Steel Bed Floor?

[62 short step]

Just find another 67-72 steel floor like i did, make sure the cross braces are still in tact and bolt it in.

[66-PMD-GMC]

I simply wanted to put a stock look, steel floor in my 66.
The plan was to do an all steel bed and then do a spray in bed liner wrapping the top edge of the bed to protect it from scratching.
The 66 is being built primarily to pull the 63 GMC and a 66 and 65 GTO.
I also take rust free Arizona sheet metal to Michigan for my son.
In all, my 66 will be worked.
I either need to find bed rails that will work with the steel floor I have and keep all the body lines right or buy another bed floor.
Live and learn.
I have until the last week of May to finish this truck.
What mods do I need to make to use a 73-80 bed floor? I have one of those and have thought of cutting it up if it will work.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

What mods do I need to make to use a 73-80 bed floor? I have one of those and have thought of cutting it up if it will work.

Forget the 73-80 steel floor. That dog won"t hunt...

[bigkraus]

67-72 should be a near bolt in... there are a couple of welds in the back that have to be cut on both trucks. All the cross bracing comes out of the 60-66 because it is all welded to the floor.

73-87 have the same frame (32" on Center from late 50's to 87) and could work but there is one issue. Because of the gas filler necks in the bed on a 73-87 chevy truck the floor has a raised on one or both sides. the 67-72 is more of a drop in... and the floors on 67-72 are BOLTED in were 67-73 are Welded In.

to do a wood bed is $500-600, you can get a used metal floor for $100-200. If you want to splurge a brand new metal floor is $1200 from LMC. Pretty Pricy but may be worth it for the last floor your ever put in your truck.

I found a 72 chevy truck bed for $100 on Craigslist that was the perfect candidate. The bed was beat up, banged up and rusted... except for the floor...

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by bigkraus

67-72 should be a near bolt in... All the cross bracing comes out of the 60-66 because it is all welded to the floor.

to do a wood bed is $500-600, you can get a used metal floor for $100-200.

I found a 72 chevy truck bed for $100 on Craigslist that was the perfect candidate. The bed was beat up, banged up and rusted... except for the floor...

60-62 frames are wider than 63-66 frames.
The bolt pattern is wider so to use a 67-72 bed floor on a 60-62 frame, holes will need to be drilled to bolt the bed down.

Other than cheap asian made garbage, a GOOD wood floor with hardware is going to cost $800-$1000.

I have bought my last 7 stock steel bed floors for $150 or less

[AustinBelair]

So for a 66 SWB I can use an 82-87 bed with some minor work?

[kieth]

Originally Posted by 66-pmd-gmc

i am also considering using 5/8ths plywood and coat it resin like someone posted here much earlier.
It would seem to be the easiest way of doing it.
My concern with this step in the build is making the truck heavier.
Each step i have taken with this particular build has been to consider weight and milage since this trucks main use will be over the road hauling.
Now if i could find an 8 lug rear that has 3.00-3.55 gears... My "3.42" deisel rear that i bought turned out to have 3.73 gears... Darn the luck!

pontiac/

before you dive in on different gears, send me the spec's you have now. Engine, trans, rear axle ratio , and tire diameter from the ground to the top of the tire. Also send me your e mail address. I will send you a excell spreadsheet that will show all rear axle ratios and optional transmissions so you can see how the truck will perform before you make the change. It will help you decide which way to go......

[1963c-10]

[QUOTE=66-PMD-GMC;6053930]60-62 frames are wider than 63-66 frames.
The bolt pattern is wider so to use a 67-72 bed floor on a 60-62 frame, holes will need to be drilled to bolt the bed down.

Other than cheap asian made garbage, a GOOD wood floor with hardware is going to cost $800-$1000.

I have bought my last 7 stock steel bed floors for $150 or less"

**************************************************************************************************** **


Did mine w/local red oak, ss strips & bolts from Mar-K for less than $400

[Sick5]

[QUOTE=62 short step;3919461]I finished mine awhile back. Got a 72 lwb floor and cut it down. It wasnt too bad to do, always wanted a steel floor now i have one. here are a few pics.
In the first pic i had to trim this section a little, so the back of the bed would fit. I also had to redrill holes in the frame for the bed to bolt down. The last mod was to get the front bed panel rebent to bolt up to the steel floor. Thats all the modifications i had to do.



looks like you took one side of the bed apart.. how?

