Flatbed 4x4 build thread

[kzb86f150]

I saw a thread a little while back that talked about the older trucks with flatbeds and I put a flatbed on my truck and I figured that I might do a build thread to get some opinions on what I've done and what I'm going to do in the near future. First picture is when I first decided to buy the old girl The rust holes in the bed were ridiculous So we pulled the tractor out of the barn and took that scrap bed off And I found a bed that was wooden but steel framed That's my cousin with the flatbed when we first picked it up... Was so heavy 4 guys had trouble and we found out the 1/2 gmc we towed it home with didnt have have enough salt to drive over 30 with it Then started working on de rusting the frame and taking some boards off the flatbed And we put in cab corners and a partial rocker panel but that will be on my next posting so sorry this part is so long but it's the beginning of my truck. Opinions and ideas are greatly welcomed and thanks again.

[okie]

lookin good, keep the pics coming

[kzb86f150]

Flat bed saga part 2.

The cab corners on this truck were non existent all that was there was 2 soft ball sized holes








After and before.

Then some bondo to fill in the seams










Then took out the wind shield and had it re-glued
And put the truck in the barn to work on the bed.




My frame crossmember that the gas tank strap bolts to was shot so that was replaced.







Thanksgiving night I went out and took the boards all the way off the flat bed so my uncle could shorten it.




Then I used 2 pieces of channel to run over my plastic body lift blocks to get the bed to sit even on my frame. next the bed was shortened then bolted onto my truck












Then we stenciled out how we were going to make the lighting on the back




Then drove over to a truck store in Washington, Pa that specializes in flatbed truck equipment and got diamond plating to mount it












There was a bad spot of cancer in the door overlapping the intrusion beam so replaced the passenger side door with a good one from the local You Pull It.

Then I thought that with the added weight I should find a heavier set of leaf springs to counter the weight and add a little more to my payload. I found out that we had a set of f350 HD springs at the Advance auto where I work so I bought them and took them home along with a set of helper springs on top of it.








and I am thinking of buying a set of helper spring to bolt to the bottom side to make it that much stronger.

Soon as I get some decent 50 degree weather again I'll be going to get a set of f250 or bigger coils for my front to level out my truck and then to reassemble it until summer when I plan to repaint it either the same orange or a silver with red tint. Thanks for reading I'll update it again ASAP.

[kzb86f150]

Got out to work on the old girl today and I put the interior back in and snapped a couple of pictures to boot.





My gauges(stock just how I like them)





Interior put back in




Cd player.





View from the driver seat





Front view





Side view with my new (used) bed box
And back side

[kzb86f150]

Update.
Was working on installing f350 hd rear leaf springs and was torquing on the shackle bolts and heard a loud crack well I looked up and this is what I found.





The I had to cut the seized up bolts and then drill the hangers bigger for the new springs.





Got the leaf in and with a little bit of muscle and a bad attitude I got the spring in on that side.

[adio_enjoi_bam]

Looks good man!

[85-F150]

Nice! cant wait to see it done!

[kzb86f150]

Thanks guys it's taking long then I expected but I traveled to south for spring break and am getting alot of ideas from these classics down here I am debating going to lmc to fix the hack job I did with the Carpeting and I think I want to put f150 explorer decals on the truck

[kzb86f150]

Got some little updates on the flatbed.





Got the 1 ton springs under finally.

My wiring guru got my stereo hooked up for me yesterday with some Bose speakers from a 2011 ford that I got courtesy of friends from the local body shop.

[kzb86f150]

New pics pulled it away from the barn for a minute




My best friends truck, 82 Chevy 2wd next to my ol'girl





Then pushed it into the barn and took the hood off to start working on the head gasket issue I have and get my exhaust issues sorted too

















Hood on my bed for now