I am interested in restoring a 1980-1986 flareside f100 or f150 to use while hunting and hauling stuff for the house. Based on my weekend use, it won't have to be "show truck perfect", but I'd still like it to be rock-solid mechanically and easy on the eyes. I'm thinking it will be a frame-off restore.

The problem I am having is that flareside 80-86s are not the easiest things to find. So, I am considering buying a solid styleside truck and replacing the bed with a flareside bed from a supplier like LMC.

As this will be my first restore I am not welll versed in all the fine points of such a project. Does anyone have experience with such a project? I'd be grateful for any guidance the forum members would be willing to offer.

Thanks!

 

You wont have any problems putting a style side bed on your truck. I put an 80's model stepside bed on a 78 model truck. The main problem with the 80's step side beds is finding the fiberglass fenders. LMC is a good place for parts. Personally I have had lots of luck finding good used parts in the bone yards.
Hope this helps

 

If by chance the Hawkeye in your screen name refers to Iowa, you might be lucky...there's a really nice looking stepside bed in Iowa on a best-offer auction on Ebay...you should check it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/82-Fo...em140142569884

 

rbloodhound,

Thanks for letting me know about the bed conversion on your 78. I imagine the bone yards will be a more cost effective way to do it, but will require quite a bit more research on my part. Do you know of any used parts suppliers with on-line inventories?

ri_truck_guy,

Thanks for the link. Your right on both accounts, I'm a U of I alum and that is a nice looking flareside bed. Unfortunately, I live in Ohio now so that would be quite a haul.

I'll keep an eye on that site though.

Thanks again,

Hawkeye_Mike

 

Too bad you aint in Texas. When I get home from A'stan later this year I plan on yankin my stepside for a regular bed on my 84. I'm hoping to just find somebody who wants to swap, park the trucks next to each other and swap em out. I plan on repainting anyways so I aint worried about the color so long as it's in decent shape. My bed isnt perfect, but not bad off for an almost 24 year old truck. Only real problem is one of the corners of the wheel well is cracked and looks like the tip of another corner broke off. They arent as bad as they sound but would need a little fiberglass work wich I know nothing about.
I like the looks of the step side, but I'm tired of the chain latches that keep the tailgate up. They can be a pain sometimes. And it's getting harder and harder to find any accesories that fit the bed (tool box, roll bar, covers, ect) most things need to be addapted or home built.
Anyways, like I said, too bad you aint closer. Good luck with your hunt, hope you find what your lookin for

 

The 93 up flare side beds will also fit the 80's trucks. I think that they look great.

 

Real simple way to get a bed is to check out any places in the area that put UTILITY beds on pickups.I have seen some outstanding deals come from these places.

Leo

 

13MWZ,

Thanks for giving me somethings to think about with regard to the chains and the wheel wells. Swapping out beds would have been an interesting proposal, but as you said Texas would be quite a distance to travel.

rbloodhound,

The bed from a 93-96 (heritage, I assume) is another good idea. I believe those wheel wells are steel, aren't they?

woodbutcher05,

Thanks for the information about utility bed installers as a source for used beds. It makes a lot of sense, but I have to admit I probably wouldn't have thought of it.

Mike

 

Just avoid the 92 up the sides are fiberglass and not great at abuse.The 80-87 also has fibergalls fenders but they will take some abuse. Any 70 ish to 87 will bolt on. They do have complete bed kits, But $$$ But they are new.

 

Anything past '87 aint a real, classic looking stepside, they are Ford designed afterthought wanna-be's. (just my opinion, no offense to the '90's Flaresides)
Reamer
'86 Stepside, '48 F-5, '03 Supercrew.

 

Hi, mind if I get in on this conversation? I am also looking at the idea of swapping out the old rusted box on my '89 F250 and came across a great deal on a '93 F150 Flareside box. Any idea if this will fit? The seller told me he thinks it's a 7'. My project truck is a 3/4 ton reg cab/long box and I know the Flare is shorter, but in my opinion, if the wheel wells line up, the extra chassis out the back is really just cosmetic. I figure just trim it down and put a roll pan on it. Any opinions? Is this a doable project? Thanks.

 

I don't have the exact dimensions in front of me, but the difference between the Ford long and short beds is in front of the rear wheels, so the boxes will require a different wheel base. You would have to chop your frame to use the short box your F250.

 

Thats what I was afraid of. I guess my back up plan is to build a flat deck for it then. Thanks.

 

Here's a thought...you could always mount the short bed over the wheels and fill the gap between the cab and bed by building a custom toolbox.

 

That is an interesting answer, but I wouldn't know really how to go about doing that. Thanks though.