Off topic, but woodworking related...

I am in the process of getting our (actually my wife's) 1951 Ford F1 pickup
restored. I would like to make the wood out of birdseye maple for a
different look than the traditional oak. The original boards are faily
rotted in the several sections so I don't have specific measurements that I
feel comfortable relying on. I have done several Google seaches and not
returned the dimensions I am looking for. The vendors that sell them have
not been willing to give me the dimensions understandably, and I don't want
to drop the $250-300 to get the dimensions from a new set of oak boards.

I do plan to post on some of the old truck enthusiast websites, but I
thought I would post here to see if by chance anyone has the dimensions of
the boards. I think that they are the same from 1948 - 1956 just in case
someone has a different year than ours.

Thanks,

David

Am I missing something here, or could you simply go measure the bed?

Andrew

You are missing the detail of construction and attachment. The boards
are not screwed down to the bed, but are put inside a system of steel
battens that run the length of the boards and bolt the edges to the
frame.

Either Ford, Chevy, Dodge, IH or maybe even someone else used plain
square edged boards. One or two of the previous used rabbited boards
to fit inside the steel battens.

Having said that to T&D, could you contact one of the many amatuer
restorers at the car shows in your area. I used to know a guy here
that restored Hudson trucks (that's right... Hudsons... he has 3!) and
he was the picture of imagination to get the info and parts he wanted.
He went to antique/classic car shows to take pictures and measure
stuff.

Robert

wrote in message
oups.com...
You are missing the detail of construction and attachment. The boards
are not screwed down to the bed, but are put inside a system of steel
battens that run the length of the boards and bolt the edges to the
frame.

Either Ford, Chevy, Dodge, IH or maybe even someone else used plain
square edged boards. One or two of the previous used rabbited boards
to fit inside the steel battens.

Having said that to T&D, could you contact one of the many amatuer
restorers at the car shows in your area. I used to know a guy here
that restored Hudson trucks (that's right... Hudsons... he has 3!) and
he was the picture of imagination to get the info and parts he wanted.
He went to antique/classic car shows to take pictures and measure
stuff.

Robert

Robert,

You are correct, the boards are held down with metal strips that go into
reliefs (rabbets) cut into the boards running the length of the boards so
that the wood stands proud of the metal strips. There are also reliefs at
the front and ends of the boards. Additionally there are holes drilled for
mounting the bed assembly to the frame that need to be in the appropriate
locations (these are the dimensions I am most concerned about).

From a woodworking standpoint, not a complex thing to do if you have the
proper dimensions... As I stated in my original post, I will/have posted
to the old truck enthusiast websites to see if I can get the proper
dimensions.

As I am on a somewhat tight schedule based on the restoration process,
unfortunately I don't think that there are shows locally that would fit my
time schedule but I will check and it is a great idea.

I will also check to see if there are any local groups/clubs I might contact
as well.

Thanks for the reply.

David

"Tattooed and Dusty" wrote in message
ups.com...
Am I missing something here, or could you simply go measure the bed?

Andrew


The boards are rabbeted so that steel (stainless) strips can bolted on with
the wood still proud of the metal strips. Additionally there are holes
drilled in the wood and rabbeted that allows the bed assembly to be mounted
to the frame.

The truck is being restored over 400 miles from where I live and to make
matters worse, the truck is completely disassembled at this point so taking
measurements is not possible. The rust and rot at the front of the bed was
such that I wouldn't have been able to take the measurement if I wanted to.
The front panel of the box is being completely replaced due to the rust.
Fortunately the only real rust problem we have found. Apparently they did
this alot as the replacement is 14 gauge steel rather than the 16 gauge
original. The guy doing the restoration took dimensions the best he could,
but I am not completely comfortable with the accuracy of them and wanted to
confirm his measurements.

As these boards are sold as aftermarket items, the dimensions are known, I
just need to find someone that has them and is willing to share them.

David

"DL" wrote in message
news:8qAfe.2580$Fv.337@lakeread01...
Off topic, but woodworking related...

I am in the process of getting our (actually my wife's) 1951 Ford F1
pickup restored. I would like to make the wood out of birdseye maple for
a different look than the traditional oak. The original boards are faily
rotted in the several sections so I don't have specific measurements that
I feel comfortable relying on. I have done several Google seaches and not
returned the dimensions I am looking for. The vendors that sell them have
not been willing to give me the dimensions understandably, and I don't
want to drop the $250-300 to get the dimensions from a new set of oak
boards.

I do plan to post on some of the old truck enthusiast websites, but I
thought I would post here to see if by chance anyone has the dimensions of
the boards. I think that they are the same from 1948 - 1956 just in case
someone has a different year than ours.

Thanks,

David


Ford has an excellent archive and I would bet they could come up with the
info for you if not the original blueprints. Don't know what they might
charge or if you are local enough to Dearborn to make a visit, but
definitely worth a phone call or letter. Another source would be the Henry
Ford Museum (Benson Ford Research center).

Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company Archives
Schaefer Court - Suite 180
14441 Rotunda Drive
Dearborn, MI 48120

Contact:
Elizabeth Adkins, Manager of Archives Services
Darleen Flaherty, Assistant Corporate Archivist
Telephone: 313-845-0556
Fax: 313-248-4921
E-Mail:

Type of Business: Automotive manufacturing

Hours of Service: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm

Conditions of Access: Access policy currently under review.

Holdings: 1903-current; bulk dates, 1950-1980

Total Volume: 7,000 cubic feet

Description: Majority of collections fall into the category of executive
correspondence and
international operations; large collection of executive speeches; corporate
newspapers
and periodicals; hundreds of smaller collections on a wide assortment of
Ford Motor
Company activities/programs/buildings. In December 1964, a major donation of
Ford
archival materials, along with 460,000 photos and negatives, was made to the
Henry Ford
Museum Archives, Research Center, P.O. Box 1970, Dearborn, MI 48121, Phone:
313-271-1620, ext. 650, Fax: 313-271-9621. The Museum holds the bulk of the
early
Ford historical records, 1903-1950.


The Benson Ford Research Center houses an open treasury of research,
historical expertise and unparalleled collections documenting the American
Experience.

The Research Center holds the Ford Motor Company Historical Archives from
1903-1955, as well as a nationally significant collection of business
records, automotive product literature and periodicals, manuscripts,
photographs, prints, postcards, maps, trade catalogs, early American
dictionaries, and other library and special collection material

Contact the Research Center

To set up an appointment to visit the research center call (313) 982-6070.

If you wish to do research from offsite, you must contact us in writing.
Fees apply to most requests for research from off-site. For more information
on cost please see our offsite research fees. We receive many requests, so
please be patient. Requests for information can be mailed, faxed or
emailed:

Benson Ford Research Center
The Henry Ford
P.O. Box 1970
Dearborn, MI
48121-1970
USA

fax: (313) 982-6244


http://www.thehenryford.com/research/request.asp

Good luck!

Tim