47-55.1 Running board filler panels

[Jemezcrusher]

My 1950 Chevrolet 3100 (specific for Mr48) has a hodgepodge of parts. During the mock up my running boards were not present and so I pressed on. Now I am fitting them and they are fine, but the filler panels between the running boards and the bottom of the bed are a different issue.

They seem to fit OK until i put the support bracket that goes from underneath the running board and supports the splash pane; I end up with a 1” gap once tightened up. I assume this is due to inconsistent running boards, aftermarket fenders, body worked splash panels, etc, etc, etc.

If I remove the support bracket I can push the panel up to the bottom of the bed and it looks good.

Is there any practical reason I can not drill three holes through the top of the panels (similar to how they attach to the running boards) and bottom of the bed rails to hold these panels in place? My thought is to drill them a bit oversize and then put a bolt with an o-ring between the panels and the bed for some cushion. Using self locking nuts so they don’t have to be overly tight and allow some wiggle.

The support brackets would have to be cut/bent/welded to make them hold the panels in place.

Seems like my solution would be quicker and easier.

Is there something i am not thinking of?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

My 1950 Chevrolet 3100 (specific for Mr48) has a hodgepodge of parts. During the mock up my running boards were not present and so I pressed on. Now I am fitting them and they are fine, but the filler panels between the running boards and the bottom of the bed are a different issue.

They seem to fit OK until i put the support bracket that goes from underneath the running board and supports the splash pane; I end up with a 1” gap once tightened up. I assume this is due to inconsistent running boards, aftermarket fenders, body worked splash panels, etc, etc, etc.

If I remove the support bracket I can push the panel up to the bottom of the bed and it looks good.

Is there any practical reason I can not drill three holes through the top of the panels (similar to how they attach to the running boards) and bottom of the bed rails to hold these panels in place? My thought is to drill them a bit oversize and then put a bolt with an o-ring between the panels and the bed for some cushion. Using self locking nuts so they don’t have to be overly tight and allow some wiggle.

The support brackets would have to be cut/bent/welded to make them hold the panels in place.

Seems like my solution would be quicker and easier.

Is there something i am not thinking of?

it could be that you have 54-55.1 aprons, they are 1" shorter because the 54-55.1 bed is deeper. If that is the case, I have done the reverse, made a 47-53 apron fit the later bed, in my case I just bent it so that the apron stuck through under the bed.

LMC has a good visual with measurements if you want to see the difference, but if your bed is in the right spot and you just have the wrong aprons, you can "make it enough" and the only woop will be that the 54-55.1 aprons are harder to find so someone might miss them, but you literally have a bird in hand.

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by joedoh

it could be that you have 54-55.1 aprons, they are 1" shorter because the 54-55.1 bed is deeper. If that is the case, I have done the reverse, made a 47-53 apron fit the later bed, in my case I just bent it so that the apron stuck through under the bed.

LMC has a good visual with measurements if you want to see the difference, but if your bed is in the right spot and you just have the wrong aprons, you can "make it enough" and the only woop will be that the 54-55.1 aprons are harder to find so someone might miss them, but you literally have a bird in hand.

Thanks Joedoh. Problem is they are painted and ready to go. Is my solution half baked?

[joedoh]

yeah if they are ready to install I say just install them the way you are talking. running boards back in the day were for riding on to distribute feed or to step into the bed from, so they over supported them like the braces you are talking about, but I doubt youll be doing either! go man go

[Jemezcrusher]

After futzing with this for the better part of the afternoon, I think tomorrow I will look at the support brackets and see how I might modify them to make the panels fit without attaching to the bottom of the bed rail. If I can’t then will go with my first idea

[mr48chev]

If the panels fit ok without the support brackets you may have the wrong support brackets.

[mr48chev]

I went out and did some measuring.

The first two photos are of the filler panels on my long bed running boards that are going on my stretched wheelbase short box.

They measure 5-1/2 inches from the running board to the top of the filler panel. Nothing looks bent and no sign of the bed riding against the filler panel as you see quite often with wear spots on the filler panel.

Next two shots are of my old wreck with the obviously sagging box that shows about 4-1/2 inches between the top of the running board and the bottom of the bed. I know that bed has sagged down bad. I used the truck pretty hard the last few years I had it on the road.

last is one of the rather expensive long bed running boards that I bought in a moment of have to have now and lack of common sense. Oh well, they are paid for and actually pretty decent once stripped down and sand blasted.

That might let you know if the bracket is the real issue rather than the panel.

[joedoh]

just to follow up, here is a dynacorn page showing the 54-55.1 are 1" shorter than 47-53.

http://dynacorndepot.com/running-boa...s-chevy-pickup

and here is the picture I have of a 54 truck with a 47-53 apron.




this might be helpful because shows a couple things, first it shows how I just stuck the extra under the bed after bending it, second, this truck was a 54 with a 47-53 bed on it before I changed it to a 54-55.1 bed, so you can actually see the pattern from the 47-53 apron on the front edge of the fender and how the 54-55.1 apron is shorter.

hope you get it figured out!

[Jemezcrusher]

I think it is possible I have the wrong support brackets. Went with option one (couple of bolts through the top of the panels in to the bottom of the bed rails with hard black 1/8” foam as a gasket. Looks OK I think

[joedoh]

look amazing! those are definitely 47-53 aprons, the 54-55.1s are a different shape

[mr48chev]

That looks spot on to my eyes. A lot better than my squashed one.

[oldman3]

Just now caught your post. Since I mounted a 54 bed on a 47-53 frame, mine was in between the 2 stock panels. So I made my own out of 47-53 spares. Mine also bolt to the bed side flange with 3 button heads and nuts. Here's a couple pics showing the 54 on the left mine in the center and 47-53 on the right...Jim

[mr48chev]

That says it all right there Oldman3. The shape of the bracket says a lot too.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

My 1950 Chevrolet 3100 (specific for Mr48) has a hodgepodge of parts. During the mock up my running boards were not present and so I pressed on. Now I am fitting them and they are fine, but the filler panels between the running boards and the bottom of the bed are a different issue.

They seem to fit OK until i put the support bracket that goes from underneath the running board and supports the splash pane; I end up with a 1” gap once tightened up. I assume this is due to inconsistent running boards, aftermarket fenders, body worked splash panels, etc, etc, etc.

If I remove the support bracket I can push the panel up to the bottom of the bed and it looks good.

Is there any practical reason I can not drill three holes through the top of the panels (similar to how they attach to the running boards) and bottom of the bed rails to hold these panels in place? My thought is to drill them a bit oversize and then put a bolt with an o-ring between the panels and the bed for some cushion. Using self locking nuts so they don’t have to be overly tight and allow some wiggle.

The support brackets would have to be cut/bent/welded to make them hold the panels in place.

Seems like my solution would be quicker and easier.

Is there something i am not thinking of?

I didn't use the brace on my 48 and I mounted just like you suggested using small SS screws to attach to the bottom of the bed sides..worked great..No issues.

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

I didn't use the brace on my 48 and I mounted just like you suggested using small SS screws to attach to the bottom of the bed sides..work great..No issues.

I am happy so far.