Flare Side Bed - Let's Take One Apart!

[Bronco638]

To back up a little when I took my truck to work today the rear lights do have the side markers.

Again they are aftermarket but were a bolt on to the factory brackets.

Cory they were some pretty trucks even that older Ford you had for a little bit.

Dave ----

Yes, geez, I wish I had fab skills like that. Who cares that the bed sides don't have the little inner 'tub'. That's some nice work! What ever became of the Firebird (or Camaro)?

Mar-K still sells the Grade B Red Oak wood kit for $290. Grade B has knots and checks/splits and is meant for a "work truck" (as opposed to a show truck, I guess). The Grade A Red Oak kit is $500. Prices for other woods go up from there.

I haven't quite decided how to treat the wood but I do know that the end grain will need to be sealed and the under sides of the boards may be sealed with something different than what's visible in the bed. With the patina of the truck (kind of a rose-gold), I'm not sure what would look good. I'm pretty sure what's in the bed now is original and is Oak (not sure if red or white). I know Dave mentioned that some wood beds came painted (main truck color) and some may have been pine. Interestingly, Pine is more expensive than Red Oak (and I'd consider Red Oak more desirable).

I thought something more water resistant would be better (i.e. Cypress or Poplar) but they're not as affordable as Red Oak. I really don't plan to drive the truck in the winter slop but I'm sure it'll be driven in the rain/wet (after the salt has been washed away). So, moisture abatement is a consideration.

I will check Mar-K for the rear cross piece, that's had such a tough life. The right/passenger side has also been welded so I'll need to cut/grind that bead to remove the bed side.

[Rembrant]

Yes, geez, I wish I had fab skills like that. Who cares that the bed sides don't have the little inner 'tub'. That's some nice work! What ever became of the Firebird (or Camaro)?

No special fab skills really...just a home mechanic with a welder! The Trans Am was at the body shop that painted the bedsides for me. It was a long term project of the guy that worked there. I can weld, but I don't do body work...that part I farmed out;). Dave on the other hand does it all! I have my limitations;).

I enjoy following along with anything Flareside related. They're very cool trucks;).

Keep it up.

 

[Bronco638]

Yes, geez, I wish I had fab skills like that. Who cares that the bed sides don't have the little inner 'tub'. That's some nice work! What ever became of the Firebird (or Camaro)?

No special fab skills really...just a home mechanic with a welder! The Trans Am was at the body shop that painted the bedsides for me. It was a long term project of the guy that worked there. I can weld, but I don't do body work...that part I farmed out;). Dave on the other hand does it all! I have my limitations;).

I enjoy following along with anything Flareside related. They're very cool trucks;).

Keep it up.

Well, I went out to the garage to "putter" and clean up some items in the bed. The next thing I know, two hours have gone by and more parts have "fallen" off...

First thing, as with the opposite side, was the flare.

I discovered the first fastener with an "issue"; of the fifteen studs that secure the flare to the bed side, the rear-most stud was broken off (yellow circle). And, on the opposite side of the light green rectangle is another bead of weld. So, I'm trying to decide on what tools I own (or will own) that will facilitate its removal. I'm hoping to get the RotoZip in there with its smaller cut-off wheels (as opposed to the 4" grinder with its larger wheels).

On the forward bed extension, I discovered a bit of 'serious' oxidation, about the size of a quarter.

Nothing serious and no perforation. I will encapsulate that though. Here's where we stand with the bed:

I should have that bed side off soon and then we can address the badly deteriorated wood and get to the cross pieces. I did notice that the wood spacers, between the cross-bars and the frame, appear to be completely intact. I'm not sure if they're pressure treated or not (they kind of look like they are, I see a faint greenish tint) but I'm surprised at the condition, if they still are the factory units.

[FuzzFace2]

Well, I went out to the garage to "putter" and clean up some items in the bed. The next thing I know, two hours have gone by and more parts have "fallen" off...

First thing, as with the opposite side, was the flare.

I discovered the first fastener with an "issue"; of the fifteen studs that secure the flare to the bed side, the rear-most stud was broken off (yellow circle). And, on the opposite side of the light green rectangle is another bead of weld. So, I'm trying to decide on what tools I own (or will own) that will facilitate its removal. I'm hoping to get the RotoZip in there with its smaller cut-off wheels (as opposed to the 4" grinder with its larger wheels).

On the forward bed extension, I discovered a bit of 'serious' oxidation, about the size of a quarter.

Nothing serious and no perforation. I will encapsulate that though. Here's where we stand with the bed:

I should have that bed side off soon and then we can address the badly deteriorated wood and get to the cross pieces. I did notice that the wood spacers, between the cross-bars and the frame, appear to be completely intact. I'm not sure if they're pressure treated or not (they kind of look like they are, I see a faint greenish tint) but I'm surprised at the condition, if they still are the factory units.

