53 B4C bed wood

[tanda62]

The time has come to order wood for the bed.  Before you ask, I did a search and could not find an answer to the questions I am posing.  Has anyone ordered bed wood for a 1953 B4C?  Did you get it pre-drilled?  Was it drilled correctly?  Were the rear fender cutouts correct?

I see that Mar-K (http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/index.aspx?LID=835)   and Bed Wood (https://bedwoodandparts.com/series-171832-1953-dodge-fargo-b-4-c-highside-bed-wood-sets.html#!year%3D1953||model%3DLONG STEPSIDE%2C BED LENGTH 88 INCHES||submodel%3DLONG STEPSIDE||make%3DDODGE)        

have wood specifically for my application.  Has anyone used either of these?  Was the wood correct? 

 

I am really wondering if I might be better off just buying some wood planks and cutting/drilling them myself.  Of course it sure would be nice if one of the above makes a product that works, saving me a lot of work.

 

Thanks to anyone with information.

Tom

 

I also got my doors on but found the passenger side glass developed a crack while stored - guess it had separation anxiety being out of the truck - okay bad pun.  Had to order new glass, so waiting for it to finish out the doors.

[Plymouthy Adams]

no experience with these companies...but unless you know there have been zero changes in your bed, everything squared up as factory a NON DRILLED kit may be of use to you.   I would not personally order a drilled kit...too many variables in the mix over a long period of time that is the age of the vehicle.

[kencombs]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

no experience with these companies...but unless you know there have been zero changes in your bed, everything squared up as factory a NON DRILLED kit may be of use to you.   I would not personally order a drilled kit...too many variables in the mix over a long period of time that is the age of the vehicle.

Agree with this wholeheartedly!!

 

and once you compare the cost of raw wood to a kit, the DIY choice really seems attractive.  Plus, one can select the species of lumber and individual boards for best appearance. 

[tanda62]

This is why this forum is so valuable.  Good insight and an angle I had not considered. Thanks 

[JBNeal]

Finding decent lumber can be a challenge in certain locations, and if ya don't have the right tools and processing information, then buying outright from a specialty supplier is the way to go...I want to build and finish my beds, but I have some surviving lumber that shows me that I need a good rabbet cut on each board and a few recessed cuts for the big crossmember washers...local lumber suppliers specialize in all-you-can-eat split'n'warped knotty pine, even the Grade 1 sticks got a little attitude...so I figured when I'm ready, I'll take the truck up 35 and across the river to Mar-K and pickup an order directly...maybe I can sweet talk them into a vintage workhorse discount 

[ggdad1951]

I've seen may kits for trucks, everybody loves Horky, and while Bruce is a great guy, his stuff isn't right for Dodge trucks 100%.  Same goes with Mar-K and the like.  If you have a small bit of woodworker in you, doing it yourself isn't that hard,  especially if you aren't looking for the polished fancy wood route and want a black painted stock bed or one that you will use.  Even if you don't have the original boards to use as templates, it's not that hard.  I have a whole thread on doing a bed yourself and there are other threads as well.   

[Young Ed]

I'm slowly doing the bed on my 47 project. The hardest part I had was finding boards the correct thickness. On mine I ended up thicker and used thinker crossmembers to arrive at the same total height. However on a newer truck with steel crossmembers that wouldn't be an option. So if you can  a source that will sell you a specific thickness then the rest is pretty easy.

 

My other truck has boards from Mar-K. They came with the grooves for the strips already cut. I had to drill the 8 holes for the bed holddown bolts and then it was ready to go. 

[tanda62]

I am hoping to clear up confusion and/or confirm something with the bed supports.  It looks like on the support nearest the cab spans far enough to have a bolt in the metal part of the bed, but it is only one of the four.  So, my conclusion is the wood is doing the actual support of the metal part of the bed. Have I got this right or am I missing something with the supports?

Thanks for any helping a confused person...

