i dont plan on using any, but i suppose one could buy some replacements or just make them, nothing to fancy about them

 

The stake pockets are cheap enough to buy, about $30, the earlier (1950 and older) are a few dollars more but would look really good on the later flat sided box.

If you go back and look at the truck that they "Overhauled" for Chip Foose I think they put the early style rounded stake pockets on his bed.

Bobby

 

I haven work on my truck in a few months, but i will start back in the fall and post some new pictures.

 

I have a few pictures of a bed that i made two years ago. I made both bed sides,front panel,wheel tubs,rollpan and tailgate all for under $ 200.00 dollars. Its nice to work for a small sheet metal shop.

 

I have a few pictures of a bed i made

 

As Bobby stated, the stake pockets are moderately priced, in fact the metal shop was amazed at their cost , based on the amount of work it would take to make them. I went with the early 48-50 pockets, prefer the look over the later years. I will also go with 48-50 front panel, if I decide not to repair my original, I like the rolled detail.

Tom

 

when welding tubing on top of box side; will 1" tacks suffice or should it be solid bead ? Godda watch for warping either way.

Tom

 

Take you time and stitch weld 1", or smaller, welds. Do on move to another part a foot or so away and let the other weld cool down. Continue stitching until you have a solid weld. That's what I do. Just take your time and don't heat up a big area all at once.

 

the 1" tacks will suffice strength wise, but a full weld is easier to finish, so i guess the choise is yours

 

Tom,

When I was welding on my tailgate I got anxious. I was stiching it together welding approx 1" at a time and going back and forth from one side to the other. I got carried away and didn't let it cool to the touch before moving back to the same area. As a result my tailgate has a slight bow across the top roll, its a fairly gentle curve and I think I can "tweak" it.

Basically I learned my lesson, take your time and be patient. I would bet that if you stitch welded the upper roll to the bedside and then went over the whole seam with seam sealer you would be OK.

Another thing, at what orientation are you going to be welding the tube to the bedside? Will the bedside meat the curve of the tube at a tangent like this O_ or in the center like this O-?
I would guess that it would meet on a tangent witht the tube below the bedside. That would make the welding a bit easier I think. In that case I think you could stitch it with several decent welds along the length and the fill the areas in between with numerous tacks as filler, then grind it all down smooth and away you go.

Bobby

 

Bobby;


I'll use the original as a reference, I think the rolled tubing meets the top kick ( 47 degrees) at about one o'clock. As you say, patience will be the key factor. I'm think of using air; to speed the cooling process; good idea ?

Tom

 

No. Using air to cool the area will make it shrink. Just let everything cool naturally. When it is room temperature, tack some more. That's the best way to control shrinkage.

FF56 told me once that he just lays a couple of tacks on whenever he walks by it for a few days. Now that's patience!

 

Tom,

As Randy said, there's no short cuts, let it cool naturally. On the bright side since you are working on both bedsides that give you tons of different areas that you can work on while waiting for things to cool.

Bobby

 

Bobby, is the truck in a mag?? If so I can look in the shed.
Jon

 

Jon,

I don't think so. Its a local Alb truck that I've seen around town a few times. I talked to the guy one day down at Mild 2 Wild and I took some pics of it. Who knows what I did with the pics. Its a 48-54 Chevy with metallic chocolate brown paint. I havent seen it around this summer but then again, I havent been able to make it to any of the cruise nights either.

Bobby