Truck bed question......
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Over Your Shoulder.......
Truck bed question......
Hello all,
I have a 1984 F150 Longbed and I recently replaced the bed with one from a 1989 F150. As we all know the wheel arch designs are different. I'm going to have to put patch panels in it anyway. My question is has anyone used 80-86 patch panels on an 87-96 bed? So the design would match front and rear. The patch panels go all the way down from the bed crease. Thanks for looking.
I have a 1984 F150 Longbed and I recently replaced the bed with one from a 1989 F150. As we all know the wheel arch designs are different. I'm going to have to put patch panels in it anyway. My question is has anyone used 80-86 patch panels on an 87-96 bed? So the design would match front and rear. The patch panels go all the way down from the bed crease. Thanks for looking.
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Over Your Shoulder.......
The guy I bought the truck off of left it out of gear and it rolled backward down into a creek trashing the rear of the bed. It hit so hard it dented the cab. I bought the "newer bed" for $125. I could fix it without patch panels. I was just wondering if anyone had used the larger panels to replicate the OE bed. No offense taken....Good beds around here are expensive, more than I paid for the truck.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 399
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From: Winnipeg Canada
I'm doing the same thing. I could not find a solid rust-free box up here but I did manage to get a great 1995 short box for my '80 F100. I've got the side panels and will be getting the body work done in a few weeks. I know the tailgate and lights aren't '80-'86 correct but that's OK with me. This where I'm at now.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
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click my on my cardomain. i got one off a 96 and i got the original body lines. it was a PITA tho. At first I thought just buying the replacement wheel arches would do the job the guy at the body shop told me that it would be too hard and time consuming matchin up the body lines and the bottom wasnt gonna match up (the bottom of the new bed to the bottom of the wheel arch panel). In the end they told me the 94 bed was warped from when they put the fork lift at the junkyard so I had to buy yet another bed. This time I bought an 86 bed and he molded the 96 back and tailgate along with roll pan.
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From: Over Your Shoulder.......
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thanks. the finished product came out nice but i spent $600+ on just beds lol. If you dont mind paying and have a good body man, you can just buy the replacement wheel arches and try to mold them. My body guy told me if he didnt take his time and weld everything correctly, he could end up warping the side panel and ruining that whole side
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From: Out of here
Diesel Brad had a good suggestion regarding this type of work and recommended using panel adhesive instead of welding.
You won't have to worry about warping the panels from the welding and that stuff is uber strong.
Just an idea if you decide to try what you are contemplating. Personally, I wouldn't do it either way. I would just find a good 80/86 bed. By the time you buy the patch panels and all of the labor to install them, you might as well just buy the correct bed and be done with it.
It may end up costing you a little more, but in the long run it'll be easier and better IMO.
You won't have to worry about warping the panels from the welding and that stuff is uber strong.
Just an idea if you decide to try what you are contemplating. Personally, I wouldn't do it either way. I would just find a good 80/86 bed. By the time you buy the patch panels and all of the labor to install them, you might as well just buy the correct bed and be done with it.
It may end up costing you a little more, but in the long run it'll be easier and better IMO.
