Great site you have here. I'm probably going to be stopping by occasionally since I purchased a '72 F-350 today. It has a 10' Galion dump bed on it and it only has 63K miles. It's in really good shape for its age and pretty much everything still works on it, from the windshield washers to all the gauges to the AM radio. I'm going to try to bring back the shine to the original paintjob, clean up the interior, and replace the cherry bomb glass pack on it with a real muffler. Here's what it looks like. I got it for $3K....

 

Looks straight and solid. Galion always did build a stong dump body.

 

MBP,
Nice ride Bro, You could make some extra $$$ with it hauling gravel ETC. on the side for people.

 

There's already half a dozen people who want gravel, rocks, mulch, etc. so it looks like I'll be making some extra money. The place that sells this stuff charges $100 for delivery so I'm going to charge half that....

 

Wow - if not for the grille - it's nearly identical to the 68 we used to use for landscaping. Great truck - hauled loads! Easy on the gravel, though you don't want to overload it & break something! And I wouldn't just half their delivery price - Try $85 - a little cheaper, but you'll need to $$ when the first repair bill comes in. And not sure @ where you are, but check into insurance & registration rates if you intend to haul for hire...

 

It's a good looking rig. like said above don't cut the rates in half, it is already a cut throat business and you will find out soon enough why they charge 100 bucks. that rate is likely for larger trucks and there is a niche in the ebusiness for smaller truck loads but try to keep your rates up.

 

I have to agree on this one. Cut the rate a bit to get the work but don't cut your financial throat in the process. I've seen truck owners commit to rates only to have fuel prices spike and nearly put them out of business.

 

I'm in the Louisville, KY area. I would be hauling mainly for relatives and friends so I wouldn't try to get rich off of them.

I'm going to paint the outside of the dump bed so what kind of paint should I use? Also, I'd like to coat the inside of the bed with something strong and tough similar to a spray on bedliner. Can I buy that stuff someplace? If so, what's it called and where can I find it? Thanks....

 

If you have access to the equipment to spray it I'd go with acrylic enamal with a hardener additive. If you are going to brush it I'd use Rustoleum. For the inside most owners don't paint them since it will get destroyed by stones, dirt, ect. Asphalt haulers spray the inside of the bed with diesel fuel to prevent the loads from sticking. The best thing you can do to help the inside of the bed is raise it a foot or so when the truck is parked for longer than a few days. This keeps water and snow from collecting on the floor.

 

I would just brush it on so I'll go with the Rustoleum. Do you know what shade of blue this is called? If I can't find something close I'll probably go with black. I think I can bring the paint on the cab back to life with a good washing and heavy coat of wax. Thanks for the info. There's probably going to be a lot more questions coming in the future....

 

The paint on the cab is chaulked but it doesn't look that bad. Before you wax it though you might try some fine rubbing compound. A less expensive way is to scrub it with a light kitchen cleanser, rinse it a couple times then wax it after it's had a chance to dry. I always used Bon Ami brand but others will work too. This is an old used car lot trick that really works for white or light pastel colors.

 

You do not want want bedliner in the dump bed for sure. it will make your load stick, even with a slick bed some materials have a tendency to stick, and this can get squirelly in a big hurry with your bed up and material stuck in the top corners.

 

Never go under a dump body unless it is supported with steel props or heavy timber. Never dump where the truck isn't level from side to side. Never dump with an underinflated or flat rear tire. Always look for overhead obstructions ( tree limbs, power lines, signs, ect.) before raising the body. Always remain in the cab while dumping. Always keep the cab doors shut while dumping. Always replace broken/damaged rear springs in matched pairs. If the truck doesn't sound or feel right while dumping lower the bed BEFORE you get out to investigate the cause.

Be safe.

 

Thanks for the tips. I worked for a roofing company for 5 years and drove a liftbed/dump truck and that was a lot bigger than this one and I never managed to tip it over. I remember another company that tipped over a liftbed full of gravel at a new car dealer and destroyed two brand new Buicks a few years ago....

 

One other tidbit of advice - if u have a tow hitch on it, don't just drop the gate - always chain it so it is more or less in plane with the floor of the bed.
Ask me how I know? 2 bent tailgates!