Wood Beds
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2007
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Wood Beds
My 64 has the metal strips on a oak bed.
My understanding is that in 64 Ford did not use the metal strips.
My planks need refinishing. I would just as soon have them painted. Paint lasts longer.
I have also considered removing the metal strips and installing diamond plate over the planks.
How was the original bed floor put together? Were there gaps between the boards or were they tight against each other? Were they tongue and groove?
Ive got several small projects in the works, this one will probably be a winter project. Im looking for some ideas on what look I want. Polished strips on a oak floor is pretty overdone IMO, I would like something different or more original looking for a 64.
My understanding is that in 64 Ford did not use the metal strips.
My planks need refinishing. I would just as soon have them painted. Paint lasts longer.
I have also considered removing the metal strips and installing diamond plate over the planks.
How was the original bed floor put together? Were there gaps between the boards or were they tight against each other? Were they tongue and groove?
Ive got several small projects in the works, this one will probably be a winter project. Im looking for some ideas on what look I want. Polished strips on a oak floor is pretty overdone IMO, I would like something different or more original looking for a 64.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2012
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There are gaps between the boards that allow the bolts to pass thru. The strips sit in a dado'd groove. Go to Mar K website and you will see good diagrams of the floor. This one is Southern Yellow Pine, made by me.
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Fleet Mechanic
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P38 your bed is typical of what most people have and similar to what I currently have. Its my understanding that in 64 Ford did not use the metal strips. I would like to see a pic of a 64 bed as it came from the factory.
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Fleet Mechanic
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Here is mine from a year ago. I had to leave the truck outside for about 3 months. Now the wood is dry and has some minor cracking and the finish is in poor condition.
I can repair and refinish the wood, but its a lot of work.
Im even considering a tuck and roll cover to go on top of whats there now.
Since I don't haul anything, I can pretty much do whatever I want to the bed floor.
I can repair and refinish the wood, but its a lot of work.
Im even considering a tuck and roll cover to go on top of whats there now.
Since I don't haul anything, I can pretty much do whatever I want to the bed floor.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Indiana
I Went to pine in 1973 because I kept chewing the oak so bad being a stupid kid. I am thinking seriously about oak plywood and putting fiberglass on top and bottom of it, finish looks great - think wooden boats - and it would be pretty indestructible if you haul something. minor scratches would be easy to take out. Love the look of the bed you posted. Shots like that keep me going on the resto
Last edited by campchef; Apr 29, 2015 at 03:40 PM. Reason: poor choice of words
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For a flareside....stepside bed, Ford used those metal strips and wood at least to 1979, maybe longer into the 1980s.
The Ford styelside beds had metal floors. All of the 60s Ford Stylesides I have seen had metal beds. I know GM offered wood in their Fleetsides as an option. Like Ford wood, metal stripped beds were standard in GM Stepsides.
Your bed is factory correct except for the stainless strips. From the factory was just plain steel. If I'm not mistaken the wood beds were painted body color with the rest of the truck or possibly just black. The only flareside truck I can think of with a metal floor is 48-52 F-1 and those trucks simply had a sheet metal panel on top of the wooden bed.
PS if you refinish vs simply painting, a good spar varnish should last a while.....that stuff is made for sailboats.
The Ford styelside beds had metal floors. All of the 60s Ford Stylesides I have seen had metal beds. I know GM offered wood in their Fleetsides as an option. Like Ford wood, metal stripped beds were standard in GM Stepsides.
Your bed is factory correct except for the stainless strips. From the factory was just plain steel. If I'm not mistaken the wood beds were painted body color with the rest of the truck or possibly just black. The only flareside truck I can think of with a metal floor is 48-52 F-1 and those trucks simply had a sheet metal panel on top of the wooden bed.
PS if you refinish vs simply painting, a good spar varnish should last a while.....that stuff is made for sailboats.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
My 64 has the metal strips on a oak bed.
It was pine originally.
My understanding is that in 64 Ford did not use the metal strips.
All 1953/79 Flaresides have the metal dividers and both them and the bed wood were painted body color originally.
How was the original bed floor put together? Were there gaps between the boards or were they tight against each other?
See pic below.
Were they tongue and groove?
No.
It was pine originally.
My understanding is that in 64 Ford did not use the metal strips.
All 1953/79 Flaresides have the metal dividers and both them and the bed wood were painted body color originally.
How was the original bed floor put together? Were there gaps between the boards or were they tight against each other?
See pic below.
Were they tongue and groove?
No.
For more info, see FTE member Sycronic's thread inre to Styleside bed to stepside, so I don't have to type the same Flareside info again.
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Fleet Mechanic
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Thanks ND.
