Flatbed on the old pickup

Case e · Nov 22, 2009

The box on my old 94 ford was rusted and beat up, priced what the parts and paint were and I decided not to dump money in an old truck. My wonderful father in law GIVES me and helps me put on a flat bed! All I have invested is a few lights and a little time. So I get home and my wife tells me its ugly and I look like a red neck! Why is it she cant see that the old truck only looks 1000% better and leave it at that! Oh well I like it! Anyone else "fix" there pickup box this way?

G. L. Grumpy · Nov 22, 2009

Cool if not setting too high above wheels. Really need dual wheels for good look, or some extra wide tires to fill the space! AND, hope it doesn't Hang Way-over back end of frame!
Tractor collectors ARE Rednecks, tell Wife!

railhead · Nov 22, 2009

yeah worry about what your subservient leech thinks or says...is that how you want to run your scene? GROW A SET.

Case e · Nov 22, 2009

what a wonderful relationship you must have with your wife.

Dave in NY · Nov 22, 2009

Sure did! 1974 Dodge power wagon. Rough cut oak 4x4s and 2x6s,a few scrap pieces of angle iron,a pair of trailer lights,bulk nuts,bolts from the old C.T.store and black oil-base paint slopped on with a brush.Even had sides and a tailgate.Great setup! When the wood got skined up from use-abuse just slap on more paint.Didn"t hesitate to haul stones,scrap metal, firewood,etc. Wish I still had it! Lots better than beatin" the paint off a new truck.My better half always had similar comments too.I just smiled every time I drove past the bank or dealership knowing I didn"t have to make a payment on another truck!

Case e · Nov 22, 2009

No it fits just as it should, ends right in front of the rear bumper, wish it was just a little wider but beggers arent chooseres. I think it looks pretty good and with no truck payment I like it even better.

Bruce from Can. · Nov 22, 2009

Built a check plate flat deck for my 72 chev 3/4 ton almost 20 years ago. It with a few modifications then went on my 85 dodge 1/2 ton for a few years. Now it is on a old 87 chev that my son has,it is a great way to stretch the life of a old truck. I found that I liked the flat deck better than the original box because you don"t half to be so darn carefull about how or what you load on.

Bernie Steffen · Nov 22, 2009

Well I'd just tell her,if you don't like the way it looks I'll just have to get me a new one. Bernie Steffen

keh · Nov 22, 2009

50-60 years ago people would take a model A Ford and cut the body off behind the windshield. They would put a flat bed on it and sit on the front edge of the bed to drive it. Locally, they were called peach flats because orchardists would use them to haul boxes of peaches out of the orchard. Valuable collectors item now.

KEH

Ron in Nebr · Nov 22, 2009

You sure got that for the best possible price- free! I normally hate flatbeds...why anyone would take a perfectly good pickup box off and replace it with something that stuff can roll off of is beyond me....BUT- I was in your boat, had a '78 Ford 4x4 that the sides of the box basically rusted away from the floor of the box, and no way was I gonna pay the asking prices for a good box for one of these...Found one online that had been in a rollover accident, musta been some bigger size truck 'cause it was 3ft too long and 15in too wide on each side for my old Ford, but the price was right. Built a new headache rack and fired up the plasma cutter and narrowed and shortened it up and viola, good usefull flatbed to replace my rusted out box, for less than a fourth of the price of a new one.

Tony Vidlak Sr. · Nov 22, 2009

What's with railhead ? His undies must be to tight!

Case e · Nov 22, 2009

sure wish that was on option! If it were Id pick her up a new van too!

