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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: 1980K20 on November 28, 2020, 12:26:07 PM

Title: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on November 28, 2020, 12:26:07 PM

Hi folks,

Newbie here.  Great forum!

I've stumbled into a full restoration on a 1980 K20 4x4. Long story, but mechanically it's all new or overhauled. Almost everything was worse than I had thought it would be so now there's a lot into this build.

I was going to put an aluminum flat bed on it but the cab will be more beautiful than I was originally intending and it seems wrong to do that.

Reading the wood bed posts, that's a ton of work and for me, ton of cost at the body shop. The aftermarket fenders, hood are poor finish quality needed modifications to eliminate the huge gaps. I expect the same for bed parts.

Advice on changing from wood to metal? I could buy a metal bed and have the auto body correct all the quality issues. What do you think?

What about diamond plate? How thick should it be? Auto body shop will still have to do welding, but doesn't seem as bad.

Here's a video, I'll try to attach pictures of the bed.

https://youtu.be/_z5oypwLBSM

Thanks!

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 03, 2020, 09:58:13 PM

Here's some more pictures of the bed.... Finally figured out how to add more than one.

Thanks,
Mark

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: Mr Diesel on December 05, 2020, 08:58:22 AM

If it was me I would probably keep the fleet side bed and redo the wood floor in it. Maybe put a new rubber  floor mat in, or a whole plastic bed liner (I'm a big fan or those). Seems fairly simple while keeping costs reasonable, and I think it would look good.

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: VileZambonie on December 05, 2020, 05:39:56 PM

Where are you located?

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 05, 2020, 07:56:57 PM

Well, I decided I was going to get the bed back into the shop. Enlisted the help of my son to get the hood off. At some point he instinctively jumped on the tail gate to help get the hood. Oops! Haha. that was a bit of a roller coaster ride. If the weather's good tomorrow, will get it back onto the stand. Knocked the tailgate off. Everything's rough, don't know that anything new was done to it.

Anyways, you can see the bed, the rust at the front. I sprinkled some water and used a shop broom to scrub it a bit. Discovered same (ugly) brown paint as the rest of the truck. There's rot at the back.

I'm in Seattle area.

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201206/470d4c10cc60f310a5084597240efc5b.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201206/377f6ccf1394775803990a80dcd21733.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201206/6da7d0dba17a90155fd699b2311b57f6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201206/cf2845d3839ac67adc8a5c57c16b20ce.jpg)

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: VileZambonie on December 06, 2020, 06:49:52 AM

It looks worth fixing. The wood bed floors are rare in the fleetsides and a definite value add to your truck. A little more work but will be a thing of beauty in the end. If you decide not to, definitely save every piece because it has resale value. I'd buy it if you were closer!

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 07, 2020, 09:16:13 PM

Well, here's the latest damage.

On a whim, I've started working up costs to build a new bed as well as for piece parts. It's probably $4000 for parts and $2000 shipping for all new metal.  Body shop guy said he thinks we can find a used breed in better shape. Color me skeptical.

Getting new pieces to weld in is much cheaper, but then there's the welders labor.

Next up to see if I can find the pieces I need to repair and put in wood. Plenty of wood options. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201208/ae291b88dde2da3d42ca8721594b27fe.jpg)

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 11, 2020, 09:47:59 PM

Hi, I've decided that such a rare truck bed, fleet side with wood, that I should find somebody who will fix it up. I'm going back to my original plan to put this nice aluminized flat bed on it. Some nice stakes and it's very useful for me.

I'll clean it up and put the wood bed up for sale. What do you think that would be worth? I'll do some checking, but another opinion is always nice.

Thanks,
Mark (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201212/fe1fe10081119ab2a645cab6b02984a4.jpg)

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: VileZambonie on December 12, 2020, 06:23:00 AM

Depends on the market in your area. I've seen them go from $400 to $2,000

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: Mike81K10 on December 12, 2020, 06:41:51 PM

Might want to think about keeping it and do a slow restoration of the bed while using the new one you plan to buy. Then if you want to sell the truck one day, swap the beds and you can sell the new one you are buying. Will be easier to sell the truck with the original bed and be worth more.

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: fitz on December 13, 2020, 06:40:33 AM

How much is the aluminum flat bed going to cost?

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 13, 2020, 09:35:46 AM

Here's the rough costs I have for different options..

1) flatbed - $5000 max all in, it's $3600, before taxes. I'll do some sort of stakes.  Oh yeah, comes with all the lights.

2) costed out from   and classic industries building new box all metal as much as I can. Can't find everything. Problem is labor, $100/hour, I haven't ventured into body work yet. $11,000. $6,000 parts, shipping, taxes, 50 hours.

3) fixing existing. Well, my strategy in the can was to replace anything that required lots of labor. Only saved the cab. Probably $15,000. I don't know, it's better to build a new metal box.

For the bed, plan was to do some sort of rino liner, I just want no-slip. I may do some strips on the flatbed.

