Rodney_Hamon Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 I want to lift off the truck bed off my ‘36 1/2 ton dodge. It’s warm enough to lay on the concrete garage floor and I was identifying all the bolts to loosen. Has anyone lifted off a bed similar to my truck? How heavy is the bed? Hints? It seems there are several small bolts attached at the leading end hooked to thinner metal (splash shields) that are butted up to the cab. Am I over thinking that? Reason for removal is to rehang the gas tank in a custom manner. My R-10 overdrive caused me to relocate the gas tank to the inside bed and I always disliked that. The battery was located down below the seat for years and now I have updated to an optima 6v and it looks like I can hang it off the firewall instead and put the restored gas tank close to its original position. I had the epiphany today rolling around on my back with the drop light. One of 2 rear fenders are removed now. With the bed removed I can also fix the brakes easier and clean up the chassis etc. So many needs but this will be the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 AFAIK stepside beds were basically constructed the same way: steel crossmembers bolted to the truck frame through wooden flooring and skid strips attached to the crossmembers, steel bedsides and bulkhead attached to the wooden flooring and skirting attached to the running boards, fenders attached to the bedsides and running boards, tailgate attached to bed sill attached to bedsides. Removal is reverse of installation, so it sounds like you are on the right track. additional information - Mar-K general assembly instructions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 6 minutes ago, JBNeal said: AFAIK stepside beds were basically constructed the same way: steel crossmembers bolted to the truck frame through wooden flooring and skid strips attached to the crossmembers, steel bedsides and bulkhead attached to the wooden flooring and skirting attached to the running boards, fenders attached to the bedsides and running boards, tailgate attached to bed sill attached to bedsides. Removal is reverse of installation, so it sounds like you are on the right track. additional information - Mar-K general assembly instructions At least for 37-38 plymouth trucks the bed floors are all steel. They started wood floors in 39. I would assume the dodges were the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Yep. My '38 Dodge 1/2 ton has its original steel floor. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted March 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Yes. My bed is all steel. It’s the thin plates just under the bed I don’t want to bend. It appears that a “lip” just fits under the cab. I will be careful hoisting with 2 come-alongs eventually. I need to contort slowly to loosen several looks like 3/8 rusty bolts that are attached to the bed. Working on the rear passenger fender now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted March 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Is it a sin to just rattle can the treated rust areas on this bed ? I had some rustoleum ultra cover 2x paint/primer. Plastered the bottom good with 2 cans. For 3 hrs I sponged/scrubbed with warm citric acid in water and then sanded litely with wet/dry 220 thru the acid in water. PH was about 1.2 ish so it didn’t hurt the paint but it dislodged a lot of rust. Next I will move on to the side panels and then do the tailgate. The reason I ask is...there are just enuf chips outta the paint to ...almost justify that it needs a repaint...but not quite... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted March 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 ...and then there is the chassis cleaning. I found paint under the grime and lite rust. I have been cleaning with a lanolin hand cleaner and very litely wire brush on the drill. I couldn’t see sandblasting this. Sometimes I don’t think it’s a good idea to tear everything off if it’s still reasonable. How far do some of you go with cleaning ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Looking fine, while you have the bed off I would at least bed line the front wall of the bed.......you know between the bed and the cab, no rust will form then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted March 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 What does bed line mean? I called the Napa paint store and they can provide spray cans of matching paint for $29 a can if I bring in something with the original paint for a scan. At least the bed won’t look hobo when I put it back on. I can also touch up the back of the cab where the original spray gun couldn’t reach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 bed line is applying the brush-on rubberized bedliner in a can...just my opinion, but if the truck parts cannot be seen when assembled, clean them thoroughly and coat with a sealing primer + paint like Rustoleum if they have surface rust, at a minimum treat with something like Ospho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted March 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 Ahh. OK. Thanks for clarification on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2021 My local Ace hardware store is awesome for stocking paints and primers. Lot of rustoleum products. I tackled the outside panel and drip pan with citric acid and a lite sanding with wet/dry through the acid in water. We call that counteretch in the hand printing trade. After rinsing with water and a good wipe of denatured alcohol solvent I sprayed with an anti rust primer. Bedliner makes sense underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagoneer Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 While searching for miscellaneous body panels for my truck, I came across this company that makes new reproduction Dodge beds and tailgates for 36-38 trucks. http://www.pros-pick.com/pickupbeds.html They also have instructions for how to put the beds on for Ford/Chevy, and probably Dodge just not online. Maybe if you ask.