 

 

[Merle Coggins]

You have that right. The wood is attached to the cross members. The bed sides are attached to the wood. And 3 of the 4 cross members get bolted down to the frame with long bolts through wood and metal.

[tanda62]

Thanks for the prompt reply and clearing up the confusion!

[JBNeal]

I can attest that if the bed wood isn't in place, that the grease zerk for the front shackle does not line up with the access hole in the side panel between the running board and bed floor flange 

[ggdad1951]

see this thread:

 

 

[JBNeal]

grey beard did a write-up on his reflooring experience that has some good insights

[tanda62]

Got my bed wood from Bedwoodandparts.com in pine and have cut, drilled and test fitted.  Always a little nerve racking to make those first cuts!  Thanks to many who have written about their install and helped answer my questions.

Now I just need a couple of decent days to paint it black and do the final install.  The wood is nice and came nicely sanded and grooved for the strips. 

 

[Todd B]

Paint!!!! You can’t see me but I am covering my ears right now.  

[Los_Control]

4 minutes ago, Todd B said:

Paint!!!! You can’t see me but I am covering my ears right now.

I thought the same, but since it is pine, and very nice pine with no knots and nice and straight .... paint really might be the thing to make it last the longest.

[Jj1981]

Please poly that beautiful lumber 

[Todd B]

Is it white pine. Or Southern yellow Pine, I can’t tell from the picture but I’m leaning towards Southern yellow

[tanda62]

Yep, Southern Yellow Pine.  I just went to website I bought it from and I guess they are doing a major redo as the site is down with a message to check back soon for something special.

Paint...because the powers that be won't let me use creosote ?

 

[kencombs]

I just did a trailer floor and used a mix of Flood's Clear Wood Finish ( the can is labeled CWF) and black Rustoleum.  CWF  is sort of a misleading name, it's really a penetrating preservative.  The way I mixed it it became a sort of preservative black stain.  Looked really good (sorry no pics) on the SYP  floor as the grain was visible but shakes of black and should be more protective than just paint. boards exposed to the weather should really be treated on all sides, top, bottom and ends, for maximum protection.

[ggdad1951]

14 hours ago, Todd B said:

Paint!!!! You can’t see me but I am covering my ears right now.  

 

As it was supposed to be BLACK!

[tanda62]

Finally had a few days where the weather was right and I was around to paint my bed wood.  Used Gloss Por-15 and top coated it with Rustoleum gloss black to provide UV protection.  I am happy with the result and feel the wood will be protected for many years.  This picture is before they have been bolted in completely but hopefully that will happen soon.

 

[nkeiser]

I just finished redoing my bed floor over the weekend. Just in time for the Salina show to be cancelled.

 

This is cedar I got from a local Amish saw mill. It was rough cut 1 by, so had a buddy help me finish to the correct size. Then I finished with about 5 coats of tung oil finish. New unfinished steel strips that I coated with matte clear spray paint. 

 

One thing to note for the front left frame mount. There's a tab attached to the frame and a hole in the frame. Do not use the one in the frame--use the tab even though it's offset and not in line with the others. Otherwise you'll discover that the fuel tank, brake lines, and rivets are in the way of the bolt and you'll have to redrill and make a plug instead of installing....

[Jj1981]

That is beautiful.  

[kencombs]

13 hours ago, nkeiser said:

I just finished redoing my bed floor over the weekend. Just in time for the Salina show to be cancelled.

 

This is cedar I got from a local Amish saw mill. It was rough cut 1 by, so had a buddy help me finish to the correct size. Then I finished with about 5 coats of tung oil finish. New unfinished steel strips that I coated with matte clear spray paint. 

 

One thing to note for the front left frame mount. There's a tab attached to the frame and a hole in the frame. Do not use the one in the frame--use the tab even though it's offset and not in line with the others. Otherwise you'll discover that the fuel tank, brake lines, and rivets are in the way of the bolt and you'll have to redrill and make a plug instead of installing....

No image here???