I don't know if this counts as bodywork, but I'm seriously considering building my own flatbed out of lumber. My bed is ruined beyond reasonable repair, and I hope to replace it with a longbed stepside in a few years..

Has anyone tried this? I'm running a 79 F150 4x4 longbed. I figure I'll need:

(2) 4x4 posts, 6' long, mounted side to side, one behind the cab, and one near the back of the bed. (bolted to the framerails)

(12) 2x6's, 8' long, mounted lengthways as the deck of the bed.

(2) 2x10's, 8' long, mounted lengthways, at the edges of the bed, standing up, so as to hide the 4x4's and leave a 4" lip above the top of the bed deck. I can later fashon removable wooden sides to bolt to the 4" lip...

(1) 2x12, 6' long, mounted side to side at the rear of the bed, cut at a 45 degree taper on the ends, to make a nice plate to spruce up the back of the bed, and something to screw the license plate to...

Then I'll need some deck sealant and stop/turn/backup lights... and mudflaps.

Overall, my bed will be 6'4" wide, slightly wider than the cab, but not like a dually...

I figure I'll be into it for about 100 bucks, and I should have it done in a day... Has anybody tried this? If I thought it would be permenant I'd build it from steel, but I doubt I'll be much more than 3 years before I replace the whole flatbed, and this is just sort of a stop gap measure. Not to mention cheap. I'm trying to spend my money on the drivetrain first...

Wish me luck, and if anyone has some good ideas, I'm probably not starting the project before next weekend...

 

You really don't want to build a flatbed completely out of lumber, that's asking for trouble in the liability department, when something snaps, and your load comes off.

Wood rots much faster than steel does.

So, build the frame of your flatbed out of steel, and if you use angle iron, you can put wood between the members of the steel frame, for a lower cost, neat looking flatbed.

Just make sure there is some steel in there.

While its probably uncommon to find 70's truck beds in junkyards in good shape, another option is to 'fangle' on a newer year bed. I'm sure with the proper spacers and bolts, you could cobble something decent with a late model bed, from the 87-96 year range. used beds aren't terribly expensive.

You can also purchase a used utility bed... I saw a 5 y/o fiberglass utility bed sell locally here for $400. I missed out, sad to say.

 

I can find beds readily... the trouble is a mediokre one will run at least 800 bucks...

I had a 53 f500 back when I lived in alaska. It had a bed constructed entirely of wood that had been on it 30 years at least (that's how long my family has had it.) The top boards are showing a little wear, but we bathe it in a good deck sealant at least once a year, and it's held up for 70000 miles and a very, very, long time...

I'm only looking to get 3 years out of this one.

I'm concerned building the bed of iron will run me almost as much as just buying a bed when all is said and done. I don't have access to a welder, etc. Most of my tools are still in Alaska.

And besides, most flatbeds, even the omaha brand aftermarket one on the super duty at work (I work for the state) are iron around the edges, and maybe even iron runners, but the all seem to be mounted on wood where the bed meets the framerails.

When I hauled diesel for a living in AK, the fuel truck's tanks were mounted to the frames with a 1x2 inbetween. And here we are talking serious weight...

Besides, I don't plan to haul anything that 2 pressure treated 4x4's wont handle, anything bigger than that will go on a trailer...


p.s. my current bed, even without a load, is a liability, because the side might fall off and get a bystander if my ratchet strap breaks... I don't really have a choice here...

 

800 for a crappy bed is a bit expensive, around here they are quite a bit less expensive which suprses me. I can get a "new" take-off bed for about a grand, and junkyard beds in okay shape will be $500 ish, more or less depending on the yard.

In the 50's, wood beds were legal. Well, technically no one made them illegal. I'm not sure how the Wyoming DMV would feel about it but in NJ where I am I can assure you a completely wooden bed on a newish truck (i.e., not a restored, classic 50's truck) would flag you to fail.

The commercial flatbeds are made of steel, and you are right, they sit on wooden blocks... this is done to add some cushining between the flatbed and the frame of the truck, and the wood is supposed to be replaced every 3-5 years. No one ever does, but that is what the manufacturers tell you to do.

BTW, I said steel, not iron. Angle iron is made of steel It used to be made of iron which is why it's called that, but it's a steel product nowadays. I know thats confusing.

Anyway, if you weld it out of steel, and prime it with a product like POR15 or another rust inhibiting primer, you'll not have rust issues for many years to come. If you're tools are elsewhere, you can rent a welder and put the frame part of the flatbed together in one day, return the welder, then add the wood flooring and sides as per your design.

The Ford beds in the 87-96 year range has always rusted out quickly... I just welded on patch panels myself over both wheel well areas for this reason. Unfortunately, the design of the bed is such that water, salt and crud gets into the stake pockets of the bed, slides down the inside, and collects in the spot-welded joint between the inner support and the outer fender lip. When I cut my wheel well lips off, once I broke through with the cutting wheel, I'd say about a pint of water leaked out the opening. I stopped cutting until it stopped, because my cutter is electric. Once I made the cutout fairly large, I pulled out leaves, small pieces of sticks, pine needles, dead bugs, and a bunch of other stuff that was absolutely saturated with water.