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 Incredible! I never knew beds were reproduced and I wondered about tail gates. My bed is good and my tail gate is fair at least. Thanks for that info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagoneer Posted April 3, 2021 Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 I just ordered new bed supports from DCM. They have reproduced tailgates for 36 https://dcmclassics.com/body-parts/484-bp-214-dodge-script-tailgate.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 I just looked at that site. Almost same price as Roberts. I was going to order new coated chains from them. Hmmm... why are tailgates so tempting?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted April 4, 2021 Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 13 hours ago, Rodney_Hamon said: Hmmm... why are tailgates so tempting?? Most originals will show the signs of years of use and abuse. Single thickness panels are difficult to repair and the embossed and script sections make them even more difficult. Even good condition originals will need some work to look factory fresh. Body shop labor rates to bring an original back make replacement tailgates attractive and they're pretty much guaranteed to look good once painted and installed. I've done a couple of them and they can be very labor intensive, just like running boards, another item that when found can look tempting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagoneer Posted April 4, 2021 Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Dave72dt said: Most originals will show the signs of years of use and abuse. Single thickness panels are difficult to repair and the embossed and script sections make them even more difficult. Even good condition originals will need some work to look factory fresh. Body shop labor rates to bring an original back make replacement tailgates attractive and they're pretty much guaranteed to look good once painted and installed. I've done a couple of them and they can be very labor intensive, just like running boards, another item that when found can look tempting. Running boards! Argh! I’ve been searching for a good set of running boards. There is a set on eBay - originally wanted $1000, now wants $1700?! Over pm said would take $800! My whole truck only cost $1000. I’m tempted by a set of fiberglass reproductions for rear fenders and boards I found. I’m looking for originals until I get to that stage of the build... http://www.pros-pick.com/pickupfenders_dodge.html I spoke to the folks at DCM about repro running boards, and he said that they have tried it, and it’s on their list, but 48-52 running boards are hard to make right (ribbed). They have boards for earlier years. Back in the day, I guess they stamped it but now small shops are doing it by hand with margins of error depending on individual skill. Edited April 4, 2021 by wagoneer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billrigsby Posted April 4, 2021 Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 4 hours ago, Dave72dt said: I've done a couple of them and they can be very labor intensive, just like running boards, another item that when found can look tempting. So glad I found a 'decent' set of 81" NOS boards for $95.00 back in 1988, the originals had been dragged across so many trees they were toast. Even the NOS ones have a few dents, but fixable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 After working on my tailgate I tend to agree that a new one would look better. I need a body shop to paint it better. Ha. $$$. Still, when I put the matching paint on it, it will look better than it was before. BTW, this truck was 2 colors when I bought it in 1974. Dk blue and white. The fenders looked like they had a ball peen hammer and rock fight. I figured that if the truck was back to it’s original blue color it would have shown the imperfections in the fenders. I was wrong. The body shop did such a good job. My dad was in charge of that and insisted on lead, not bondo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 Speaking of running bds... I glued with Weldon contact glue back in ‘75 conveyor belt rubber onto the running bds. I didn’t know any better back then. I need to restore these as well. So... is it a sin to coat them with an alternative product? There is a heavy textured powder coat that is bl/silver that would look good to me. I don’t think I would have bed liner sprayed on. Of course I see that Roberts catalog has a set of mats. I ...dunno ...and then there is vulcanized $$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 Looks like you started with a pretty straight tailgate in the earlier pic. Looks good in this one. I'd say you're doing ok. The tailgate was for mine was bowed, bent, twisted with some cracks around the latch plates, top and bottom structural tubing rusted and some extra holes for reflectors. It'll be straight when I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 7 hours ago, Rodney_Hamon said: ... is it a sin to coat them with an alternative product? ... there's a non-slip surface that's used on outdoor stair treads, boats, and small airplane wings ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 Today I scrubbed and lightly wire brushed with the drill. Tomorrow I will degrease with lac thinner and then apply acid wash to remove some surface rust. I’m surprised that the bottom of the bed is in this good of shape. Considering painting it now instead of applying bed line but that could change. In places I see original color that is a brown underneath. Was that standard in the day? Right now it’s in a thin layer of lanolin cleaner so it looks dk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney_Hamon Posted April 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2021 The bed cleaned up pretty good. There were moments though where I thought of...restoration. Then I came back to my senses and went back to a good cleaning. I can see some original color under the thin rust. Rusty metal primer tomorrow. I’m glad I’m putting the sweat equity into it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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