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54 bed on a 52 truck

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tenntexn1

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I am having trouble fitting my 54 bed on my 52 chevy truck.
I am informed of the following:
The sills are taller(hince- no spacers for the 54)
54 trucks have a differnt frame (no kickback over axle)
54 Bed is deeper(17")
52 bed used 2 3/8 mounting blocks

What are the possible solutions?
Notch the frame rails? (so sills will counter sink in?)
Move the angle strips up 2" to drop the bed down?
Cut the sills?
Have side pannels made off the orig. 52 pannels?

I have a friend who has an extra bed that is very rough. I might just copy that one or get the sills off of it at least.
 
You cannot just make up some bed blocks out of wood to suit ? .

(pardon if this is a stupid question , I know _nothing_ about wood)

IIRC I've seena few mis - matched trucks & beds over the years & they never look quite right but are O.K. .

-Nate
 
Like Nate said--it just takes some custom mounting blocks. We use a hoist so we can lower the bed with the fenders attached till the holes in the fenders line up with the matching holes in the running board. Now measure the crossmember to frame distance and cut blocks to that dimension. Here is a pic(maybe) of one done the other direction, a 47-53 on a 54.
 
Didn't work but you can go to http://www.msnusers.com/Evanscars and click on "pictures" and then "show photos" and look at numbers 018 and 019.
 
RE: Bed Blocks

Remember too : to cut your new bed blocks so the grain of the wood is aligned with the bolt hole , this means the grain will support the load , cross grained bed blocks will split in short order , like the ones the DPO of my truck made up...

-Nate
 
RE: Bed Blocks

Thanks so much for your response. The one major concern is that with the 54 the cross sills have a 2" mounting height. If I add mounting blocks to clear the kick backs on the frame, it will lift the bed up.
I am going to send some pictures this weekend.
I am trying to tuck my tires in the fenders. Frame to axle measures 5" which means the kick backs are through the bed box.

thanks,
ads
 
pictures of the bed

Here are my pictures and the delima that I am facing. How hard is it to make/brake new bed panels?
 
RE: I Got Your PM...

But the board is screwed up and so wouldn't let me reply to it so here's my reply :

I'm a total computer dummy so I cannot help you post pix . I can fix most any old machine but this newfangled 'puter stuff leaves me in the dark .

Sorry buddy .


-Nate
 
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