I'm suprised it didn't rust out sooner, actually. My truck is a 93.

If it's just one side that's bad, you can order from LMC a bed-side replacement, weld it on, and call it a day.

But, if you really really want to go completely wood, I urge you to check with your local police department or local DMV to see if it's legal in your state and county. Nothing would suck more than to invest a ton of time building something really nice, and being forced to take it off.

 

I do not need this to last many years to come. But it should be plenty stong for five years, and I plan to swap it for a real bed in 1-3 years...

If I had 500 dollars for a junkyard bed, I could go that route. I don't yet. I have to save for my trip home to my brother's wedding. Then the wife's Mustang.

This isn't a high budget project right away. I paid six hundred dollars for the whole truck.

I can't go drop 400 dollars for bedsides out of lmc. If I did, I would need 2, ($800) and a floor (even more $$$)

I'm confident this can be safely done. I'm not talking about building it out of plywood, it will be securely attached, and I'm not going to be hauling that much anyway. Passing the WY inspection is pretty easy. The reason I live here rather than in some metropolis is for my freedoms, up to and including to experiment on my truck in a safe fashion.

I was just wondering if anyone has actually done this, in a thoughtful manner. I'm not talking about throwing 2 sheets of plywood and a couple 2x4's together, but actually constructing a safe, useful bed out of wood.

Eventually, after I settle in and get the wife her Mustang Mach 1, here in 1-3 years, I'm going shopping for a longbed stepside, a new cab, etc. For now, I'm painting the truck rust oeum black, with a blue stripe in the indention, with a wooden bed. I MIGHT even bondo the rust holes full, at least in the spots where I could get wet...

When I do spend money on this, I'm going to save 5 or ten grand up and spend it all at once and start with the drivetrain...

*edit* I work in the same building as the Hwy patrol, so next time I meet a trooper in the halls I'll ask what he thinks. Might be a couple days...

 

I was at a truck show on the first and seen a guy with a 1929 Ford with an all wood bed and it was pretty stout.I think the lumber might run you more than a $100 but,I think it would work.

Brian

 

Dang! Junkyard beds here are $150 a piece and alot of them are in good shape. Rust free California stuff too. I'd go with what Frederic said and make at least part of it out of steel.

 

All the hard work aside, you will be surprised after you buy all the wood, hardware, and other items needed, just what that bed will end up costing. Wood and steel prices keep going up and up and up, good luck

 

well, the flatbed project is going to have to wait a couple weeks... I get paid the last day of the month, so whatever I do will have to wait at least till weekend after next.

I did paint my cab and front clip today though. Total cost was a 40 dollar trip to walmart. (spray can job)

I used the rustoleum gray sandable primer, and high gloss black rustoleum spray paint. Came out sharp... and I'm a terrible painter.

 

Years ago I built a flat and did not want the weight of lumber so I found a couple of steel doors at the building salvage shop (6'-8") and made the deck from those. It worked pretty well.

MT

 

I can't give you specific information, but I have seen a couple of wooden beds in WVa. They were made of treated lumber and galvanized carriage bolts and didn't look bad at all. One said his cost $150 to build, but that was 15-20 years ago, so I doubt that you could build one for $100.

In WVa, the main requirement for the bodywork is that there be no sharp edges from rust.
Consumer Reports has done some reports on weatherproofing for wooden decks; the clear ones didn't give much protection at all.

HTH, Brady

 

I was thinking about this a little bit the other day, while looking around home depot.

instead of wood, use those fiberglass decking material. lasts forever and never rots.

 

Try the Amish for your wood. I bought enough to completely re-side a small (24'x30'x12') barn including full 2"x4"x12' 2x's for about $300 a couple years ago here in Michigan. Real nice people to deal with also.
Good luck, Howard

P.S. You'll have to let it air dry b-4 treating it with "Penofin" preservative though.

 

Yeah, when I was looking for a bed, the local guys wanted $800 or so for a bondo'd bed. No rust, though. On the way to Twin Falls, there is a junkyard right by the highway, and they only wanted $175 for a mostly straight, rust free bed. I brought it home and did the finest rustoleum job a guy can do

 

Considering the same wooden bed approach for my '95 SB XC. Held up well to VT winters until now, but going fast. Was considering maybe 4 p-treated 4x4's approximately where the skinny cross struts are now (front, back, two mid-way), maintaining level as the frame rail rises and lowers. Would allow fuel plumbing to remain, wiring, etc., that runs in the voids. Don't want to raise the bed height too much and haven't ciphered out all the joints and connections. I've been searching high and low for a set of plans (even for the ever-present wooden-bodied Toyotas) for some ideas, but nothing online that I've bene able to loacte. This thread is about the closest. I just joined and haven't looked through much - any hints to a great thread with pics and plans?
TIA!
Chaosk1