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Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

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Rembrant

Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Gentlemen,

I saw a guy on Facebook post these ads (screenshots) but I cannot find them in my searches. Wondering if they're blocked from viewing from outside the US?...Or am I crazy and just suck at the internet?

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

OK...nevermind...a friend found them for me...clearly keener than I am...lol.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-1987-OEM-RH-UNFINISHED-STEPSIDE-BEDSIDE-PANEL-F100-250-E0TZ-8327840-B/111625344446

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Interesting, but not matter what I try, I cannot find that Ebay listing using any kind of searches...even with the ad number or whatever it is...nothing.

The link works just fine (which a friend sent me) but no way will it show up in any searches. Odd.

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

So I ordered left and right panels today. I had a chat with a guy at Dennis Carpenter, and they only had about 10 sets left (well, 9 sets now I guess). They are actual NOS Ford OEM panels...it's just that they weren't finished. They need stake pockets spot welded on, and the 4 extension panels that hang below the floor. Oh...and the fender bolts...they would have also been included with the original Ford complete side panel.

He says they're absolutely rust free, and the staining shown in the pics is the oil preservative that is dried on them.

I was going to repair the ones I have (on both Flareside beds I have) but nice brand new panels with not so much as a ding in them anywhere for $149 each was hard to pass up. Mine are fixable, but they need a lot of hours welding.

Anyway, I'll let you know how they turn out.

PS: For whatever reason, these particular Ebay ads are blocked outside the US...I tested them today. I don't care...but it makes me wonder what else I'm not seeing in my searches.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

Strange that adverts would be blocked. Anyway, hope these work out well.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

reamer

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Curious if the fender holes in the panel are the same pattern from the '70's to the '80's since the '70's were rounded sheet metal and the '80's were boxy-squared off fiberglass.

Hopefully the pattern is the same...……..

1986 F-150 Flareside 4x4, 351, 4-v, ZF5 speed. AC, Cruise, Tilt, Slider, Digital clock, Radio, Lariat seat, Pwr doors/locks

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

They are different. They said that you can use the panels on the 1979’s trucks but that you’d have to drill all new holes for the fenders. These ones fit the bullnose only but apparently the sheet is the same.

reamer

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Sweet! I'm in!

1986 F-150 Flareside 4x4, 351, 4-v, ZF5 speed. AC, Cruise, Tilt, Slider, Digital clock, Radio, Lariat seat, Pwr doors/locks

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Picked up the new panels in Maine yesterday. I just had a peek in the box today. I'll be a little while before I get to installing these, but they look good in the box.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

They REALLY look good!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

So, I had new stake pockets and extension panels made at a local sheet metal shop. Unfortunately they made the two rear pockets incorrectly so I have to pick the replacements up sometime this week. Did a dry fit on the front pockets this morning and I think they're going to work great.

They made the extension panels a little too thick I think, but I don't think it will matter all that much.

My only issue now is, I had kind of planned on having the sheet metal shop spot-weld these in place for me for a factory look, but they are telling me that they cannot do it. So I'll have to weld them. Has anybody ever tried one of those spot-weld tips for their MIG welder? Or, should I just do plug-welds? If yes to the plug welds, what size holes should I drill? 1/8"? 1/4"? The factory spot welds look to be around 5/16" or so and are spaced about every 2".

My second question is, does anybody have any recommendations on what do do with the bare metal areas that I won't be able to paint? Primer or just leave them bare? I assume that when the panels were made originally they were probably painted shortly after they were spot welded together. I'm going to build the bed first to get everything fitted properly, and then disassemble it to paint it...or at least that is what my plan was.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

Cory - Those pockets look really good.

But I think you'll want to paint them with a weld-through primer to protect the backside as well as the space between the pockets and the bed.

I've not used one of the spot-weld tips, but I have done a number of plug welds. And with a bit of practice those usually turn out pretty nice. As for size, I've always used 1/4". And by the time you weld them I suspect they'll be at least 5/16" so you might want to go a bit smaller, like 3/16". But you have the pockets that aren't quite right to test.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Gary Lewis wrote

But you have the pockets that aren't quite right to test.

Yes, and I have a couple square feet of this same steel to do some test welds on. I'll do some trial runs this week to get ready for welding it all together. I don't have any of that weld-through primer, but I'll get some this week as well. Any suggestions on sanding disk(s) to smooth the welds out afterwards, as in what grits to use?

I don't know about anybody else's trucks, but my Flareside has blue paint inside the stake pockets, so Ford at least tried to get some in there...

I'll be spraying some rust inhibitor in there anyway, but I don't want to be scared to take this thing out in the rain, so I'll have to do something with the bare metal.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

I would be tempted to paint the inside of the pockets as well as the bed in the area under the pockets with both weld-through primer as well as the finish paint. And then clean the spots to be welded to ensure you can strike an arc.

Yes, the finish paint will burn, but probably only right around the weld and not where it can be seen. And the primer should protect the metal.

As for sanding the welds, I use my 4 1/2" right-angle grinder and a flap wheel. But I'm usually welding and grinding on 1/8" thick stuff, so I use a pretty aggressive grit to start with, like 60 or 80. However, I have some really fine stuff, like 220 or finer, that I use to smooth things with, and with the thin metal you'll be working on you'd better go with fine wheels.

Having said all that, I'd check with people that do this all the time, like Pete or Dave. I'll bet they know how to paint the stuff and what grit to use.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

I've not used one of the spot-weld tips, but I have done a number of plug welds. And with a bit of practice those usually turn out pretty nice. As for size, I've always used 1/4".

Did some plug weld tests and I think the 1/4" holes will work the best Gary. Hopefully I can get this these sides assembled next weekend.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

I don't think you'll even want to dress them.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

reamer

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Cory, those are great welds!

1986 F-150 Flareside 4x4, 351, 4-v, ZF5 speed. AC, Cruise, Tilt, Slider, Digital clock, Radio, Lariat seat, Pwr doors/locks

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

reamer wrote

Cory, those are great welds!

Ron,

I think they're as close as I can get to fake spot welds. The factory spot welds are every 2" or so along the flanges. With a 1/4" hole drilled in the top piece, I can plug-weld like in the picture. Ideally, I need to time it just so that the puddle is almost flush with the steel. I need to do this consistently about a 100 times...that might be too much to ask though...we'll see.

The shop didn't bend the stake pockets quite as nice as I'd like them to be, but they're not bad. Installed and covered in paint most people wouldn't notice.

Gary Lewis

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Administrator

I don't think anyone will ever know. But, 100 welds is a lot. Wow!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Flareside bedsides on Ebay?

Gary Lewis wrote

I don't think anyone will ever know. But, 100 welds is a lot. <u>Wow</u>!

Well, maybe it's only about 80...I didn't count them exactly, but four stake pockets and 4 extension panels. 20 welds per corner.