79 8' bed rebuild idea?
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,322
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From: Rhode Island
79 8' bed rebuild idea?
I was sitting on my porch today and I had an idea! I have a 80's pick up bed that is kinda tired on the outside skin. but the guts are great.I was thinking about taking the inner pieces of the bed and grafting the outer skin from the 79 bed on the out side.
any one ever do this... will the panels fit? Im having trouble getting any kinda good 73-79 bed and thought this might be a great alternative. That is if it would work.
any one ever do this... will the panels fit? Im having trouble getting any kinda good 73-79 bed and thought this might be a great alternative. That is if it would work.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Yep, it can be done. I believe you need to change the back pillars too.. If i'm remebering correctly the tailgate didn't want to close quite right
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Joined: Aug 2003
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469F250
this is the place for those bed parts
N.B.R. Distributors LTD
4506b 29th Street
Vernon B.C. v1t 5c1
ph (250) 542-1115
the parts are in the -Cross Canada Autobody Supply LTD- catalogue.
part # 574-46
this is the place for those bed parts
N.B.R. Distributors LTD
4506b 29th Street
Vernon B.C. v1t 5c1
ph (250) 542-1115
the parts are in the -Cross Canada Autobody Supply LTD- catalogue.
part # 574-46
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,322
Likes: 20
From: Rhode Island
wooooopeeeeeee
Excuse my enthusiasm, but the skins fit like a glove. I even reused the existing rear posts. Just did a little creative welding. And everything lines up. Tailgate lines up just fine.
Just thought I would let you all know how I made out.
Just thought I would let you all know how I made out.
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,322
Likes: 20
From: Rhode Island
It wasnt very difficult . but it requires some special tools and a bit of patience. your obviously gonna need a mig welder. but your also gonna need a spot weld cutter.(make sure you have plenty of extra blades. Trust me!!!) Its about 100 spot welds per bedside that you have to cut off. I didnt bother trying to save the inner wheel wells. I just purchased new ones. So those were left to Mr. Sawsall. So cut all the spot welds on both beds. Swap the skins. Line everything up. And weld away. I ended up leaving the rear posts from the 86 bed in tact, and wraped the 79 rear post partially around the 86 post. So its tough to tell unless you really look at it. If you really wanted to go all out you could buy the actual rear posts and swap them out as well. They are cheap money, But I wanted to see if I could do this with as little change as possible. 
