Aftermarket Beds
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New User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: North of Cincinnati
Aftermarket Beds
I need to purchase a complete bed for my dad's 53 F-100.
Does anyone have a particular retailer that stands above the rest ( Dennis Carpenter, Mid-Fifty, LMC ) or are all these beds made from the same supplier, so in terms of quality it doesn't really matter where to buy from ?
Does anyone have a particular retailer that stands above the rest ( Dennis Carpenter, Mid-Fifty, LMC ) or are all these beds made from the same supplier, so in terms of quality it doesn't really matter where to buy from ?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
From: Alabama
BED
I bought mine from Hot Rod's Classic Trucks. Great people! I have bought many things from Rod and Denise. They brought my complete bed to a show and I picked it up. No shipping or crating fees. Later I bought some fenders and they gave me a discount that actually covered the shipping. EDIT: I just saw that you are located in Ohio, so is Hot Rod's. New Carlisle Ohio I think.
Last edited by Lakotas53; Mar 3, 2014 at 04:57 PM. Reason: more info
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
From: Cuba, AL (NO internet)
Welcome to FTE Paul! You'll get lots of good info here. If you'd like go to your user CP and put your location in so we will know if you are close to some of us. Where ya from? Glad to have ya on here.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,093
Likes: 652
From: Brentwood, TN
Mar-K had one of the most accurate representations of the OEM bed that I have ever seen. That combined with the zinc coating on the metal and the generous sales/free shipping they offer make them one to look at.
On the other hand, Midfifty offers a 14 ga metal bed that is significantly stronger than the stock bed or any of the others who offer a bed made with thinner metal, 16 ga or less.
On the other hand, Midfifty offers a 14 ga metal bed that is significantly stronger than the stock bed or any of the others who offer a bed made with thinner metal, 16 ga or less.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 3
From: Morgan Hill, CA
Hello, and welcome to FTE.
I bought mine from Northern Classic Trucks in Sterling Heights Michigan. I stopped by there while on a business trip. They stamp out their own, so it's not a re-sale from someone else. They did an excellent job of crating an shipping.
For you in Ohio, it might be worth the drive to Michigan....depending on where you live, but it might be a relatively low cost truck freight shipment for you.
Here's a pick of the bed. I didn't buy it assembled....I painted all of the parts before assembly so that I wouldn't have bare metal in the seams to rust. The Northern Classic bed also came with oak bed wood. I upgraded to stainless bed strips.
Here's a pic after assembly and a couple of coats of varnish on the wood:
It also came with a scripted tailgate. That shows up in this pic....which catches most of the included hardware....hinges and chains.
I bought mine from Northern Classic Trucks in Sterling Heights Michigan. I stopped by there while on a business trip. They stamp out their own, so it's not a re-sale from someone else. They did an excellent job of crating an shipping.
For you in Ohio, it might be worth the drive to Michigan....depending on where you live, but it might be a relatively low cost truck freight shipment for you.
Here's a pick of the bed. I didn't buy it assembled....I painted all of the parts before assembly so that I wouldn't have bare metal in the seams to rust. The Northern Classic bed also came with oak bed wood. I upgraded to stainless bed strips.
Here's a pic after assembly and a couple of coats of varnish on the wood:
It also came with a scripted tailgate. That shows up in this pic....which catches most of the included hardware....hinges and chains.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,352
Likes: 1
From: Waleska, GA
I bought mine from these guys at the Moultrie, GA swap meet. Early Ford
I saved several hundred $ in shipping and I'm quite happy with the quality of the bed kit. They're out of Ohio and if you check out the link, they may even be closer.
My second choice would have been Hot Rod's Classic Trucks.
I saved several hundred $ in shipping and I'm quite happy with the quality of the bed kit. They're out of Ohio and if you check out the link, they may even be closer.
My second choice would have been Hot Rod's Classic Trucks.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,578
Likes: 208
From: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
I bought mine from Hot Rod's Classic Trucks. Great people! I have bought many things from Rod and Denise. They brought my complete bed to a show and I picked it up. No shipping or crating fees. Later I bought some fenders and they gave me a discount that actually covered the shipping. EDIT: I just saw that you are located in Ohio, so is Hot Rod's. New Carlisle Ohio I think.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 564
Likes: 2
Hello, and welcome to FTE.