There's not much out there for fleetside wood box, stepside is common. I haven't looked hard yet, but the trim metal around the wood I haven't found yet unless I didn't recognize it. Mine is tested out in the front. Can fabricate new, cha-ching. I can get wood and strips of course.

If I try fixing myself, it will be years to do it. Paint won't match by then.  For me, this project was not supposed to be the big project, that I'm saving for the '52 international and I'll start that in a few years. But this has turned into a biggie. I'm continuing it because I could use a truck and love retro. I did grow up around this era of truck too, Ford really, but chevy rules. Is that TMI?

Thanks,
Mark

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 21, 2020, 08:32:54 PM

One inquiry, but no bites at $600. So I dropped to $400. Still nothing.  Seems like it should sell at $300, but I do list it as obo.

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 22, 2020, 01:10:42 AM

https://classictruckbeds.net/product/gmc-chevy-oak-bed-wood-1973-1987/

https://classictruckbeds.net/product/gmc-chevy-bed-kit-metal-parts-1973-1987-step-side/

I had a brainstorm, what about a brand new step side need? The cost won't be that much more than the flat bed.

Would this really work?

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: VileZambonie on December 22, 2020, 04:13:38 AM

What about the steps and the rear fenders? Long bed steps are hard to find. You would then need to build the bed, mock it up, complete any body work, disassemble, prime, paint, clear, reassemble. Why not fix that gem sitting there in front of you?

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: fitz on December 22, 2020, 03:58:27 PM

  I'm a huge fan of the 8' step sides, but its definitely an acquired taste.  People love them or hate them.  In the end, which would you prefer, the fleetside or stepside?.
   I gotta say, even here in Massachusetts clean fleetside beds can be found in the $2000 range.
  Personally,  I'd buy a nice $10k truck and part it out and get a free bed out of the deal before I'd spend $6k to build a bed from scratch.

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 25, 2020, 08:42:10 AM

I've looked online, but have not found this replacement part for Fleetside. Any pointers are appreciated.  If I find it maybe I'll keep it wood, but the clock is running out.

There are many kind souls who keep telling me I can just find another bed that's in good shape. The bed is forty years old. If it's being parted out, why do they believe it's also not rusted like this?

Body shop guy comes Saturday to pick up the bed. We'll convert to metal by using a layer of plywood, spraying it with bed liner, then putting diamond sheet metal over it. Inside of the bed will be sprayed with bed liner. He'll weld some metal to the front panel. The entire bed gets media blasted first. We'll see, probably a new tail gate.

Merry Christmas! (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201225/0a576bab5e5eae977beee5370b76feb4.jpg)

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: fitz on December 25, 2020, 07:17:04 PM

Quote from: 1980K20 on December 25, 2020, 08:42:10 AM

There are many kind souls who keep telling me I can just find another bed that's in good shape. The bed is forty years old. If it's being parted out, why do they believe it's also not rusted like this?
 (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201225/0a576bab5e5eae977beee5370b76feb4.jpg)
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  I've parted out some clean rust free trucks.  I've bought & sold a lot of Military CUCV's ( the Military version of 84-87 k30's).
  A guy I do business with buys southern CUCV's and ships them to Massachusetts. When they arrive at his garage he does a quick mechanical inspection on them. If he determines that they need to  much mechanical work, he parts them out. 
  Some people would cringe at the thought of rust free trucks getting parted out, but from a business point, it makes since. 
  The numbers for parting out a rustfree CUCV (k30) are:
Bed $2,000
Cab $2,000
Doors $500 pr.
Fenders $500 pr.
Dana 60 / 14 bolt with 4:56 gears $2500
1 ton frame w/ springs $1000
Rear bumper with pintle hitch & D rings $500
Front bumper with brush gaurd & D rings $500
So that's almost $10k worth of parts before you sell off the small stuff.  It's not uncommon to sell $12k of parts off 1 of these trucks.  Now keep in mind these aren't showroom cond parts, they just gotta be rust free to bring big $$.
  So in a nutshell,  here in Massachussets, there are plenty of rust free trucks still getting parted out.
Look forward to seeing the pics of your bed getting restored.  Keep us updated.

Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on December 26, 2020, 02:02:42 PM

The guy will take it apart, see what it's like underneath, then decide on the course of action.

I was wondering how you get a pickup without rust inside the bed. A topper of course..

Maybe an old pickup with a topper would be cheaper, but that's time I don't have to dog it all down.

Mark (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201226/275881f36e4e1532600f33e51f927e97.jpg)

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Title: Re: Converting wood bed to metal
Post by: 1980K20 on February 21, 2021, 04:52:07 PM

Just to follow up on this, I've created a members ride build thread.

The truck had at one time been sitting on the right side in water, discovered when I had the brakes checked. The differentials had to be completely rebuilt.

Apparently the tilt to the right also really did a number on the right side of the bed. Coupled with some dents, I'll have the bed rebuilt with metal. Most of the bed will be aftermarket replacement.

When I get done, the only body parts original will be the cab and the tailgate.

At least I was able to rebuild the transmission, diffs, and just deals on the transfer case.

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