Ric Ks. · Nov 22, 2009

Bet it looks a whole lot better than a bed from the wrong vintage our an off color from the cab. I see them both and wonder why a flat bed wasnt considered.
Just remember to strap anything down you dont want to loose as most everything slides off or will flip over the side rail. Only draw back is the higher deck.

johndeeregene · Nov 22, 2009

i do have one of those, 78 3/4 ton 4by wagon wheels aggressive tread tires an then tire chains on very tire, its our plow truck here on the farm, or when its realy muddy in the lots, it usually has the 9 1/2 V plow on hangin on the front. ya dont get stuck UNLESS you get stupid, which i have been known to do every so often. cant beat the beaters. replaced the mirrors several times. trees. chasin cattle or retrieving a deer or 2. one thing i would recommend is if it isnt rusted to bad yet i would the flatbed undercoated they usually werent made out of the best steel an rusted out pretty quick.
gene

S.Crum · Nov 22, 2009

Did that to "Old Blue" a few years ago. To bad I don't have a FIL that would know a flatbed if it ran him over. If Dad would have been here, he would have helped build this. Old Blue is an 89' F-150.
First load on the new Old Blue (w/built in crane) was a Ford brush hog and my 'redneck of the year award from the modified chapter of the Cadillac LaSalle Club.
I even built removable sides and a tailgate to keep my 'stuff' from falling off.
I don't really care what the wife thinks, she refuses to drive it and that suits me just fine.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 22, 2009

Yes, I remember seeing lots of the old Peach Flats sitting in barns and old peach sheds. There was one at the tractor show at the fairground last May..

mmidlam · Nov 23, 2009

The DOT is starting to pull flatrack trucks over in Michigan. Checking to see if its being used commercial. I think they are looking for extra money in fines. Got the lawn mowing guys for not having a DOT number.

kyplowboy · Nov 23, 2009

They are doing that in KY too. Been more grain trucks pulled over here this fall than ever before. States are going broke and see easy pick'ns on the farm trucks. I have not seen them going after flat beed pickups on the road yet but they will, farm plates don't get you a smile and a wave like they used to. Won't be long here before we have to start licence'n stock and utility trailers.

If the DOT boys would get out a little earlier they could pay alot of bills around here with the coal buckets.

Tx Jim · Nov 23, 2009

I bought a new pickup in 2000 with a factory flatbed with removable rd bale spikes. 200000 miles later bought another truck and swapped beds to newer truck. IMHO if your a farmer and ever own a flatbed with it's built-in workbench you'll never want a conventional bed on a pickup!!!!!!!!! Plus as I get older my neck doesn't turn as easily to see where I'm backing my pickup so a flatbed saves some dents also.

Oldmax · Nov 23, 2009

In this state the insurnace rates are lower for flat bed trucks than they are for regular PU. I had a 2 ton flat bed and it cost me about 150 every 6 months.

S.Crum · Nov 23, 2009

For several years Pennsylvania was real tough on flatbeds especially homebuilt ones. I've worked on trucks and truck bodies all my life so I had a good information base to start with. Pa backed off a few years ago and is allowing bodies that meet DOT specs. When I planned this I did everything to DOT specs. Over the years I'ne seen so many bodies built of wood and nailed together. Small wonder DOT came down so hard on these for awhile. Wood floors are no problem, wood bed rails and ties are no go. And guarding of the wheels is required (flaps forward and behind) and lighting.

ericlb · Nov 23, 2009

now you can actually use your truck, lol i have had at least 1 flatbed truck for the last 25 years and would never attempt to work from a flimsy cheap factory bed , you'll love it as you continue to find more uses for the truck,as to the wifes comment you look like a redneck, ask her does that mean you look like a american who blesses his food before he eats it, is not offended by the words 'in god we trust' believes in the free world, and refers to christmas holidays as "merry christmas", not "winter festival"? congradulations you are a redneck,always have been, and welcome to the club, if not for rednecks and their way of life there would be no america

Crem · Nov 23, 2009

s.crum, that turned out nice.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 23, 2009

Did you mean new truck or new woman?

Anonymous-0 · Nov 24, 2009

I have a 2001 Dodge diesel pickup and I had an an accident that put a large dent in the side. I collected $1800 from the insurance co. I boutht a new factory made (J&I) for $2200 installed. I sold my old pu bed for $200. I am very happy with the bed even though I have to tie things down. Roy

Flatbed on the old pickup

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