47-55.1 1952 Chevy 3100 bed cross sill problemo

[Frankthetank.]

Hi guys, I’m in the process of trying to buy all the stuff to be able to put the bed back together on my 1952 Chevy 1/2 ton short bed. It was/is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle when I bought it. In looking at most pictures I can find online of the rear bed cross sill they look slightly different from what came on mine. All the photos & catalog pictures show the rear sill with two extending square brackets that rest on the rear of the frame but mine does not have those brackets making it impossible to rest it & the rest of the bed on the frame.

Was there a difference in cross sills across certain years or models? The top pictured circled is mine. Bottom pic is one I found online.

[fauXGT]

My bed had the boxes that rest on the end of the rails, but was quite rusty. So replaced. It was identical. A bead of weld to fix to the bed sides. It rests on a single rubber pad on the bottom of the brace to the frame with bolts, along with pads and wood blocks for the rest of the cross braces. Wanted a strong support, so replaced it.
You don't use anything but a rubber pad and a bolt from brace to frame. No wood blocks there.

[fauXGT]

And set your tailgate in place with a T square to align the opening. The rear support goes between the bed sides.

[mr48chev]

Something just doesn't jive with that cross sill. besides the missing brackets/boxes it only has 5 holes for the bed strips to hold the wood down. That means six boards. YOu can see that the green one has 8 holes making it for a nine board bead.

Now going back and looking at fauXGT's bed, yours has been cut off on the ends It should be real close to 56 inches long. That is the reason for the missing holes too.

It's too dark to go get a photo of the one I have out where I can take a photo of it to show how much sticks in the bed posts. They go in the posts Past the three bolts that you see in Fauxgt's shot in post 3. If you don't have all the bolts in place and just try to weld it up the welds are going to crack out after a while if you put any miles on it. You can see the holes in the green one in your post that show how far they go into the posts.

[leegreen]

when I was at the same point as frankthetank and started assessing what was left of bed sills, what they cost to replace, how hard the rear one would be to make I did this:



cost less than the varnish for a wood floor.
Use any full size truck box floor. It was dead easy, took maybe a weekend to complete. I can use my truck as a truck.
I have looked after varnished wood outdoors before, zero regrets to not do so again. But I do understand the attraction of a spiffy wood floor too.

I can take better pictures, explain how to trim up the bed floor if someone wants to know

[fauXGT]

Yep. The three bolt holes are for strength along with the welds, but also tail light/license plate bracket mounting...and upper bolt for tailgate mounting.
So bolts in first square up and tighten bolts, then weld in place. Remove bolts for lights/license plate then bolts back in for strength.
Easy-peasy....or however you spell that.

[mr48chev]

Back in the early 80's when I was going through build number 2 or 3 I thought it would be cool to fill in those holes and smooth off the corners and round the bottoms of the corners in. In less than a year the welds had cracked and I had to do a bunch of repairs.

[Frankthetank.]

Thanks guys good info. I’m getting all my parts together I was going to buy a new rear cross sill with the box braces yesterday but they’re out of the American made one right now. I’m just scratching my head wondering how this one on my truck doesn’t have the those box braces. Maybe someone in all their infinite wisdom removed them for who knows what reason.

[mr48chev]

I'm thinking that someone shortened yours by several inches for some reason.

This is the one that I have out back that shows how much sticks into the stancheon.

Who knows or even could guess what the plans were when they cut the one you have down.

[fauXGT]

I just found my old rusty one underneath the sled trailer today.....if anyone is interested in it.

[dsraven]

nice bed floor LG.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by fauXGT

I just found my old rusty one underneath the sled trailer today.....if anyone is interested in it.

Post it on FB marketplace as a "rat rod" item. And have them meet you at the gas station down the road.

[fauXGT]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Post it on FB marketplace as a "rat rod" item. And have them meet you at the gas station down the road.

Naw.
Going to be a part of a metal made seating bench for the cabin, including disc rotors, angle iron and a 60's Chevy tailgate for the back rest.
It'll be so heavy that the bears shouldn't be able to knock it over.

[mr48chev]

Cool, photos are required in a new thread when you are done. How I recycled my left over not good enough to sell parts into something useful. I've got a beat to death 68 Chevy long bed box out here that is going to turn into some sort of bench and the tweaked tailgate on my 71 GMC is going to end up being a bench for my Cousin the daughter of the uncle who owned it for years. She learned to drive in it and drove it quite a bit when she was young. I'm not sure that she had ever owned a car that was just her own having always driven pickups.