After reading all of the other old Flareside bed threads on here over the last year, the time (Winter) has finally come to starting ripping my old truck apart. The fun stuff is already done...new engine, 5spd swap, all new front end suspension. Now I have to move on to actually cleaning up the grungy appearance of the old girl. There is a space at work that I'm able to use, so that's where I started on the weekend. Don't mind my sketchy rigging job...lol. I could have screwed around with it a little longer to get the slings all evened up, but having to drill all 8 of the M12 bed mounting bolts out, some of my enthusiasm had drained away. The bed is not all that heavy anyway.







The head board is done, obviously, as is the front sill I believe.

 

The underside of the bed was well preserved with undercoating, and it looks like the bed floor crossmembers are all reusable. Isn't that great, when the only reusable parts are the cheapest ones to buy...lol. I have since removed the fenders, tail lights, steps, and rear sill. I try to do everything myself, but the 75 or so carriage bolts in the bed finally got the best of me, and I need somebody to assist from the floor side of the bed to push on the bolt heads.

 

And finally, a sexy under-bed shot. I need to clean all of the old undercoating (and rust) off the frame. I'll get everything all smooth and shiny again, and then put a fresh coat of black paint on everything. While I'm under here, I'll also be replacing the cab mounts, leaf spring bushings, the fuel tank and fuel line, all brakes and brake lines and cables. (Oh, I'll also be replacing the cab corners while the bed is off).




I know it all looks pretty grungy, but it's not as bad as it seems. Just 35 years of grunge, dirt, rust, and undercoating. The frame is a bit pitted from the rust, but it's very solid underneath the undercoating.

 

Check the shock mounts at the frame, mine "looked good" but was able to punch through the frame with a Phillips head screwdriver.
Save and mark where the wood blocks go, they are different in height, go in specific places...

 

On the carriage bolts for the bed sides I would use a cut off disc on a grinder and cut them all off.

Because I had to put the sides on and off a few times an air ratchet worked great.
Dave - - - -

 

Forever to be known as "The Reamer Test!"

I just went over mine with a ball peen hammer and it was rock solid on the passenger side. Driver's side I found a little soft spot behind the shock mount almost dead center of the 3 rivets. It was just soft enough that I was able to put a dimple in it with the peen end of the hammer. It is perforated very slightly. I'll cut the bad spot out and weld in a little patch, that's pretty easy. Thanks for the heads up. Otherwise the frame is nice...pitted a little bit from the rust, but solid. I think it'll clean up nice.

 

At this point, that is likely what will happen with most of them.

 

What did you guys use to replace the rubber on the top and bottom of the fuel tank?

Should I just go buy some 1/8" rubber gasket material and make new pieces?

Or something else?

 

First, on the shock mount, there should be a "drain detent" in the actual shock mount at the bottom where it mates to the frame. It fills with road crap at creates a "mini pond" make sure the weep detent is open.
On the tank, since I'm in the Flexo plate business, I have a roll of 0.107" rubber, I cut some strips to cover the straps. then I also made a rubber "cover" for the top of the tank.
Now that the bed is off, you can see massive corrosion in the gap area between the cab wall and the bed head board, made the cover to protect the top of the new tank.

 

I've used bicycle tire inner tube, and I've read where others have done the same.

 

I thought of inner tube material, but I was thinking of larger tubes like used on truck tires. In any case, I think this shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the replies gents.

 

I used fake grass carpet, it is plastic so will not hold water.
I put the green side to the tank, the bottom black to the straps so you can't see it is fake grass.
Besides it was like $8 for a 3x6 foot roll.
Dave - - - -

 

Hey Fuzz.... Wont the fake grass act as a "wet toothbrush?"
Water will sit in between the bristles, as a moisture trap between the strap and tank....
I'm concerned using flat rubber strips where water does get in between, you may trap tons more and not know it...

 

So I've gotten just about everything yanked out of the frame now. Removed the rear electrical harness, the rear brake lines, and the fuel line.

Question:

What to do for a new fuel line? Have a new steel tube bent to fit? What have you guys done?

Any other solutions or suggestions?

What did you guys do with the vent line that runs up the passenger side to the charcoal canister in the engine bay? I'd like to replace this also...not sure how I'd get it all bent to fit properly however....hmmm...

 

I used all new brake line steel...You have to be handy with the tubing bender...