He's got a BED!

I have been busting my tail lately to get this project done. I have been having a blast. Jessie continues to be an awesome support. We went to the local Boise Roadster show on our Friday night date and she saw a cool 55 Ford truck she liked and a 66 Fastback Mustang.

I have now mounted the bed. Each of the side had about 20 holes drilled into them that required plug welding each of them. There were areas that had bondo for some unknown reason. I ground it off in some areas to weld and didn't bother to put it back so cosmetically it is a bit ugly but hey, it's my truck, not yours!

A traditional bed is made of the two sides, front cap, tailgate, and multiple solid wood slats separated and bolted together with chrome strips and stainless steel hardware. Although I love woodworking, the cost alone got me thinking about this project. It will never be a perfectly restored truck and for sure will never be a high dollar show truck. I want a daily driver that I don't have to worry much about. So I decided to bolt it together with a piece of plywood. Later I will likely cover the plywood with tongue and groove hardwood flooring and coat it all with epoxy. It will eventually rot but it won't be that hard to replace.

The pictures show how I got it onto the frame. Initially my wife and kids helped me hoist it up so I could mark the main frame support holes that needed drilled. They went to bed, I drilled the holes, then manhandled it up on the frame using my muscle and the engine hoist.