Original wood beds
 

Just trying to find some pictures of a original wood bed. I'm about to buy one for 150. Just wanna make sure it hasn't been messed with.

Re: Original wood beds
 

ttt for some pictures...I know that the NOS bed wood was black coated and the strips were sometimes painted black and sometimes body color from what I've seen....

To avoid confusion of those reading editing this because I misspoke and of course many times the wood was painted body color from the factory...with matching strips

Re: Original wood beds
 

The original ones that I have seen were body color, wood and strips. I have seen the NOS wood, and that is black, but as far as I know the wood beds were painted body color in the factory.

Edit: can you post a picture on here? We could tell you if it appears original. If there is a for sale ad take the picture from the ad.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Not every wood bed had black wood floor. I have seen 71-72's with Body color wood and strips. My buddy actually had a 72' that was bought from the original owner with factory ochre wood strips. Trevor

Re: Original wood beds
 

i recall going to the dealer, with parents in 66 to pick up 67 short step with wood bed...
the planks were painted black and the metal strips were black

Re: Original wood beds
 

My original black 69 with wood floor has black wood and black stips.
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Re: Original wood beds
 

ok, taint a 67-72, but it is the original stuff and look. Starting to warp pretty good but i can't complain. I think the body color thing started in 67(?)

Re: Original wood beds
 

The body color painted wood beds started in '67. Here are some pictures. The bed wood installation book from Mar-K would be a very good start. Three original paint Longhorns below. A C/30 9' Stepside and a brochure.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Meant booklet, can't find mine. The joy of too many books...
Here is a catalog clip to illustrate. Assembly and service manuals as well of course.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Here's my '67 after I removed the steel plate the original owner had put in it:

Re: Original wood beds
 

If I remember correctly,it may be that the body color matched floors started in '68 or '69. It's been a while since I've had this conversation. Maybe someone with a known '67 or '68 can verify this.

Re: Original wood beds
 

the 67 i just got had a cap/sleeper on it since 68 .This is what was under it.



http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...s/IMG_4710.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...s/IMG_0318.jpg

Re: Original wood beds
 

My original 68 Anniversary is re-painted on top,but is black underneath.
Mike.:chevy:

Re: Original wood beds
 

thanks everyone !

Re: Original wood beds
 

-
Here is my original '70. Had a camper in it all it's life. It has A-7-70 stamped in one of the pieces of wood.

LockDoc

Re: Original wood beds
 

Here is a clip from the '68 picture I posted. When it resized during posting the colors went away.
Also we seem to have strayed from the original posting a bit. One thing I'm wondering kcfirstbuild, are you looking for stepside or fleetside info?

Re: Original wood beds
 

My 68 with original bed wood.

Re: Original wood beds
 

The Stepsides I've had were painted body color. But,I've never had a '67 or '68.

Re: Original wood beds
 

I have a 68 longbed fleetside. My steel floor has to many dents to fix so I'm going to pick up a long bed wood floor box. From my understanding is that i can use my original bed sides. I would use the sills, header, and the rear sill from the donor bed.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Not exactly but you are on the right track, Some parts are specific. If you want an original looking bed you will need wood wheelhousings. Again Mar-K has a lot of tech info you can read on their site and booklets for replacing a wood bed or converting a metal bed to wood (its close but not exact). Then of course you could always replace the metal floor as well. See post #9.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Wood wheel housings ?

Re: Original wood beds
 

Second Question, Will I be ok mounting the bed to the frame with out wood in it yet ? Until I save up for the wood ?

Re: Original wood beds
 

That would be a first for me as well....

I learn something new every day but if there's a difference I've never been told or seen it....

Re: Original wood beds
 

I have never put a wood bed in, so I may be wrong, but I am almost certain the bed sides and front sit on the wood. I don't think you can properly mount it to the bed without the wood in there. I did own a truck that the PO had previouisly put plywood in, and that worked just fine. It may be an option for you until you can afford nicer wood.

Re: Original wood beds
 

There is apparently a difference in the flange shape or hole pitch or hole diameter where the bed outter strips meet the wheel tub. At this point I cannot remember, it was back about '94 when I was looking into this with GSPP. Went and dug through a box and pulled some catalogs to try and answer this question.
"Bed strips are modified to allow the use of the sheet metal bed's original inner fender" Eventually I bought a wood bed that turned out to have about a gallon of filler smoothed into it! The deal that wasn't. Anyway it stuck in my mind as a difference. Like to hear someone else chime in on this. Close up pictures of known original wood bed tubs and steel floor tubs are requested. Something tight along the rear flanges should do it.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Picked up a stepside bed off a 1968 orange donor truck at Pull a part and the wood that was left was painted to match the body color.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/gallery/...orange_bed.jpg

(PS, rails were orange also)

Re: Original wood beds
 

My '67 had the very rare invisible wood option.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Oh yeah,you just reminded me. Many trucks have air colored bed wood.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Wow that is cool. I never knew that info about the wood being painted the same color as body.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Original paint on my short bed. Never seen any difference in wheel tubs from wood bed to steel floor.

Re: Original wood beds
 

Wow ! There's one with an invisible cab!

Re: Original wood beds
 

Oh I missed that

Re: Original wood beds
 

I pulled these out of pick a parts myself, so I know for a fact that one of these was from a wood bed and one was from a steel floor, but I can't remember which is which. The both look the same to me.

Re: Original wood beds
 

And the common invisible tailgate.....;)

Re: Original wood beds
 

You don't see them? They are air colored. There were many made that color,you just don't know when you're looking at one.

Re: Original wood beds
 

How was the bed mounted to the truck, I plan on running it like for a while till i save enough for wood?

Re: Original wood beds
 

Thanks for the pictures. They certainly do look alike. I'm going to have to dig deeper into this but it appears to be based on incorrect information given to me (see the picture) quite a while back. With GSPP ownership change and the time frame, I'm sure there isn't a way there to trace this out. If there was a difference in production tubs it likely wasn't present in service replacement parts. They were intended to cover as many applications as possible by function. So a parts catalog listing might, but isn't likely, show a difference either. Anyone care to look these up and see if there is a notation relevant to RPO "E81 FLOOR BOARD"?

Re: Original wood beds
 

These through bolts and gravity. Might have to be a bit creative in the interim.

Re: Original wood beds
 

The cross sills that go under the wood bolt to the frame. When you bolt the bed sides to the cross sills you will have to shim the sides up the thickness of the missing wood or it will angle down in front since the rear of the bed sits on the frame. With out a floor the bed is very flimsy so care should be used to avoid damaging anything.
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Re: Original wood beds
 

Very True! Seen more than one bed just flopping the free distance on the through bolts due to missing or pulled through planks. Here are a couple of shots to show how the through bolts go down through the planks and some of the cross sills at the frame brackets. Please note however the strip bolts and washers are missing in the pictures. Some sills/channels just bear on the frame assembly. But the wood planks and strips tie the whole bed together. Pre-shaped wood and new hardware (strips too) make it go pretty quick (don't forget the heat shield/s). Of course some people just wing it all together, like the last picture.