69 up wood bed

[RobertGilliam]

Has anyone ever put in a wood bed in the later trucks? Thinking how the nice oak and stainless from MAR K would look.

[my5thmopar]

Bob, have you looked at the show decks from Horkeys? They're really nice.

[soopernaut]

I do not understand what you are getting at. There is no difference between a 69 bed and a 68 bed other than some trim options. The Utiline beds came standard with wood until the 80s.

[my5thmopar]

I do not understand what you are getting at. There is no difference between a 69 bed and a 68 bed other than some trim options. The Utiline beds came standard with wood until the 80s.

I think he is asking about a Sweptline bed not the Utiline. I think a show deck would look great in a Sweptline bed even if it isn't correct.

[soopernaut]

I do not understand what you are getting at. There is no difference between a 69 bed and a 68 bed other than some trim options. The Utiline beds came standard with wood until the 80s.

I think he is asking about a Sweptline bed not the Utiline. I think a show deck would look great in a Sweptline bed even if it isn't correct.

There are/were some pictures on this site of at least 1 sweptline bed with a wood floor. I don't know if it was 69 and up or not.

[dcgronlund]

This is a route I plan on going with my swepty, it will be cheaper and I think it will look nice/unique. The reason is my bed is completely rotted out. If/when I finish I will post pics on my build thread.

[dcgronlund]

Also, to reiterate the original post, has anyone here done the conversion to wood bed?

[dodgeboykim]

Also, to reiterate the original post, has anyone here done the conversion to wood bed?

No reason it can't be done. I was planning on doing that to a 60 D100 long box as the floor was so rough. Remove all the floor and recreate in wood similar to a ute box.

[Txas2step]

I'm going to do this to my '67 shorty( bed floor is rough). Plan on applying the wood over the existing floor after I prep and seal the old floor. Will use a mastic to apply wood to the floor and will use the bed strips. Thinking about expansion and possible drainage issues. Here is a photo of a sweptside with wood.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Water/moisture between the steel deck and the wood is going to dramatically promote rotting of the wood.
Thinking more about this, it will also rot the sheetmetal below, much like the lower corners of the doors that rot from the inside due to wet mud trapped in the corners.

[wally426ci]

Agree with Terry, can you drill drainage?

or possibly remove the metal floor, I know PITA...

[dcgronlund]

that's what i was looking for, i couldn't find pictures of one. i plan on completely removing the existing floor. the only thing i don't like is that the bed floor wont be streamlined with the tailgate anymore. you'd have to build new, lower profile cross members.

[Txas2step]

Agree with Terry, can you drill drainage?

or possibly remove the metal floor, I know PITA...

Still thinking through details and possible drainage. Key is how the wood is bonded to the steel floor and the treatment of the wood. I did 800ft of fence(double sided , horizontal) 5 years ago out of kiln dried wide plank cypress impregnated with cedar oil. Looks as good as it did when installed. Not worried about wood rot , but good point on trapping mud and moisture in areas.

[wally426ci]

Maybe you can raise it off of the floor with something that lets air flow. Possibly a cross piece with grooves in the bottom? looks good I agree. Maybe if you made it fit well enough, you could build it on those cross braces and lower it down into bed so it isn't technically attached through the truck for easy removal one day.....