Today I've been doing some measuring, designing, etc. I've figured out a way to fix the back of the truck. Instead of replacing the bed with a hard-to-find long bed, I'm just going to modify it to make it look like a short-bed. With all this time spent on the truck, he finally got the nerve to tell me his name: Chester.

For those who don't know, this was originally an 8' bed, but over a foot was chopped off because it was used as a wrecker and the PO needed the clearance.

Now I am stuck with the task of fixing Chester's booty. Using the diagram from Earl's World (with reference to John Niolon) I photoshopped it to what it will (hopefully) look like when I am finished. I am trying to find two rear stake pockets, a rear end sill, tailgate, chains, etc. for the long bed. Once I get all of it, I will cut off the angle iron that is currently there for support and install it all with a small extension. I will remove the center stake pocket (because it would look off-centered and stupid) and patch the hole. Notice the angle in the flip/loop, thats because its already shaped like that and for me, impossible to extend. After that, I will install the wood and all that good stuff. I hope God likes me enough to help me find the parts.. I'm talking to a guy in Texas that has some, but hopefully it'll all work out!

Here's the design:


I will worry about the rear bumper later.. Thats a whole other animal with the hitch being there, and all..

Check out my gallery to see what it currently looks like and what I'm up against :P

 

I shouldn't think it would be very difficult for a metals shop to bend up new stake pockets and sill for you rather than messing with old parts. Or why not use the removed center pockets?

 

Aren't the stake pockets and rear sill available? or is it because it was originally an 8 foot bed and has larger stake pockets than the 1/2 ton bed.
I know I just bought 2 stake pockets for the old style beds (50 and earlier with the rounded pockets) they were about $30 a throw and it seemed like the squre stake pockets were about $20 a throw. I will attempt to fab my own rear sill (which is rounded on my truck also)
From the drawing I think it will work out allright. Can you take a full on side shot of your truck and work the photoshop magic on that?

My previous owner had welded 1/4" diamond plate to the stake pockets to hold some very ugly generic motor home tail lights. Plus he made his own tailgate hinges from some 3/8" strap and pipe (very classy) My rear sill is rusted out in the middle and pretty well trashed. My plan is to replace the two rear stake pockets with new ones, build my own rear sill using some 2" round tubing and box tubing, and replacing the lower hinge pins with junk yard pieces (or cough up the money and buy new ones)
Once I get that done, which will give the bedsides the support they need then I can cut and fit my bed floor (I'm using the bed floor from a 2005 GMC that was donated to the cause)

Good luck with it
Bobby

 

The center pockets are about 4" tall, they fit on top of the fender to the top of the bed side. No one sells long bed stake pockets, they are taller than short bed.. The rear sill is sold at Bruce Horkeys.. but for $250 bucks. If I can get decent looking used stake pockets, rear sill, and tailgate for under $150 that would be worth it. I'm not making a show truck, just a good lookin driver
I would have to have something to bring to the metal shop as a template anyway.. :P

 

The long bed is the express bed? If so, they are sort of hard to find a tailgate for (or so I am told). I was going to hack mine up (too tall), but instead I will try to swap it for a normal one at the supernats. Its nearly perfect, so I should be able to.

They are out there. bigwin56f100 just sold a rough one pretty cheap a while back (I think).

 

Brian,
You can actually buy a repro tailgate for the long-beds.. One of the few things that you actually can buy for one They run about $425 plus s&h... ouch

 

Yeah...ouch! I didn't know they made them at all.

The repop normal ones are expensive too. I think about $375 (plus shipping). Thats why mine is loaded in the explorer. I hope to find one in really good shape to trade for this weekend in knoxville. We shall see.

 

Keep an eye on ebay. I got a NOS long bed tailgate on there for less than the repops. There was a complete long bed that went for $175 a couple weeks ago. I think quite a few guys buy the long bed stuff by accident at swap meets and end up dumping it on ebay.

Mar-K makes repop long bed front panels and tailgates. I'm not aware of anybody that does the long running boards or bedsides, however.

 

Would it be possible to use some light guage square tubing to make the stake pockets, and maybe some rectangular tubing for the rear sill?? or are they a goofy size?
On my little 49 1/2ton the stake pockets are rounded at the bottom and the rear sill is rounded at the bottom. The good thing is its a 2" diameter so I can use some standard off the shelf steel to fabricate my componenets.

Bobby

 

How about buying the short rear steak pockets and then using the center ones to extend them to the length you want. They can be bought from Midwest Early Ford in Springfield Ohio for $30.00 each and the rear crossmember is $65.00. Just a thought.

Midwest Early Ford
Springfield Ohio
1-800-543-5035
www.MidwestEarlyFord.com

 

Jeff

Design looks good. Its much easier doing "Imagineering" when you have the right tools.

I think I would try and find someway to come up with the rear bed corners. It would look a little more natural.
JMVOO (Just My Very Opinionated Opinion.)

 

Are you talking about how the bed fold is cut off at an angle, or something else?

 

I rather like the clipped corners.

 

I was speaking about the bed fold corners, that AX likes.