Looking for a SWB bed
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
Looking for a SWB bed
Hi, Haven't been on here for a while, but just retired and am building a 78 SWB for my granddaughter. I know good beds are hard to come by, but I thought I would try here. I live in Az, so if you have one I can come get it up to a couple hundered miles, other than that we'll have to ship it. Thanks
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,189
Likes: 5,793
From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Welcome back around and congrats on retiring. Well you have been gone long enough that a good short bed is pretty much impossible to find unless you have a few grand just laying around. Might have to pawn the retirement watch, but since you are doing this for the granddaughter we support you.
Ask your in state FTE members yet? FB market place, Craigslist...you might have to buy a complete (none running or parts truck condition) truck just to get a SB. You might ask this guy? https://www.rustfreeclassics.com/
Auto Metal Direct makes them now days, and they sell the the INNER part also.
https://www.autometaldirect.com/1979...-c-23_147.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40415319168...CQpHY0RSCBo8a8
Ask your in state FTE members yet? FB market place, Craigslist...you might have to buy a complete (none running or parts truck condition) truck just to get a SB. You might ask this guy? https://www.rustfreeclassics.com/
Auto Metal Direct makes them now days, and they sell the the INNER part also.
https://www.autometaldirect.com/1979...-c-23_147.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40415319168...CQpHY0RSCBo8a8
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
Yea, AMD and CJ pony parts are my last resort. I would like to try to find a original one if possible. Were going to Fords Off The Forth in Tucson the 18th, may rustle up one there . I would be interested in a rolling chassie with a good bed if possiable, I can always use extra parts. Thanks
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 525
Likes: 84
Welcome back around and congrats on retiring. Well you have been gone long enough that a good short bed is pretty much impossible to find unless you have a few grand just laying around. Might have to pawn the retirement watch, but since you are doing this for the granddaughter we support you.
Ask your in state FTE members yet? FB market place, Craigslist...you might have to buy a complete (none running or parts truck condition) truck just to get a SB. You might ask this guy? https://www.rustfreeclassics.com/
Auto Metal Direct makes them now days, and they sell the the INNER part also.
https://www.autometaldirect.com/1979...-c-23_147.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40415319168...CQpHY0RSCBo8a8
Ask your in state FTE members yet? FB market place, Craigslist...you might have to buy a complete (none running or parts truck condition) truck just to get a SB. You might ask this guy? https://www.rustfreeclassics.com/
Auto Metal Direct makes them now days, and they sell the the INNER part also.
https://www.autometaldirect.com/1979...-c-23_147.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40415319168...CQpHY0RSCBo8a8
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 12
From: KY
You could always cut a long bed down to size needed , the long bed is only longer from bed back to wheel well , some work but can be done if all else fails ,,how bad is the one you have ?
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Cargo Master
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From: Central Florida
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Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
72rtchallenger, Yea, thats another option, but even finding a LWB that isnt beat to death is hard. The original bed is a stepside, my granddaughter just likes the regular bed look. Were going to do a static drop on it and a couple other assorted items. She picked out a cool looking brunt red orange for the truck, I think its going to look great. Shes a down to earth girl that shoots competive bow and likes the old stuff. We been sanding on the truck inside and out ( it's all dissambled), then when the weather gets right, we'll spray it. Shes helping when she can. I'm hoping to post some pics if I can figure out how. My computer skills are not great
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 12
From: KY
Not many short beds to be found but cutting down will work , found a few around some good some not
https://denver.craigslist.org/pts/d/...586928627.html
https://eugene.craigslist.org/pts/d/...579383597.html
https://southjersey.craigslist.org/p...595880297.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/p...592755677.html
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/c...594036197.html
https://elpaso.craigslist.org/pts/d/...589339530.html
https://ventura.craigslist.org/ptd/d...594082080.html
https://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/...594073626.html
https://kansascity.craigslist.org/pt...589826526.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/pts/d/...586928627.html
https://eugene.craigslist.org/pts/d/...579383597.html
https://southjersey.craigslist.org/p...595880297.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/p...592755677.html
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/c...594036197.html
https://elpaso.craigslist.org/pts/d/...589339530.html
https://ventura.craigslist.org/ptd/d...594082080.html
https://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/...594073626.html
https://kansascity.craigslist.org/pt...589826526.html
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
UPDATE ! Found a beautiful 76 ford LWB with a great body on it. 390,auto,factory air truck, running and driving. No grill or front bumper. Had to drive to the southern border to get it, 500 miles round rip, but it was worth it. Thanks to everybody that chimed in. Now my granddaughter has another decision to make....LOL Ill update with pictures when I get my new computer. Thanks
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 324
From: Central Florida
Congrats on the find. Will you be shortening it?
The most challenging aspect of shortening a dent side LWB truck is modifying the frame. After deleting 16" inches of the frame you'll have to deal with the fact that there will be a ~ 3" difference between the width of the rails that you will be welding together (front is narrower). My '76 F-100 is 35" wide in the front and 37-5/8" behind that). Bridging that gap without altering the parallelism of the DS and PS frame rails is the challenge. I've only found one YouTube video where this is explicitly addressed. I think that they were probably successful but could have done that work in a more elegant and precise fashion.
If you do shorten it we'll all be interested in how you go about it. Lots of pictures and explanatory text please.
The most challenging aspect of shortening a dent side LWB truck is modifying the frame. After deleting 16" inches of the frame you'll have to deal with the fact that there will be a ~ 3" difference between the width of the rails that you will be welding together (front is narrower). My '76 F-100 is 35" wide in the front and 37-5/8" behind that). Bridging that gap without altering the parallelism of the DS and PS frame rails is the challenge. I've only found one YouTube video where this is explicitly addressed. I think that they were probably successful but could have done that work in a more elegant and precise fashion.
If you do shorten it we'll all be interested in how you go about it. Lots of pictures and explanatory text please.
Last edited by flowney; Mar 29, 2023 at 04:08 PM. Reason: corrected error: front is narrower, not wider
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 311
Likes: 35
Congrats on the find. Will you be shortening it?
The most challenging aspect of shortening a dent side LWB truck is modifying the frame. After deleting 16" inches of the frame you'll have to deal with the fact that there will be a ~ 3" difference between the width of the rails that you will be welding together (front is wider). Bridging that gap without altering the parallelism of the DS and PS frame rails is the challenge. I've only found one YouTube video where this is explicitly addressed. I think that they were probably successful but could have done that work in a more elegant and precise fashion.
If you do shorten it we'll all be interested in how you go about it. Lots of pictures and explanatory text please.
The most challenging aspect of shortening a dent side LWB truck is modifying the frame. After deleting 16" inches of the frame you'll have to deal with the fact that there will be a ~ 3" difference between the width of the rails that you will be welding together (front is wider). Bridging that gap without altering the parallelism of the DS and PS frame rails is the challenge. I've only found one YouTube video where this is explicitly addressed. I think that they were probably successful but could have done that work in a more elegant and precise fashion.
If you do shorten it we'll all be interested in how you go about it. Lots of pictures and explanatory text please.
There are excellent pictures of how they did it and looking at my frame it looks pretty straightforward.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 324
From: Central Florida
Thanks for sharing that MotorTrend article. I would have liked to see more detail on the frame cutting, especially the thinking behind using the big hole saw. I suppose that hole simply enabled straight line cuts with the saw. Just one relief cut to widen the frame or were there more than one?