I'm looking at replacing my OE bed floor with a wooden bed floor. I'm hoping someone on here might have some in site on how I get from point A to Z. I've removed the bed and have a few ideas, but I could sure use some info on where to start and what to cut. I'm working on a 1971 F100 whose bed floor is shot. Thanks for the help.

 

I take it you have a style side with a metal ribbed floor?
It will not be easy. I did the opposite on my 81 flare side, wood to metal.
You need to look at some flare sides to see how they were done and kind of follow that.
The cross members on the 80's trucks are different between the two beds.
Wood is then placed on top of them and the bed sides bolt to the wood.
IIRC the older Chevys used a wood floor that I seen at shows, might check into them to see how they where done.
Also wood takes a lot of up keep or you will be replacing it often. It also marks easy.
Dave -----

 

Thanks FuzzFace2. I'll bee keeping mine in a garage, and it will not be hauling anything. I have my daily driver to handle the hauling. I've been looking at the wood kits. Just wasn't sure how much of the floor to cut away, do I cut the cross bars or do I have to get the bed away from them? It's a slow project.

 

You could go with Horkey's Show Deck. That goes on top of your existing bed and is removable.

https://horkeyswoodandparts.com/page2.php

 

I am not sure of your years truck (67 - 72) as I was working with a 81 F100 (80 - 86) on how the 2 beds differ but I cant see it being that different from my years.
The style side cross members are spot welded to the floor with the U up where the flare cross members are not welded to anything and the U is turned down and wood block fit in the U to keep it from crushing when the bed bolts are tighten.

Also the bed side panels and front panel have a lip that bolts go down thru the panels & wood.
What happens over the years the wood stays wet and rots this metal lip so there is noting to put the bolts thru.
I had to weld strips to the panels for the bolts.

Again My 81 flare side has a wood floor. This would have still been planks, in 83 they then started using plywood from the factory.
When the front I rear sills and the cross members were $1000 not counting the wood, nuts & bolts and metal strips I went with my parts truck long bed style side. It was crushed on 1 side from a roll over and had some rust.

At the time no one could tell me if putting my sides on the metal ribbed floor if the body lines would line up or not?
If to low I could add shims but if to high I was stuck. Turned out it was just right.

I have pictures on my site starting here 1980 Ford F100
You may see some other things I was doing between the bed so keep looking.
Hope this helps you a little to go the other way, metal to wood LOL
Metal floor painted ready to go on the truck frame and the panels bolts down.

Panels set on ready for bolts

Dave ----

 

BTW they say all the bed floors are the same where the bolts go into the frame it is just the side panels that are different.
If you can find a newer bed but the outer panes are bad, rusted or crashed, you could cut the spot welds holding the outer panels on.
Do the same to yours and put you sides on the good floor.

Yes a lot of work but might be easier then what you are looking to do.
Then again I dont know what your skills are, tools you have and the work area?

If you look at my other pictures you will see I did a cab off frame rebuild replacing floors, cab corners, rockers, lower rear door posts and half the firewall so I could have factory AC, firewalls are different between AC non-AC.
Yep skills, tools, and work space.
Oh the cool thing it all looks factory, even the dual fuel tanks that was never an option using all factory parts.
Dave ----

 

I just got thinking I dont think the flare side cross members and wood will be wide enough after looking at this picture.

The part that turns up is the inside walls of the style side bed and the wheel well goes in farther than what you see from the above picture.

Maybe if you used plywood it may support the bed sides with out the cross members going out that far?
But you cant go to thick on the wood or the body lines will not line up.
Dave ----

 

Bedwood has a complete line of what they call "Retroliner" that replaces original metal bed floors with a wood floor. I don't know it well, but they cover a lot of different style truck beds.