Building a flatbed for my F350

[TSO]

Meeting your specific requirements is golden and is the reason to build your own. Looks great so far, I would recommend you take the time to work out the fuel fill into the side rail as high as you can get it before going much farther though. You need the fuel fill cap centered above the ground at about 34 inches. Less than that and you can have issues filling up on sloped filling station pads.

Ok thanks, I'll look into that. The temps dropped to around 10 deg so it slowed me down a bit anyhow.

Nice looking job on your utility bed builds too, those look great and very useful.

 

[George2615]

Here's one I built for a classic truck I had for a few years. 10'6" long x 84" wide. Rough cut 2x10 hemlock for that old look. Color matched paint to body. Mainly built as a show truck. Won a few trophy's for best in class original truck.
Your's is progressing very well.

 

[TSO]

Here's one I built for a classic truck I had for a few years. 10'6" long x 84" wide. Rough cut 2x10 hemlock for that old look. Color matched paint to body. Mainly built as a show truck. Won a few trophy's for best in class original truck.
Your's is progressing very well.

Wow that looks great, how did you do the rounded corners?

 

[jenkinsph]

George,
Very nice build looks great. Been awhile since I had a truck with the fuel tank behind the seat too.

 

[George2615]

Wow that looks great, how did you do the rounded corners?

Corners are flat steel carefully heated and bent around a 3" pipe clamped in vise, curved to fit and pieces to fill the gaps welded in a ground down. Took a long time to cut and bend by hand but wanted the round corners to kinda fit in with a round body truck. A plasma torch would have made cutting things easier but couldn't justify buying one. Mostly used torch, 4" cutoff wheel, 4" grinder, and welder to build. Rectangle tubing steel and 1 x 3 channel for cross braces, diamond plate for rear apron.

 

[George2615]

George,
Very nice build looks great. Been awhile since I had a truck with the fuel tank behind the seat too.

I enjoyed going to car shows with it but driving it was time consuming (especially going to distant shows) with the numerically high rear end and top speed of about 50 MPH. Sold it last fall and got something more comfortable and faster.

 

[ovrszd]

I enjoyed going to car shows with it but driving it was time consuming (especially going to distant shows) with the numerically high rear end and top speed of about 50 MPH. Sold it last fall and got something more comfortable and faster.

I'm on Interstate Hiway 35 halfway between KC and Des Moines. In the Summertime I see a LOT of restored cars/trucks going back and forth to shows. I admire those driving theirs. Don't pay much attention to those hauling. We call them "Trailer Queens".

 

[TSO]

Corners are flat steel carefully heated and bent around a 3" pipe clamped in vise, curved to fit and pieces to fill the gaps welded in a ground down. Took a long time to cut and bend by hand but wanted the round corners to kinda fit in with a round body truck. A plasma torch would have made cutting things easier but couldn't justify buying one. Mostly used torch, 4" cutoff wheel, 4" grinder, and welder to build. Rectangle tubing steel and 1 x 3 channel for cross braces, diamond plate for rear apron.

Ok thanks for the explanation.

I very nearly pulled the trigger on a plasma cutter yesterday at Harbor Freight... $659.

But i was there on a mission to grab a transfer pump for a flooding issue i was having so i had to remain disciplined. I will very likely cave in and grab a plasma cutter this year finally. I'm getting sick of cutting everything with grinding discs or my cutoff saw.

 

[ovrszd]

A $700 Plasma Cutter will struggle with 1/4" metal.

Twice that budget will get one that'll make quality cuts with 1/2" metal.

As in everything, it's all about money.

I work metal a lot. I value the quality in my Plasma Cutter higher than the quality in my Welder. Very nice addition to any shop.

 

[TSO]

A $700 Plasma Cutter will struggle with 1/4" metal.

Twice that budget will get one that'll make quality cuts with 1/2" metal.

As in everything, it's all about money.

I work metal a lot. I value the quality in my Plasma Cutter higher than the quality in my Welder. Very nice addition to any shop.

I've been watching reviews on YouTube regarding those $700 Cutters and they seem to do just fine for the limited amount of use I will put them through

 

[sixdogs]

Here's one I built for a classic truck I had for a few years. 10'6" long x 84" wide. Rough cut 2x10 hemlock for that old look. Color matched paint to body. Mainly built as a show truck. Won a few trophy's for best in class original truck.
Your's is progressing very well.

