Can these bed sides be saved?

[Mike Curtis]

I'm fixing this truck up for my dad. It's a 79 lwb 4x4 silverado. The bed floor at the tailgate area and the floor plus the wheel tubs are rusted really bad. I have another bed from an 86 model that is nearly rust free but but the fuel door is different and it was a work truck so the tops of the rails are beat up pretty bad. My question is:
- Can the sides be split from the inner and outer panels? If I could use the 86' model bed and reskin the sides only but reuse the floor, wheel tubs and inner sides, I would have a pretty good bed to start the project with. I've included some pics of the current bed and the rusted areas. I dont' think patch panels would fix it. What do you guys recommend, and is reskinning just the outside panels even possible?

thanks,

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[bucket]

Those sides rusted in odd places. It would be tedious work, but you could use just the outer skins from the original bed. It would be kind of a shame to cut good skins off the other bed though.

 

[rpcraft]

Honestly, as much love as there isn't for long beds you could probably pick up a whole bed for a few hundred bucks in far better shape and spend far less on that than trying to replace that rot. Colors may not match at all but you gotta pick your poison at some point.

 

[DanMcG]

Here's a link to a bed side reskin.
https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/bed-side-panel-removal.23109/#post-444806
I would think a clean bed in your area would be easy to find for a reasonable price. unlike here in NY where a nice one can't be found for any price.

 

[rpcraft]

Also, one consideration you might check into is looking at Auto Metal direct or similar companies like Classic Industries, Brothers, or LMC and getting replacement pieces. You could just get one side at a time and a header panel and make it a weekend project.

 

[legopnuematic]

The inner and outer skins are spot welded together. They can be split apart but to do so and not ruin it is not quite as easy. The big pain in the butt is the top rail since it is folded around and there are spot welds every 3 inches or so

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[78C10BigTen]

Honestly, as much love as there isn't for long beds.

Hey speak for yourself! lol i LOVE long beds, why buy a truck with a short box? I have a truck to haul i want as much space as possible. One of my only requirements when buying a truck... gotta be a bowtie and long box.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Hey speak for yourself! lol i LOVE long beds, why buy a truck with a short box? I have a truck to haul i want as much space as possible. One of my only requirements when buying a truck... gotta be a bowtie and long box.

I agree with you. Through the years, I've always wondered why anyone would buy a short bed over a long bed. And truck beds kept getting smaller! I like to close the tailgate.
I get that there's a market for short boxes, I just never really understood it.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Curtis]

Honestly, as much love as there isn't for long beds you could probably pick up a whole bed for a few hundred bucks in far better shape and spend far less on that than trying to replace that rot. Colors may not match at all but you gotta pick your poison at some point.

I have considered that too, finding a bed with the right filler door on the correct side has been a challenge. How difficult would it be to cut the old filler door out of the old bed and transfer it into a donor bed?

 

[Mike Curtis]

Those sides rusted in odd places. It would be tedious work, but you could use just the outer skins from the original bed. It would be kind of a shame to cut good skins off the other bed though.

The other bed has a great floor and wheel wells, but the top rails are beat up, and it has the filler door on the opposite side that i need. Thats why i considered just changing the skins. When the top rails are beat up from hauling ladders etc, if i filled and smoothed it with filler, would that hold up or just chip out?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

The other bed has a great floor and wheel wells, but the top rails are beat up, and it has the filler door on the opposite side that i need. Thats why i considered just changing the skins. When the top rails are beat up from hauling ladders etc, if i filled and smoothed it with filler, would that hold up or just chip out?

Bondo in the rails will chip again if you're using them. Rage metal filler might not though.

 

[DanMcG]

This isn't my style but they make bed rail protectors that might cover the banged up top rails. something like these?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=truck+bed+protector

As far as the fuel filler goes, you can cut out and weld in a new one or maybe move the tank to the other side

 

[Shorty81]

I agree that finding a decent bed is the best choice. I don't agree that long beds have no love. I prefer long beds. The best thing is I think it's an AWESOME thing that you are building this for your Dad.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

This isn't my style but they make bed rail protectors that might cover the banged up top rails. something like these?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=truck+bed+protector

As far as the fuel filler goes, you can cut out and weld in a new one or maybe move the tank to the other side

See, I kinda like rail protectors. I like the black diamond plate ones just fine, and might get a set eventually.
I actually test drove one with chrome rails that looked good with the chrome bumpers, too.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[SDJunkMan]

Hey speak for yourself! lol i LOVE long beds, why buy a truck with a short box? I have a truck to haul i want as much space as possible. One of my only requirements when buying a truck... gotta be a bowtie and long box.

I agree with you wanting as much space as possible if it's a work truck. My shortbox is going to be built for off roading and the short wheelbase will allow it to get into tighter places.

I bought a new 1990 Z71 short box for a daily and loved the look, but really missed the extra space, as I actually used my truck as a truck. Next truck was a long box.

If you look at the type of people that drive the newer trucks with the short beds, most of them look like they only use the bed once in a great while for hauling mulch home from Home Depot.