Looking at my bed picture, I have 6 large bolts that hold the bed floor to the frame.
4 of the bolts have washers, the 2 front bolts do not. Is that correct?
Should the washers be countersunk in the wood? Mine are not.
Those funky square drive bolts are a PITA to remove. I had to grid down a 3/8 extension to get it to fit in the square hole. One of the bolts isn't coming out, I will have to cut the nut off the bottom of it. I have never seen stainless steel bolts that are so hard to remove and I used SS for years in a marine environment.
Looking at my bed picture, I have 6 large bolts that hold the bed floor to the frame.
4 of the bolts have washers, the 2 front bolts do not. Is that correct?
Should the washers be countersunk in the wood? Mine are not.
Those funky square drive bolts are a PITA to remove. I had to grid down a 3/8 extension to get it to fit in the square hole. One of the bolts isn't coming out, I will have to cut the nut off the bottom of it. I have never seen stainless steel bolts that are so hard to remove and I used SS for years in a marine environment.
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Ford Parts Specialist
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From: Simi Valley, CA
The bolts/washers pass thru the metal dividers, not thru the wood. The wood just lays there like a drunken sailor, with the metal dividers in between to assure a tight fit.
Here's a pic from the 1948/56 truck catalog that shows the specs and quantity of the mounting hardware for the short & long beds.
Here's a pic from the 1948/56 truck catalog that shows the specs and quantity of the mounting hardware for the short & long beds.
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Fleet Mechanic
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That's how my dividers are installed. The bolts go between the planks and into the cross braces.
I also have 6 bolts that go through the wood into the frame rails. Those bolts go through a 1 3/4in washer.
My question is if the washer is countersunk into the wood or if it lays on top of the wood.
If you look at the pic of my bed in post #4, you will see the bolts I am referring to.
I also have 6 bolts that go through the wood into the frame rails. Those bolts go through a 1 3/4in washer.
My question is if the washer is countersunk into the wood or if it lays on top of the wood.
If you look at the pic of my bed in post #4, you will see the bolts I am referring to.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2008
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From: Hendersonville, TN
That's how my dividers are installed. The bolts go between the planks and into the cross braces.
I also have 6 bolts that go through the wood into the frame rails. Those bolts go through a 1 3/4in washer.
My question is if the washer is countersunk into the wood or if it lays on top of the wood.
If you look at the pic of my bed in post #4, you will see the bolts I am referring to.
I also have 6 bolts that go through the wood into the frame rails. Those bolts go through a 1 3/4in washer.
My question is if the washer is countersunk into the wood or if it lays on top of the wood.
If you look at the pic of my bed in post #4, you will see the bolts I am referring to.
http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/PDF/Ins...es_1-2_ctr.pdf
If you search on their website, I'm pretty sure you'll find what you're looking for. I am redoing the bed on my '65 and opted to eliminate the 6 bolts that go through the wood.
Also yes, your '64 came with pine slats and steel strips and they were all painted the color of your truck. On mine, the green paint was on the top and bottom of the original boards. The stainless steel strips are an aftermarket invention as far as I know - but I think they usually look good. As for the wood, I'm using hickory and soaking it with tung oil.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2008
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From: Hendersonville, TN
MAR-K Catalog - Select Your Truck
on the left hand side you will see a bunch of categories. Anything and everything for your bed.
The "Phillips Bed-To-Frame Bolt" is the bolt you're talking about and once clicked on, has a link to the countersunk washer it goes into.
on the left hand side you will see a bunch of categories. Anything and everything for your bed.
The "Phillips Bed-To-Frame Bolt" is the bolt you're talking about and once clicked on, has a link to the countersunk washer it goes into.
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Fleet Mechanic
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If you are eliminating the 6 bolts that go through the wood, how are you bolting the bed to the frame? From what I can tell, those 6 bolts plus 2 under the bed are all that is holding the bed to the frame.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,130
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From: Hendersonville, TN
There are 2 bolts at the front of the bed (near cab) that hold the front bed panel to the frame. I am going to cut down the sleeve that the bolts slide through and just bolt the bed panel to the frame below the wood.
The two bolts that hold the rear of the bed to the frame are already below the bed wood.
To eliminate the 4 bolts in the middle (the ones that go through the wood -> through the cross braces that the wood sits on -> and bolts to the frame) I welded a little tab to the bottom of the cross brace so that the brace can be bolted to the frame without going through the bed wood. In turn, the bed strip bolts bolt to those cross members, which ties it all together somewhat.
I got the above idea from the cross braces that I bought for my '56 F100, which were made to eliminate the bolts through the wood and had the little tab at the bottom of the brace.
I'll take some pics since I'm not done and it's all visible.