[TJ's Chevy]

My '64 has a steel bed floor...I believe it was put on top of the wood...not sure..Haven't looked at it fer some time...

[Sick5]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

My '64 has a steel bed floor...I believe it was put on top of the wood...not sure..Haven't looked at it fer some time...

thanks

[Captainfab]

Once the floor is removed, all you have to do is remove the bolts at the front bed panel and then the 2 bolts at the rear sill. Then there are a couple welds at the rear sill that you can cut with a cutoff wheel in a small grinder. Those welds are across the top and down the back side below the tailgate.

Originally Posted by Sick5

looks like you took one side of the bed apart.. how?

[luvbowties]

We used a bed from a long bed(wide side, of course) 2003 Silverado--had the bed sitting around--and modded to go in shortbed/stepside '66. A tad of cutting, but most of the time required was on 'squaring' the round holes with a small file to accept the orig. shoulder bolts. Surprisingly, there was very little of the longbed left over. I hired the job done, so I don't recall where the cuts were made: seems like majority of material came off just one end.

We covered the floor, sides, tailgate, and front panel with something akin to Rhino, but claimed to be better. It really looks great, even now about 3 years later. Were I to do the floor over, I'd do the same thing again. I still have the complete stainless/wood kit in storage--had it from the beginning and chose the steel route instead.

The Rhino-like application seems so thick; I've been asked if it was a bedliner.
Sam

[Sick5]

Thanks for the info guys. I just picked up a steel floor. I'm going to try to place it in this weekend. I have a rear drop member so my floor will be raised..

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by Sick5

Thanks for the info guys. I just picked up a steel floor. I'm going to try to place it in this weekend. I have a rear drop member so my floor will be raised..

Now, you've got my (our?) curiosity up...what kind of steel floor are u gonna install, a diamond-plate-type? or an original-type from a donor?
Sam

[Sick5]

Original donor 67-72. Long bed. First thing I see I have to do is remove my cross beam off. And use the ones on this steel bed. Trim rear corner of the floor. I really haven't looked at it. I do know I'm going to need some new wheel wells.

[62 short step]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Once the floor is removed, all you have to do is remove the bolts at the front bed panel and then the 2 bolts at the rear sill. Then there are a couple welds at the rear sill that you can cut with a cutoff wheel in a small grinder. Those welds are across the top and down the back side below the tailgate.

Thanks Captain!

[Mikecc6]

From reading the threads it looks like the 67-72 steel floor would bolt right into a 66. What is required to install the 73-87 steel floor into a 66 fleet side long bed?

[Captainfab]

For starters, most if not all of the crossmembers will have to be moved or changed. Other than that, I'm not sure as I have yet to install a '73-'87 floor into a '63-'66.

Originally Posted by Mikecc6

From reading the threads it looks like the 67-72 steel floor would bolt right into a 66. What is required to install the 73-87 steel floor into a 66 fleet side long bed?

[Mikecc6]

Every 67-72 floor that I have found looks like Swiss cheese. I guess my next step will be to measure the braces etc. on a 73-87 bed.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by Mikecc6

From reading the threads it looks like the 67-72 steel floor would bolt right into a 66. What is required to install the 73-87 steel floor into a 66 fleet side long bed?

I don't recall off the top of my head how wide the fleetside bed is on the 66, but for my 68 I am building I used a widened step side bed and still had to cut out about 8 inches down the middle of the floor. Welded it up and the trimmed it to fit around the outside edges. By doing it that way I moved the fleetside inner wheel tubs inboard a bit creating more tire space. 1 day project to narrow it and weld it in place. Not too bad. Looks pretty good too.

[66-PMD-GMC]

I'm getting the 67-72 bed floor swap down.
I've done a number of them they are 99 % bolt in.
A spacer in the front or fold the header panel bottom up 3/4" higher.
And two notches for clearance on the back support rail..
That's it for a fleetside conversion. .

[Jcox68rt]

Glad to see this thread resurrected, now I just need to find a steel bed from 72-87... Just found a 77 swb 2wd fleet side bed here locally for $100. Will this bed floor work? Or do I need a longbed floor?

[Captainfab]

That depends on whether you're putting it in a short or long bed.

Originally Posted by Jcox68rt

Glad to see this thread resurrected, now I just need to find a steel bed from 72-87... Just found a 77 swb 2wd fleet side bed here locally for $100. Will this bed floor work? Or do I need a longbed floor?

[Jcox68rt]

It will be going in my 63 SWB fleet side.