Replacement bed panels for '65

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Oct 24, 2007 | 05:52 PM

Hakk

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 194

Likes: 0

From: Minneapolis

Replacement bed panels for '65

I'm looking for replacement bed panels for my '65 styleside. I bought the panels for '67-72 from LMC (49-8072) and they are sooo bad!!

Anyone have good luck with an aftermarket bed panel?

Oct 24, 2007 | 07:41 PM

garbz2

Post Fiend

Joined: Nov 2000

Posts: 6,060

Likes: 7

From: Glendale Arizona

Rick at Carolina Classics is accepting feed back to produce a 3 piece full floor panel for 64 to 66 and 67 up.

Oct 24, 2007 | 09:13 PM

FXDC4419

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 180

Likes: 0

That is something that is really needed. It is to late for me, I just finished replacing my Bed Floor with 1/8" Diamond plate for lack of a better replacement. I looked for a donor Bed for along time. The only ones I found were either to expensive, attached trucks that you would not want to remove them from or just too far away (Ebay) You can see how the diamond plate is looking so far there are pictures in my gallery if anyone is interested. As for Bed Panels that's a tough one, good reproduction sheet metal can be hard to come by. Good Luck with your search.

Oct 25, 2007 | 05:49 AM

Hakk

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 194

Likes: 0

From: Minneapolis

Well I guess I'll try making a hammerform to do my own. It won't be as nice as a professional stamping, but at least I can get 90 degree bends with the right raised height. The 45s on the panels I got from LMC look like crap to me.

edit: the diamond plate looks nice. That wouldn't be a bad way to go either, IMO. A little heavier, but I'm sure it would work great. The weight would probably improve the ride of my F-250...

Last edited by Hakk; Oct 25, 2007 at 05:55 AM.

Oct 25, 2007 | 07:09 AM

FXDC4419

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 180

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hakk

Thanks, I was worried about how it would look. I am pleased with the way it came out. The weight is a concern, however even though it is a F100 the springs a pretty heavy. If I remember right they have 6 or 7 leaves, so hopefully it will just improve the ride. Also alot of weight came out as well with the removal of the old floor. Good luck with your Bed Panels, you know I have seen some of them on Ebay before. If you are not in a hurry you might want to watch it closely for awhile. You may already be doing this, but I have my search for parts set up to email me when there is anything new. Just a thought.

Thanks again

Oct 25, 2007 | 06:04 PM

Hakk

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 194

Likes: 0

From: Minneapolis

Quote:

Originally Posted by garbz2

Rick at Carolina Classics is accepting feed back to produce a 3 piece full floor panel for 64 to 66 and 67 up.

I wasn't sure what to say when I first read your post, because I want to rip the bed off my pickup in the next couple weeks.

After thinking about it, I would buy the parts from Rick for sure if I can get them in the next month and the price is not unreasonably high. I don't want to wait too long though, because I have too many vehicles!! I have to finish this project this winter / next spring so I can get rid of another vehicle and then go on to the next project.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FXDC4419

Thanks for the advice. Do you have a guess at how much the diamond plate weighed? I would assume you used steel plate - is that right?

Last edited by Hakk; Oct 25, 2007 at 06:13 PM.

Oct 25, 2007 | 10:01 PM

FXDC4419

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 180

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hakk

Yes it is steel plate, the piece I got was 5'x10' x1/8"and weighed about 308 lbs. There was maybe 30 to 40 lbs. left over. There was also about 51 lbs. of 3/8 x 2" flat strap used. The flat strap was used to fill in the area on the bed crossmembers to compensate for the corrogated metal originally used in the center bed floor. It is no doubt heavier than it was, however it is probably not as bad as it would seem. The metal that was taken out is much heavier than one might think. That was when they still put metal in cars and trucks. I hope this is of help to you or anyone that might read it. I should have taken more detailed pictures so that it would be even more helpful.