1982 F250 Bed repair??

[FXDawg]

Hi guys,

I need some advise. I have my dads 1982 F250 I would like to fix up and use around town. It was his first and only brand new truck and he shared it with me as a teenager and I'd really like to start using it again.

The biggest problem is that the bed tub is horribly rotted. He was a mason and spilled some acid in the back...well not really spilled. the container sprung a leak and it seeped all over the bed before he noticed and, in pretty short order, it began to decay.

The fenders are perfect but the bed is so bad I don't think it could be saved with patches. Can anyone her give any suggestions as to a repair. I bought an 85 F250 for parts but the fenders are not in nearly as good a shape as the 82 and the tub is pretty dented up. I was wondering if there might be a way to build something. Trying to find a bed has proven very difficult. Thats why I ended up with the 85. If I could find another solution I might be able to get the 85 up and running and sell that.

Any and all advise or comments are appreciated

[CARS]

If the whole bed floor is shot, but the inner box sides are good your only real option is to have a floor made.

You could go as simple as heavy sheet like diamond plate, or find a metal shop with a 10' press brake to reproduce the whole floor as original.

Cheap? Doubt it, but that is one of the only parts not being reproduced for the 80-86 F series.

Good luck!

(btw: if you find a good used one that is closer to me than you are, let me know. Some dumb ass ruined the bed on my '80 F-250 2wd.)

[Britt]

LMC Truck Parts...they offer replacement panels for them.

http://www.lmctruck.com/ford

[CARS]

Originally Posted by Britt

LMC Truck Parts...they offer replacement panels for them.

http://www.lmctruck.com/ford

They only offer a 16" x 48" patch panel.

[BigAl62]

You could look for a used bed, but that old of a truck you may not find one. If you are going to look, try in the southwest - less rust and a lot more older vehicles around still.

[MP&C]

NOS bed floor?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-198...646868&vxp=mtr

[eljefino]

Does it have to be "that bed"? What if you could repaint the whole truck?

If it were newer you could find a perfect bed someone took off for a utility body or something. I saw a photo somewhere (sorry, forget) of a gas company that had hundreds of brand new beds stacked out back.

I'd look up the bolt patterns (bed to frame), I think that body style sort of held on until 1996 so you should find "something" not totally shot. You could (maybe) move your tail lights for that period look. Some small detail like the trim or the creases down the side will probably change year to year... will that bug you?

[jkm4874ford]

There are companies theat make a wood floor retro-fit system to fit most any truck. don't remember who they are but have seen are shows.

[Ign]

My '95 F250 was a plow truck and had a sand or salt hopper in the bed. As a result the bed floor is badly rusted. They (the municipality that owned it) just plated the bed with what I'm guessing is 1/8" but I've never measured it. It's awesome, I can weld D-rings or anything else right to it.

[geologist]

I would go with the NOS bed floor. If not an unthinkable repair.

[CARS]

$800.00 plus the labor to cut the sides off and re-weld them. Then fix any problems the sides have and paint the whole thing.................

1/8" plate looks good.

Someone mentioned a wood kit. Didn't google it but if it is a wood bed for a truck, Bruce Horkey is the guy. (about an hour away from me too!)
http://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/

[FXDawg]

Well, Unfortunately, the rust started to take the wheel wells too...

That floor panel looks good. I could buy most of the parts for the bed from LNC...it does start to get expensive though.

I really want to keep the original look of it. As I said the rear fenders are in perfect shape. It is all in the tub. Maybe I should snap a pic of it...

I guess I could have a fabricator make a tub for me. There is a guy I use for my boat stuff that does amazing work. Then again I could buy all the parts off LNC and one of those floor panels for a similar cost probably.

[CARS]

Given the the wheel wells are rusty too, which is part of the inner box side, the only thing you are going to be saving is crossmemebers, outer skins, and maybe the front panel (if block/bricks haven't rolled forward and taken it out). An awful lot of work to save 2 outer panels.

I change my opinion to a rust free southern box with maybe a few dings in it. You are going to have so much labor in restoring this box. The price for the whole thing is probably close to the NOS floor (still can't believe those things are floating around ). Shipping can't be that bad. Get with those guys who underbid eachother on the show Shipping Wars.

[FXDawg]

Yea...the problem is finding one. I mean where do you even begin to look...ebay I know but...nothing really there either...

[CARS]

Originally Posted by FXDawg

Yea...the problem is finding one. I mean where do you even begin to look...ebay I know but...nothing really there either...

Google my friend: http://southern-truck.com/fordlongboxes.html

That was the first place I clicked. Might be one closer to you?

[FXDawg]

You know, that other bed ain't looking so bad anymore...I should pull both of them off and see what I can do. I think the tub is kind of beat up on the 85 but I could either fix the fenders/side-panels and throw a plastic bed-liner in there to cover up all the dents. This was my plan when I bought the 85. I just thought it was a little too beat up in the tub but, screw it. By the time I find a reasonable one and get it shipped I'd be at $1000 easy. I should just put that money into what I already have and get on with it. I guess I could just coat it real good with something and do the bed liner.

I appreciate the comments. It sometimes helps to straighten out your ideas with feedback from people with experience.

I'll clean up the 85 and post some pics of both for better feedback

[rsieracki]

not sure if it been mentioned...

Call a place that sells dumptruck bodies they usually have a few standard beds they pulled off a truck laying around. i had a 80 f250 that was all rotted years ago, we got a truck from a early 90's ford and it fit fine, the fender flares are flared vs. inverted like you currently have but it looked fine

[NUTTSGT]

Considering it's a 30 year old truck,I thinkI would pull the bed off, welding in patch panels where they are needed. Have the bottom of the bed sand blasted and put a couple coats of POR15 on the bottom side. Once that is dry, flip it over and coat the inside of the bed with a few coats of Herculiner.

[ford.crazy]

Try www.collistruckpartsonline.com I have dealt with them for years. They have a lot of older truck in great shape there. They could ship it to you. Might not save you any money to order one but it will save you a lot of time and aggravation.

[buildmyown]

Post up a pick when you can. What about finding a newer bed and using just the inside parts to fix yours. Should be a lot eaiser to find a newer bed with crushed sides but a good solid inside box. Might still need to do some fab work to make everything fit right. My first tought was to replace it with a wood floor doesnt even have to be a kit. Another option would be to ditch your bed and go with a flat bed. I know you said you wanted to keep it original but just a thought.