speaking about Bed Sides !
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 150
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From: Western Shore of Virginia
speaking about Bed Sides !
I just finished crusing a few posts and ran across a comment by Fender's about bed sides,and how much Time and Money put in them and still are not quite satisfied with the results. I too am contemplating repairing the stock bed sides even though very little of them show once the fenders are installed.the inside of them is another story. At $250 plus $30 packing and $ ? freight each I don't know if my wallet will take it! Has anyone ever tried to save the upper rail (which are in good shape)and make a new side out of new sheet metal,either by a lap joint and spot welding to keep warpage down? Or should I bite the bullet and buy new . Thanks in advance
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
speaking about Bed Sides !
Jim,
I think it depends on how far you plan to take your truck. If you are building a non-show truck and driver like me, then try making your own bed repairs. If you plan to build a show truck, you probably ought to go ahead and bite the bullet...just my opinion.
I think it depends on how far you plan to take your truck. If you are building a non-show truck and driver like me, then try making your own bed repairs. If you plan to build a show truck, you probably ought to go ahead and bite the bullet...just my opinion.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
speaking about Bed Sides !
Jim
Ya, What Vern said. What are we building here? A show truck needs new bed sides. I don't much care about showing my truck, but I want it to look like one at any angle, from 20 feet away anyway. I think bedsides are one of the better values available to us. That's a huge piece of your truck for $250. Depends on what your time is worth and how perfect the end product has to be. Most people would be proud to own my bedsides now. But I have a hundred hours in each side and they're worth $50 each used. HMMMMM, gonna need some Enron math to get this one through accounting.
BTW, there are 130 spot welds to repair in my brand new tailgate I got at PF. I think there may be a hole in my new parts/save time theory already.
Ya, What Vern said. What are we building here? A show truck needs new bed sides. I don't much care about showing my truck, but I want it to look like one at any angle, from 20 feet away anyway. I think bedsides are one of the better values available to us. That's a huge piece of your truck for $250. Depends on what your time is worth and how perfect the end product has to be. Most people would be proud to own my bedsides now. But I have a hundred hours in each side and they're worth $50 each used. HMMMMM, gonna need some Enron math to get this one through accounting.
BTW, there are 130 spot welds to repair in my brand new tailgate I got at PF. I think there may be a hole in my new parts/save time theory already.
Last edited by fatfenders; Jun 12, 2003 at 09:10 AM.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 486
Likes: 66
From: South Carolina
speaking about Bed Sides !
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jim VA.
[B]I just finished crusing a few posts and ran across a comment by Fender's about bed sides,
He's got a comment about everything,doesn't he?
Motor Mouth!
My box sides needed very little work on the outside,but the inside is a different story.Very wavy,plus,I made tubs and I don't want to spend 100 hours per side making it baby-butt smooth.So I'm planning on going the Rhino-route on the inside with the exception of the oak floor.
Greg
[B]I just finished crusing a few posts and ran across a comment by Fender's about bed sides,
He's got a comment about everything,doesn't he?
Motor Mouth!
My box sides needed very little work on the outside,but the inside is a different story.Very wavy,plus,I made tubs and I don't want to spend 100 hours per side making it baby-butt smooth.So I'm planning on going the Rhino-route on the inside with the exception of the oak floor.
Greg
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
speaking about Bed Sides !
"He's got a comment about everything,doesn't he?
Motor Mouth!"
You hurt my feelings Purple! Here's one more comment for you then I'm done posting for the night.
Rhino, Oak and tubs?
Nice combo Greg. And how about a nice yard sale fresh aluminum topper to finish it off.
Motor Mouth!"
You hurt my feelings Purple! Here's one more comment for you then I'm done posting for the night.
Rhino, Oak and tubs?
Nice combo Greg. And how about a nice yard sale fresh aluminum topper to finish it off.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 150
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From: Western Shore of Virginia
speaking about Bed Sides !
Gentlemen; Thanks for your comments. I just got off the phone with Mark,@ F100 connection, and we all agree I guess, that after spending all that time and labor on everything else,I should install New bed sides. I do not plan to have a trailer queen but like Fender's,I would like to have it look good from all angles.also it's a lot less work. Thanks Jim VA.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 196
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From: chicopee us
speaking about Bed Sides !
Have any of you guys checked with a local sheet metal shop? The hard part for these shops to do is to roll the top. I wasn't concerned with the roll as I was doing a custom bed. I had the 2 sides, the front panel, the stake pockets, the 4 filler panels and a roll pan bent for about $275 (for all of it). There are pics in my gallery of it.
Just a thought!!
Just a thought!!
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,875
Likes: 3,117
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
speaking about Bed Sides !
The rail part of my bed, the tube like part, was bent up pretty good. I cut the whole thing off of both sides and left about an 1/2 inch so it formed a somewhat "V" channel. I then welded 3/4 black pipe to. I used a step drill to thin the rear end of the pipe to make it look the same thickness as the original metal. This will help with the problem of having a sheet metal not being able to do the roll for the top edge of the box.
I am sure the wall of the pipe will be more dent resistant than the original thin sheet metal.
I am sure the wall of the pipe will be more dent resistant than the original thin sheet metal.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
speaking about Bed Sides !
"Have any of you guys checked with a local sheet metal shop?"
Yes I did, and they wanted $225 to make a front bed panel. I thanked them and told them not to bother with the side panel bid. $275 for everything is a steal.
Yes I did, and they wanted $225 to make a front bed panel. I thanked them and told them not to bother with the side panel bid. $275 for everything is a steal.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
speaking about Bed Sides !
I went to a sheet metal shop for my boxing plates. I took some cardboard templates and they cut them out of 1/8 inch plate...only cost me $25. It saved me a lot of time and grief and I thought I got a good deal...
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: ELLICOTT CITY, MD. USA
speaking about Bed Sides !
I saw a truck in P.F with wood bed sides. I have a '55 F-250 (8 foot bed) that the previous genious cut a foot and a half off, to make it look like an F-100. It's tough to find bed parts for the longer beds and I paid $750 for a '53 to use the sides off of. I thought the wood bed sides idea was unique and I thought it looked pretty good. I think it was butt jointed boards and stained so it matched the floor and the fenders mounted right to the wood. If you're doind a low budget build, like I thought I was going to do, you might consider using the wood. If nothing else it may get you on the road until you get the money together. I wish I would have thought of that, like I said, just to get me on the road.
