of. And thought it was amazing that so many people chimed in saying that they have what appears to be the stock plywood. The only plywood that I know that can hold up like that is the marine plywood. I just think if someone is rebuilding their truck that they may want to think about using marine grade plywood as it should hold up better then the plywood that you buy at home depot. Maybe they made better plywood back in the day like everything else...

 

Plywood here also......looks like oak grain on mine.....still in great shape