I have a short bed 2WD F100, it has the "wrong bed". There is a 1965 2WD long bed in a junkyard about 5 minutes from my house with a pretty solid bed. I bought it and want to cut it down to the short bed length like I've seen in a thread here, and on another site. I do have a couple questions before I start, I won't be able to get the bed to my house for a couple more days to compare measurements between the 2 beds, but trying to do as much advance planning as possible.

Basically, my research tells me that the 1965 long bed 2WD has a wheelbase of 128" with an 8' bed, and the 1964 short bed 2WD has a 114" wheelbase with a 6.5' bed. My conclusion is that I'll have to cut the bed 1.5' shorter, and the difference in wheelbase would make that a 14" difference from the front of the wheel well, to the front of the bed, and 4" between the back of the wheel well, to the tailgate/bumper end? Is this correct, or am I figuring this out wrong already? Should I just measure from wheel well centers and use my existing short bed dimensions?

I have all my own welding equipment, and while this is the most ambitious body work I've ever done, I'm comfortable in doing it. I just want to make sure I get these dimensions correct. Thanks for any help or advice!

 

What do you mean by "wrong bed"? Got any pics? I recently chopped a 128 long bed to fit my 120WB 64 4X4 but your situation is different. The short box is shorter forward AND rear of the wheel well centerline. which means you would have to shorten both ends. The (4) bed to frame mounting bolts / bolt holes that are just fwd and rear of wheel well centerline are SAME dimension long or short bed. From there forward and rear the beds are different lengths.

 

^ Ford used the bed from the body style before 61-66 trucks on the slick 4x4's so it's refered as the (wrong bed)

 

Yep. Like these two.


Ford Truck Picture by TA455HO | 916833 | Ford-Trucks


Ford Truck Picture by TA455HO | 907658 | Ford-Trucks


Last Sunday I took the red truck to the 9th annual all Ford show in Issaquah, WA. It's held each year at the only XXX root beer drive-in left that I know of around here. Lots of very cool cars there. One other '66 slick F100 2wd blue/white that had Aaron's Bicycle Repair on some signage. But only about 6-7 trucks so it stood out pretty good. I saw some surprised looks when I started it to leave. I don't think anyone thought it would sound so good. Dual exhaust with cherry bombs.


XXX drive-ins used to be very popular around here when I was a kid in the 60's.


Triple XXX Rootbeer Drive-in


A link to their web site. They have a History page that is interesting.

 

My truck has the 57-60 bed shown in TA455HO's pic. I realize both ends need to be cut, I just didn't know what was the best method to measure how much to cut out on either side of the wheel well, so it's properly centered over the wheel when it's reassembled. My initial theory was it would be 14" in front, since the wheel base is 14" shorter, but didn't know if that was correct or not.

 

Ah, my old 63 flareside i owned in the 70s had dual cherry bombs with a 351W in it. it sounded great. thanks for the memories.

 

Mark the centerlines of the wheel arches of both beds then measure to the front edges and the difference will be what needs to come out of the front area . Remember to cut in a location that will keep the bed mounting bolts where there belong . Do the same for the rear measuring from the wheel arch centerline to the rear edge of both beds and subtracting the difference . Use a scribe to "scratch the metal in a very thin line to follow to cut and not a wide magic marker and its also helpful to lay masking tape along the mark to follow , you will be much more accurate this way .

 

OK - I understand the bed on your 4x4 as it is the "correct" bed for my 64 4x4 as well (64 4WD and earlier using the 63 and earlier bed). But the gent says he has an F100 2 wheel drive short bed. My 64 has a 120" WB, his F-100 2WD has 114? or 115"? WB. Did Ford make Short bed versions of the 63 and earlier beds like you have on your 4x4's?

 

Also - friendly advice - tack weld stiffeners on both sides of the cuts you make where you intend to re-weld. Before I cut mine I laid it out on solid and squared beams, tack welded stiffeners so the sides of the bed didn't move once it was in pieces. Take your time and measure, measure, measure. Post some pics of your current bed!!

 

The bed like on our 4x4 trucks came from, as far as I know, the 1957-1960 trucks. The 1957-1960 line looks like it did have both a 8' bed or a 6' bed in that style. And either a 118" or 110" wheelbase, respectively.

 

1957/60 Styleside beds installed on the following 1961/66's. Called the "wrong" beds, because the bed lines do not match the cab lines.

1961/65 F100/250 4WD / 1961/66 F350 (Exclusive 9' Express) / 1962/63 F100/250 2WD / 1966 F250 4WD

 

this is the truck that my bed came from 63' f250
ck out the front fenders



this is same bed after overhaul wheels are close to center

 

Thats a beauty! Are those 16.5 wheels & tires or 16" on the "after" photo?

 

Thank you, I got the long bed home today so hope to get some measuring/marking done in the next couple days. The floor of my short bed is in better shape than the long bed, so I'm hoping to use it and hopefully that will eliminate any issues with the bed mounting holes.

 

Mine has a 114", my understanding is that the change in 1965 to the coil springs/twin I beam front end changed the wheelbase to 115" on the 2WD.