1947-1953 vs 1954-1955 1/2 Truck Bed Differances

[HUSSEY]

I have a 49 Chevy truck I'm working on which I bought without a bed. I've picked up some bed components at a good price. I have the enought to build one decent bed.

The components I have all come for the trucks with the slanted bed rails. I just recently saw one on CL with the flat bed rails. From my research these came on the 1954-1955 1/2 trucks.

Will one of these beds go on a 1947-1953 truck? I though maybe the filler pieces for the running boards may be different.

[mechanixman]

Yes, it should fit. The splash aprons (the filler pieces) should jut fine. Technically, those beds fit any trucks from 1955 to 1980.

[mr48chev]

I believe that it does take a different filer piece and the 54/early 55 frames were slightly different at the back and you need different spacers to go between the bed an frame but that is just cutting some oak blocks to fit. Oak blocks can come out of the boards in a pallet made of oak if you hunt through a few pallets to find one to cut up.

I knew a couple of guys who put the 54 beds on earlier AD trucks in the 70's because they liked the looks of the flat top bed rails better. Personal choice there as I tend to like the ones with the slanted tops. If it is a somewhat custom or modified truck it doesn't really matter anyhow if you can get a good deal on the bed and it is in good shape.

The LMC cheat sheet aka catalog page http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=31 shows the difference between the splash aprons for the 47/53 and 54/early 55 here in Items number 18 and 19. Their catalog drawings are a great recourse for seeing how things relate to each other and what fits what.

[mechanixman]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I knew a couple of guys who put the 54 beds on earlier AD trucks in the 70's because they liked the looks of the flat top bed rails better.

I before I managed to find a set of bedsides, I was considering going this way, because I was going to put on one of those fancy pants automatic tonneau covers.
( http://www.peragon.com/?cct_info=1|2...FdFDMgodsQsAmA)

If worst comes to worst, all you just have to trim the splash apron some, and redrill the mounting holes on the bed.
But from what I've seen others do, it should fit with a little messaging.

[HUSSEY]

Great, I figured they were pretty much the same. Thanks for the input!

[_Ogre]

if you can find a 54 or 55.1 your fenders will bolt on
if the bed you find is from a 55.2 and newer, you'll have to weld up the fender holes and drill new holes for your fenders