That is a good looking job that fits the truck. Is your bed sitting on rails to raise the height?

 

[ovrszd]

I've been watching reviews on YouTube regarding those $700 Cutters and they seem to do just fine for the limited amount of use I will put them through

Yep. Compared to what you are doing now, you'll love em!!!

 

[George2615]

That is a good looking job that fits the truck. Is your bed sitting on rails to raise the height?

The bed was built and sits on 2 - 10' pressure treated 4x4's and uses 1/4" flat plates with 12 threaded rods, 6 on each side to clamp it down to the frame. On the back of the frame there is 3/8" flat plate attaching the bed and frame so it can't slide forward in case of sudden stops. However, trucks of that era were not known for sudden stops and even though the brakes were like new you need to anticipate braking ahead of time. The truck actually only had 7,000 miles on it since 1949. It was a fire dept water tank truck on an island. It is mainly for show now.

 

[sixdogs]

The bed was built and sits on 2 - 10' pressure treated 4x4's and uses 1/4" flat plates with 12 threaded rods, 6 on each side to clamp it down to the frame. On the back of the frame there is 3/8" flat plate attaching the bed and frame so it can't slide forward in case of sudden stops. However, trucks of that era were not known for sudden stops and even though the brakes were like new you need to anticipate braking ahead of time. The truck actually only had 7,000 miles on it since 1949. It was a fire dept water tank truck on an island. It is mainly for show now.

I've got a 1967 Ford N600 snub nose with 10,000 original miles (grain truck) that I had planned to put a pickup body on but is just too much to do a first class job. Instead, I'm going with a simple flatbed typical of the era. Your build looks excellent and I'm going with something very similar.

 

[George2615]

I've got a 1967 Ford N600 snub nose with 10,000 original miles (grain truck) that I had planned to put a pickup body on but is just too much to do a first class job. Instead, I'm going with a simple flatbed typical of the era. Your build looks excellent and I'm going with something very similar.

Here's a local truck for sale I was considering to buy but went a different route.

 

[sixdogs]

They sure look good with a short wheelbase and P/U bed on them. Mine was a long frame truck that I cut a chunk out of the frame on to shorten it.

 

[TSO]

Finished the bulkhead outer framing (still need to attach the front plate material and inner cross member)




Figured it was time for a test fit.






Now need to make provisions for the fuel filler ... Thanks for pointing that out, it does need some adjustment.

 

[kebo]

That looks great so far!! What kind of wood are you going to use for the bed?? Oak, PT 2X?, or maybe marine grade plywood sheathing? I am guessing you will be painting it black?? I notice it looks like you added some stake pockets that are welded on the inside of the outside frame rail, is that right?? If so, NICE touch! Also, I would consider adding some rear facing LED lights on top of the headache rack to light up the bed when you're working at night, and maybe weld some guards over them for protection, so they won't get knocked off by limbs, etc. And while you're at it, I would custom install a rear view back up camera, just for the finishing touch. I like spending other peoples money lol. Keep up the good work, I'm anxious to see the finished product!

 

[TSO]

That looks great so far!! What kind of wood are you going to use for the bed?? Oak, PT 2X?, or maybe marine grade plywood sheathing? I am guessing you will be painting it black?? I notice it looks like you added some stake pockets that are welded on the inside of the outside frame rail, is that right?? If so, NICE touch! Also, I would consider adding some rear facing LED lights on top of the headache rack to light up the bed when you're working at night, and maybe weld some guards over them for protection, so they won't get knocked off by limbs, etc. And while you're at it, I would custom install a rear view back up camera, just for the finishing touch. I like spending other peoples money lol. Keep up the good work, I'm anxious to see the finished product!

Thanks. I'll be using treated pine, 2x8 or 2x10. It's a work truck so that'll be the best route, allows for cheap and easy replacement boards when needed.

I'll take the lighting suggestions under consideration.

 

[GLyford]

If you're using PT, a lot of the modern treatments promote rust like crazy.

On the last project like that I did, I used rubberized roll flashing like they use on doors and windows to put under wherever the boards would touch. Time will tell if it actually helps or just eases my conscience, but I rest better knowing it is there...