Got my bed in today, lol the truck thats actually 22 years older is in better condition, but I've been looking for a bed for about 8 months now.

This is going to be a massively customized project, though I intend the end result to look factory, or I suppose keep the feel of the factory, ha.


The bed is off a 1978 F100. From 73-79 the step sides used the same width and height as the 53-72 Long beds. I didn't want the stretched look of the long bed, so this worked out well. Though it is possible I may lengthen the bed just a little because of what I plan on doing with the fenders, but first pictures:














Looks a little funny at the moment, but it gives a clear view of how much needs to be removed for the wheel basing. The fenders will be widened a little, but not to fully cover the duallys as I will be swapping axles later on to a 4x4 set up and don't honestly want duallys, ha. I may lengthen the fenders a smudge, but we'll have to see on that. the wheels clear it with about an inch or two on either side. However I will have to make them "taller" which is going to prove interesting to get it to retain a proper look (hence stretching some of the other dimensions as well). The reason I need to make them "taller" is so they will reach the running boards... which I have to make. The F-600's running boards sit lower than F100s and a couple inches will need to be added to the rear fenders for it to look right.


Granite this is about a dozen different projects all revolving around one look, and I've got A LOT of custom work to do, but it should turn out pretty sweet in the end. I'll need to angle the top of the bed (easy fix) among fixing the bottom flange. Thankfully the stake holes are in great shape, I really didn't want to fix those, lol. There will be a lot of little things that have to be done till I'm happy with it all, but over all I'm happy with the bed I bought, it should make for a great start, even if it is rusty, lol.


I'll be posting a topic next week on the wheel base shortening and everything involved in getting this bed to work on my truck. (Though I think it's safe to say all the custom work is a whole different topic...)


Should be fun ^_^

 

Wow I'm glad I read through tht before I asked what you were going to do with all that middle!

There are lots of threads about frame shortening and modification. Maybe if you look through a couple when you post yours, if you have any specific questiuons it will be easier to get inputs!

Great Progress!

 

lol maybe I should go classy and just leave the space, lol.


I researched the shortening to death before I got the bed just in case it was something I couldn't do right now. I'll post the infomation I know when I do it in case it's read by others later, sorta a collective knowledge thing. I'll be re-drilling and bolting it forward rather than cutting the chassis. Cutting would be easier but it's a piece of mind thing with me, it would always linger in the back of my head...

 

Sounds good.

BTW, the houses in your neighbor hood are BEAUTIFUL ranch style! I love it!

 

lol just a couple across the street, mine is actually a 1909 Victorian

 

Cool! I love those!!!!!

Hey have you ever thought about grafting a second set of bedsides in that gap and makng it like a 10 foot long bed - whole length of the truck aft of the cab? Could be kinda neat!

 

Hey:
Looks like a cool project.

Were you advertising on Craigslist looking for a stepside bed? If so, I almost contacted you before I made the trip last month to Sundance to pick up my '53 MH F-250. I have an extra 1979 stepside bed that I thought I could have hauled there on my way out.

Anyway, glad to see you found a good bed.

Dave

 

I think you should put a sleeper in that space!!!

 

I agree just put a sleeper on there and not worry about it. lol glad you found a bed i really love those stepsides. looking forward to seeing how this turns out for you should be a neat project. and yes there are some very neat houses on Loucks St. in good ole Sheridan Wyoming. (my hometown lol)

 

Dave, yah I remember you ^_^ I think the problem was I wasn't able to close the distance, I had to have this one delievered to me, $30 from Casper ain't bad at all


Julie, I looked into lenghtening the bed... just looks a bit too odd to me, really stretched funny like that to have the wheels all the way in the back. If it was a T-800 or something with 6x6, then yah I could defeinetly see doing that with the double set of duallys in the back


And sorrry guys, lol no sleeper. She's going to be my daily driver and my business truck, it's why I wanted a truck with so much style, it gets associated with me and my work and makes a great first impression. It's also why I want to keep it '50s style and not hot rodded, well one of the reasons...