Bed Compatibility
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Bed Compatibility
Hi Folks! My '79 f-150 Custom has some severe rust damage on the full size, styleside bed. There is currently for sale locally a 93 full size bed, and one advertised as fitting '87-96 trucks. What is involved in putting a bed from another year on mine? Are there any beds that would not match up? I have read of others putting much newer beds on, and was wondering if this would be a choice I could explore... Many thanks to all of you who have responded to my earlier posts!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Bed Compatibility
Bill the 73-79 are the same style. You could make a 80s or 90s fit but it wouldn't look right.
IMHO
John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.
IMHO
John
jowilker
Club FTE since 01 01
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night,
you can hear chevys rusting away.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 571
Likes: 2
Bed Compatibility
It would fit, with at most, a little drilling. BUT, IMHO, it wouldn't look right. The body lines wouldn't match, and the body styles are different. one is more rounded, and the other is begger and more square.
-Andrew
f250_64(No Email Addresses In Posts!), same for yahoo messenger
Nothing, and I mean nothing, stirs the soul, saying I'm a bad **** like lettin'em rip with a window shaking, fuel gulpin, carbon monoxide belchin, attention gettin, V-oh my LORD!-8!
-Andrew
f250_64(No Email Addresses In Posts!), same for yahoo messenger
Nothing, and I mean nothing, stirs the soul, saying I'm a bad **** like lettin'em rip with a window shaking, fuel gulpin, carbon monoxide belchin, attention gettin, V-oh my LORD!-8!
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 581
Likes: 2
From: Somerset, Pa
Bed Compatibility
I live near Pittsburgh Pa and I see a lot of 70's ford trucks with the wrong beds on them. I think they look horrible, especially when the owners attempt to put trim pieces from the old bed on (who do they think they are fooling). My girlfriend's dad did do this though (I couldn't stop him), It bolted right on. The only problems were that he couldn't use the old bumper without some cutting and he had to splice in the newer tailight sockets.
After all the money he put into the new bed, my 76'looks much better even though I have patch panels and a gallon of bondo in the bed.
After all the money he put into the new bed, my 76'looks much better even though I have patch panels and a gallon of bondo in the bed.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Bed Compatibility
Well I installed a 1985 Flairside bed on my 77 and the lines look very good. Unless you are a purist, I think that the beds from the middle 80's will fit with a small amount of drilling. I had to drill the second set of bed bolt holes back from the cab to make the 85 bed fit my 77 short box truck. I wouldnt however use the newer styleside bed as the lines are a little too different. Hope this helps...
BJ 1977 F150 4x4 Flairside "Bubba Grape"
400 C/6 B&M LT Mega Shifter
6" suspension lift 35x12.5x15 BFG,s
"Have you driven under a Ford Lately?"
BJ 1977 F150 4x4 Flairside "Bubba Grape"
400 C/6 B&M LT Mega Shifter
6" suspension lift 35x12.5x15 BFG,s
"Have you driven under a Ford Lately?"
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Bed Compatibility
Thanks, everyone. I agree that some of the beds woulld look goofy with the original lines of the truck. There's a fellow who brings beds up from Texas, but he wants a BUNDLE for them, and they are just used beds. By the time I painted and mounted it, I would have 150% more invested in the bed than the truck! Has anyone actually used some of the weld-on patches? I have seen the extensive offerings from JC Witless, but I am wondering if one mfg has a better product than the other...
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 851
Likes: 15
From: Elkton, MD
Bed Compatibility
The newer beds look bad, I have even seen them with the paint matched and they look dumb, I have seen them put on and then cut the sides off and buy a set of bedsides and put on them and they look original. Where are you at, I know of a few beds in the northeast Maryland area.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Bed Compatibility
I like the stock, correct styleside, and would prefer to stick with it. This is a farm truck, so I like having the 8' bed. I live in the Omaha, Nebraska area, and there are not too many opportunities to find good beds (at a reasonable price) for a '79 f-150! That is why I am interested in the weld on patches. My bed wheel arches are rusted almost clear up to the chrome trim (its a Custom)on both sides, but the inner fenderwells look OK. The lower panel edge in front of the rear tire on the drivers side has rusted out where the support bracket attaches, so it flaps around a bit, although it looks relatively OK from the outside. Both bed corners are rusted pretty bad. The inner bed seems OK, as do the uppers and most of the entire side panels (no dents!), but those wheel arches are nasty! On the passenger side it is even bubbling out above the chrome trim strip - probably repairable, but when all is said and done, a new bed for a few hundred bucks would be the ticket.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: Aurora Illinois
Bed Compatibility
I found a rust free bed for my 79 ranger lariat 4x4 in Texas.
He only wanted 150.00 for it with the tailgate. If you can
find one cheap down south, take your bed off and drive down
and pick it up. It will save you alot of money.
GLENN
He only wanted 150.00 for it with the tailgate. If you can
find one cheap down south, take your bed off and drive down
and pick it up. It will save you alot of money.
GLENN
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Bed Compatibility
I have used the patches, the ones that replace the whole wheel well and most of the way to the box rail on my 85 F150 ($35cdn each, $170cdn for whole boxside). If I were to do it again I would use one of the crimping tools that allow you to set the panel flush with the original metal. The panels for the 73-79 trucks are about the same price. After a little body work they look as good as new.
RCC
RCC
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Burlington,IA
Bed Compatibility
Try a search for Arizona Automotive recyclers. I can't remember the web addy. There are alot of salvage places in southern AZ that have that stuff. Some will even ship (you could cut out the Texas middleman).
68 F-100 Short bed 2wd
302 C4 9" w/3.50 gears
Soon to be sportin' power discs and steering
68 F-100 Short bed 2wd
302 C4 9" w/3.50 gears
Soon to be sportin' power discs and steering
