any stakebed photos?

[Tony_Urwin]

This stakebed was completely dis-assembled for restoration when I bought the truck. Anyone have any photos or diagraams that would help me with re-assembly? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Merle Coggins]

It looks to be assembled in that picture.

[Tony_Urwin]

Looks good doesn't it? However, the PO decided to remove the entire bed, for paint and fancier wood. He found some rust, and had some new crossmembers fabricated. I'll have to paint the framework, and figure out how it all goes back together.

[Zeke1953]

That doesn't look like an original stake bed - the sides are too low and the steel frame pieces are different. Dodge made 7 1/2, 9 and 12 foot stake bodies. Mine is a 1953 7 1/2 foot 3/4 ton model. (There's a picture in my profile.) My stake sides are off the truck while I'm preparing them for painting. If you want, I can post some pictures this weekend. Zeke

[Reg Evans]

You could order your stake body from several different makers such as Midwest,Obeco,Perfection and Gerstenslager.

I use to own a 48 1 ton with a bed just like this one with the rounded front corners.

Shoulda kept it. I bought in Benicia,Ca. for $225 in the early 90's and drove it 120 miles to my home.

[Tony_Urwin]

Zeke, I would very much appreciate any photos that you could take from above or below!

I haven't seen any photos of a stakebed like this one yet either. You are certainly right that most stakebeds had much higher sides. Anyone else know of stakebeds with lower sides like this one? The PO had the metal stakes and stake pockets powder-coated, and some other parts chrome plated.

I'd like to find out if it is historically correct or just prettied up for show.

[BobT-47P15]

Tony, I have seen quite a few pickup size flatbeds with the low sides, done up nice like the P O had them. More for show than actual use. How much ya gonna haul back there if you use it in your new business???? You might let that dictate how high the sides should be. And if you're going to actually haul things, you may not want to make the floor just like the hardwoods in

your house.

[Tony_Urwin]

According to the sellers (the previous owner's son), the only parts missing are the bed wood. The PO was replacing the bed lumber and only saved the outer slats for templates. I believe that the bed wood came from the factory painted or stained black.

I want to keep this vehicle as stock as possible. The PO went to a lot of trouble to restore or preserve it that way. I guess I could be forgiven for a varnished bed or radial tires, though. Stuff that can easily be changed back.

[Zeke1953]

Reg is right. Dodge sold their own stakebodies, which, I think, were actually manfactured by the Gerstenlager Company and they also sold trucks with just a flat bed and trucks with no bed at all. The "flat face cowl" model didn't even have a windshield! Other companies put all different types of bodies on these trucks from woodies to fire engines. They really were "Job Rated". I'll take some pictures and measurements of my stakes this weekend and post them. Zeke

[Zeke1953]

The stake panels on my truck have been removed for prep and painting, so I assembled them in my driveway today and took the attached pictures. I also obtained the following measurements: All wood is 3/4 inch thick; there are three boards each on all sections - the bottom board is 8 3/4" wide and the other two are each 5 1/4" wide; each side is 90 1/4" long; the front and back sections are both 77 3/4" wide; the height of all sections is 30"; the bottom of the metal brackets that fit into the slots in the bed are 5" long except for the third one from the front on both sides, which are only 2 3/4". These measurements are from a 7 1/2 foot stakebody, which is all original, as far as I know. Zeke

[Zeke1953]

Here's another try at the photos. Zeke

[Tony_Urwin]

Thanks, Zeke! The posts, or "stakes" on my bed are shaped exactly like yours, except that mine are shorter. 28" on the front of the bed, and 21" on the other three sides.

I would like to know the dimensions of your bed if it's not too much trouble.

Here's another question for you- How wide are the boards that make up the bed floor? I have only the two outside boards (the ones that are notched for the stake pockets). Local hardwood dealer has the 1" white oak for the bed, but I need to know how wide to rip the planks.

[Zeke1953]

Right now my truck is at the welding shop having the front cab corners rebuilt. I got a good price for the work, but they've had it in the shop for six weeks now. Hopefully, it should be done soon. (I'd like to drive it in the July 4th parade this year.) When it comes back, I will post the dimensions of the bed and floor planks. Zeke

[MBF]

Here's what I did with mine. I used 1 x 6 clear trim for the sideboards, and some oak of the same dimensions for the front (poor man's headache rack)

The black metal panels were originally in the center of the stakesides, but I like this look better. Mike

[jroddick]

Here's a modern stakebed for you. It's my Fuso work truck, the slats and deck are made from Apitong and have held up well to quite a bit of abuse.

the truck does double duty as an RV.

[Zeke1953]

My truck is back from the welding shop and ready for me to paint and re-assemble. They did a really nice job repairing the front cab corners. I measured the bed tonight and it is 84" wide x 90" long. There are ten planks, each 7 1/2" wide x 1" thick with a 3/4 wide x 3/8" deep strip routed out of both edges for the skid strips to fit into, except the two outside planks, which are bolted into the bed frame. Zeke

[Steven Hood]

I'm not 100% sure, but I am 90% that my flat bed is a Gerstenslager bed, but the stakes ar long gone, and was replaced with this grain box before I bought it. These bed photos may help a bit.

Steve

[Reg Evans]

Speaking of stake beds I have a hell slough of ~6' long new oak stakes with metal ends. Anyone interested in buying them?

[Tony_Urwin]

Thanks for the photo, Reg. I was wondering where to put those U-shaped bolts that connect the rails to the frame. I can see that yours were bolted together at the front and rear.

Do you have anything across the front of the bed besides the front crossmember? Any angle across the front, or is the angle only used across the wood at the back?

[Reg Evans]

Thanks for the photo, Reg. I was wondering where to put those U-shaped bolts that connect the rails to the frame. I can see that yours were bolted together at the front and rear.

Do you have anything across the front of the bed besides the front crossmember? Any angle across the front, or is the angle only used across the wood at the back?

You are welcome Tony but those are not my photos. They are Steven Hoods photos.

[Reg Evans]

This is just too cool even though I've never heard of a FUSO or Apitong. What kind of engine does the Fuso have?

Here's a modern stakebed for you. It's my Fuso work truck, the slats and deck are made from Apitong and have held up well to quite a bit of abuse.

the truck does double duty as an RV.

[jroddick]

This is just too cool even though I've never heard of a FUSO or Apitong. What kind of engine does the Fuso have?

Thanks. The Mitsubishi (Daimler Benz) Fuso has a 4.9 litre 4 cyl. diesel with a 6 spd. double overdrive auto trans. It also has 4 wheel disc brakes with twin calipers on each disc. The 4x4 version only comes with a manual 5 spd. and drum brakes. They see a lot of use as expedition vehicles. Go to "expedition campers .com" and you'll see a bunch of examples. For some reason I can't get a link to work, it puts my whole message in the URL. Weird.