Is there many of you who have constructed their own roll pans?...I've seen a couple of post on here about doing it. Any templates? guage used? I'm staying with side tail lights so won't have them designed in the roll pan

 

Since the pan would be straight, the only hard part about building your own would be the ends and even they are relatively easy. Use 20 ga. cold rolled steel, have a sheet meta shop brake a flange on both long edges, a wider one for mounting (unless you plan on welding it on) and a narrower one to stiffen the bottom edge. Roll the sheet over a piece of pipe until it is the shape you want. If you need hints on doing that without forming humps and bumps just ask. Now you need to decide what type ends you want. They could be just flat with squared corner, flat with radiused corner or full round like a section of an orange peel. If you have not done any metal shaping before, the first is the easiest, the second requires just a little woodworking skills and a router, the third requires the most work, time, and tools but is still not beyond a novice's first taste of forming. Decide if you want to tackle this, which style of end (I'd suggest the second for the best combo of appearance and ease) and post again to this topic for further help.

 

I think I like the second as well, I would consider some curve at the corners, I also, wanted to fill the gap at the rear fender, but most likely the second suggestion as I havn't descided running a bumper

 

I bought a roll pan, not as many choices as you think..

this one has a step then curve.. look at my gallery (paint starts & ends, or out in the sun sections)

couple things to think about

they make stake pocket extensions to fill the dead space on the roll pan, the step on mine killed the use of those fillers.
there is a gap between the bottom of the fiberglass fenders and the sidewall of the roll pan.. maybe you care, maybe not.. too late for me to do anything about it.

IF you put a bed floor gas tank in, do NOT put it INSIDE the chassis, unless you intend to take the bed off to get the tank out. lots of fun there. I had to do a cutout on the rollpan for the gas tank, and as AX mentioned, make a flange on the bottom edge for anti-flex support.

make sure you think about exhaust pipe path/location, and if THRU the roll pan, cut the holes sooner rather than later. (makes you commit early to exhaust routing, make sure all the other parts of the path work, my suspension is in the way).

think about bed wood mounting.. the usual gate end board bolts go THRU the end rail. oops, you can't get up inside it anymore for the nuts & washers.

also think about the seam between the rolled edge and the side.. make sure it is primed/rust proofed, so after paint you don't get ugly results from the water that WILL get into that seam.

Sam

 

"IF you put a bed floor gas tank in, do NOT put it INSIDE the chassis,"

even if I build a frame for the tank? Maybe I'll want to have it flanged on both long sides as AX suggested, I can then bolt it instead of welding...

 

correct, even if you build a frame.. do NOT set the frame inside the chassis rails. I had that on the 16gal stang tank, and luckily changed to the 20gal tank, which forced me to mount the tank under the frame rails (due to the top bulge on the tank).

from John Niolon's clubfte site, here is inside the chassis

and here is under the chassis


if you do the first, and you need to remove the tank after you mount the roll pan, you are toast..

sam

 

Hmm, I like the under the chassis...however, it looks like there might be a clearence issue with running exhaust pipes out the back?...what do you think?

 

Sam, you made some good points, and I agree with you about the tank location, under the frame rails rather then on top of the frame ,………….. But (always a but) if you have installed a new tank the only reasons (?) for having to take it out should be a puncture or vandalism? I kind of like the aesthetics of the frame rails supporting the tank, just my Virgo crap. Not sure what I’m going to do for box floor, kina wanted to make it useable so no fancy smancy wood, waiting for an epiphany, (and waiting).

 

I made a roll pan on my first truck, they're honestly not too difficult, just takes a little time getting the curve to match perfectly, helps if you make a negative copy of the edge of the bed it's to match.

Also a good place to put in a licence plate, or a flip down plate if you want it clean for shows.

 

I built my front pan, with little to no special tools, It worked out pretty well I think. I welded the mounting tabs on the ends as AX decribed. I plan on building my rear pan with much the same medtods.
pics of the front pan

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...100772&width=0
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...111760&width=0

 

I built my roll pan from flat 18 guage stock. Made the license plate pocket for it as well. Not very difficult. Pics in my gallery..... AX covers most of the points to be aware of. I have no metal shaping tools, just pieces of angle iron, work bench edges and (hand held) body tools... also grabbed a thick 4 inch diameter cardboard tube from the garbage at work for rolling the sheet on for the curvature......

Took a plain, store bought gravel pan for the front and made the license plate pocket for it as well as the "sculptured" holes for the driving lights...

Just be careful modifying panels - it soon becomes an obsession and you can't stop. (Only my front fenders will be stock when the body work finishes this summer)

 

there will be clearance issues either way.. we're talking about barely over an inch swing here, below on top of the box frame vs inside on top of the the box frame.

here are a couple pics of the rear and a view of the side of the roll pan at the tailgate area. this is at ride height. I can measure if you're interested.

Sam

 

yeah, that looks nice -n-tight...its a good fit and has that finished look...

 

thanks.. notice the little ridge across at the top of the license plate box. If this were a little straighter then the stake pocket extensions would fit.
they are flush on one side, flanged on the other, page 114 on the Midfifty catalog.

Sam

 

yeah I see, So are running your exausts out the front of the rear tire, or continuing out the rear