I bought mine from Northern Classic Trucks in Sterling Heights Michigan. I stopped by there while on a business trip. They stamp out their own, so it's not a re-sale from someone else. They did an excellent job of crating an shipping.
For you in Ohio, it might be worth the drive to Michigan....depending on where you live, but it might be a relatively low cost truck freight shipment for you.
Here's a pick of the bed. I didn't buy it assembled....I painted all of the parts before assembly so that I wouldn't have bare metal in the seams to rust. The Northern Classic bed also came with oak bed wood. I upgraded to stainless bed strips.
Here's a pic after assembly and a couple of coats of varnish on the wood:
It also came with a scripted tailgate. That shows up in this pic....which catches most of the included hardware....hinges and chains.
I bought mine from Northern Classic Trucks in Sterling Heights Michigan. I stopped by there while on a business trip. They stamp out their own, so it's not a re-sale from someone else. They did an excellent job of crating an shipping.
For you in Ohio, it might be worth the drive to Michigan....depending on where you live, but it might be a relatively low cost truck freight shipment for you.
Here's a pick of the bed. I didn't buy it assembled....I painted all of the parts before assembly so that I wouldn't have bare metal in the seams to rust. The Northern Classic bed also came with oak bed wood. I upgraded to stainless bed strips.
Here's a pic after assembly and a couple of coats of varnish on the wood:
It also came with a scripted tailgate. That shows up in this pic....which catches most of the included hardware....hinges and chains.
Clean & Classy
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,656
Likes: 20
From: Riverside CA..
I wouldn't buy anything until you look at Pro"s Pick". They have about anything you could think of, from stock to fully custom beds, tailgates, and bed covers.
It is where I got my bed and tailgate.
It is where I got my bed and tailgate.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 3
From: Morgan Hill, CA
I made the bumper from some 5" channel.
The mounting brackets were in my scrap pile...they had been part of a sliding bumper for a cabover camper:
I started with a straight piece of channel for the bulk of the bumper:
I mocked up the curvature of the front bumper using a mitered 2x2 as a model (it is a lot easier to cut wood blocks!!):
I then mitered the short pieces of 5" channel to make the shape....with a little bit of welding and grinding:
I found some LED trailer tail lights that I liked and cut out the slots for those.....I did a few trials on scrap pieces, but I used the cutting torch tip on my Henrob welding torch. The rubber gaskets hide the mistakes!
After drilling slightly oversized holes for the license plate frame and the license plate lights, I took the bumper and mounts to the powder coat shop. It is a 50% sheen coating, so it has a satin black look.
Dan
The mounting brackets were in my scrap pile...they had been part of a sliding bumper for a cabover camper:
I started with a straight piece of channel for the bulk of the bumper:
I mocked up the curvature of the front bumper using a mitered 2x2 as a model (it is a lot easier to cut wood blocks!!):
I then mitered the short pieces of 5" channel to make the shape....with a little bit of welding and grinding:
I found some LED trailer tail lights that I liked and cut out the slots for those.....I did a few trials on scrap pieces, but I used the cutting torch tip on my Henrob welding torch. The rubber gaskets hide the mistakes!
After drilling slightly oversized holes for the license plate frame and the license plate lights, I took the bumper and mounts to the powder coat shop. It is a 50% sheen coating, so it has a satin black look.
Dan
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,636
Likes: 11
From: Crossville, Tn
I bought mine from these guys at the Moultrie, GA swap meet. Early Ford
I saved several hundred $ in shipping and I'm quite happy with the quality of the bed kit. They're out of Ohio and if you check out the link, they may even be closer.
My second choice would have been Hot Rod's Classic Trucks.
I saved several hundred $ in shipping and I'm quite happy with the quality of the bed kit. They're out of Ohio and if you check out the link, they may even be closer.
My second choice would have been Hot Rod's Classic Trucks.