Your bed is cherry compared to what mine was like LOL

Everyone of the extensions had to have metal replaced as did the bolt lips at the front & rear of both side panels.

For that weld bead, it is hard to see but you cant use a thin 4" cut off wheel to cut it apart?

Dave ----

[Bronco638]

Your bed is cherry compared to what mine was like LOL

Everyone of the extensions had to have metal replaced as did the bolt lips at the front & rear of both side panels.

There's a YT video of someone disassembling a flare side bed on a Bull Nose from Pennsylvania. What a nightmare. I think he had to drill out or cut off every single bedside fastener, just to get the flares off. No thanks, I've done plenty of projects where you lay on the ground and rust flakes and/or dirt falls in your eyes. I'm very particular now.

For that weld bead, it is hard to see but you cant use a thin 4" cut off wheel to cut it apart?

It's hard to see because it's on the opposite side of the panel. One of the brackets, from the rear cross member (below the tailgate), is welded to that lower extension on the bed side. I can get the 4" grinder in there, with a cut-off wheel but it's tight and I don't want to have the wheel cut into other areas of the bed side while I'm focused on cutting the weld. The RotoZip, with its smaller wheels, will fit/work better (I think/hope).

[mat in tn]

Your bed is cherry compared to what mine was like LOL

Everyone of the extensions had to have metal replaced as did the bolt lips at the front & rear of both side panels.

There's a YT video of someone disassembling a flare side bed on a Bull Nose from Pennsylvania. What a nightmare. I think he had to drill out or cut off every single bedside fastener, just to get the flares off. No thanks, I've done plenty of projects where you lay on the ground and rust flakes and/or dirt falls in your eyes. I'm very particular now.

For that weld bead, it is hard to see but you cant use a thin 4" cut off wheel to cut it apart?

It's hard to see because it's on the opposite side of the panel. One of the brackets, from the rear cross member (below the tailgate), is welded to that lower extension on the bed side. I can get the 4" grinder in there, with a cut-off wheel but it's tight and I don't want to have the wheel cut into other areas of the bed side while I'm focused on cutting the weld. The RotoZip, with its smaller wheels, will fit/work better (I think/hope).

this may well be a case for a spot weld cutter

[Bronco638]

this may well be a case for a spot weld cutter

That would work great, if it were spot welds. But, it's a bead of weld about 2" long. I squeezed my camera into that area:

By the way, see that small hole, just to the right of the yellow rectangle? There's a corresponding hole on the opposite (left/driver's) side of the bed. That would be ground Point G1001 as noted in the wiring schematics. I think I may run a dedicated ground wire so as not to use the bed as a ground (which is pretty well insulated from the frame by the wooden mounting blocks, under the cross pieces).

[FuzzFace2]

this may well be a case for a spot weld cutter

That would work great, if it were spot welds. But, it's a bead of weld about 2" long. I squeezed my camera into that area:

By the way, see that small hole, just to the right of the yellow rectangle? There's a corresponding hole on the opposite (left/driver's) side of the bed. That would be ground Point G1001 as noted in the wiring schematics. I think I may run a dedicated ground wire so as not to use the bed as a ground (which is pretty well insulated from the frame by the wooden mounting blocks, under the cross pieces).

Ok now I see it

Yea a Dremil with a small cut disc but they like to fly apart as they are not vary strong but I cant think of anything else to use?

What shape is the rear sill in?

I also dont think you can get the wood up with out removing the side panels.

If the rear sil is bad and can get the wood up I would then take a cut off wheel or sawz all to cut the sill off and ground the weld down flat.

I dont know why they would do that unless the bolts / nuts from the side panels to the sill were bad?

I cant remember now is there 2 or 4 bolts per side on the sill / side panel?

I do remember it being a bear to get them started and tight as I did not have a lot of room to work in back there with the metal ribbed floor.

Dave ----

[Bronco638]

Ok now I see it

Yea a Dremil with a small cut disc but they like to fly apart as they are not vary strong but I cant think of anything else to use?

What shape is the rear sill in?

I also dont think you can get the wood up with out removing the side panels.

If the rear sil is bad and can get the wood up I would then take a cut off wheel or sawz all to cut the sill off and ground the weld down flat.

I dont know why they would do that unless the bolts / nuts from the side panels to the sill were bad?

I cant remember now is there 2 or 4 bolts per side on the sill / side panel?

I do remember it being a bear to get them started and tight as I did not have a lot of room to work in back there with the metal ribbed floor.

Dave ----

I couldn't get the RotoZip in there because it was too long to fit between the bed side and the rear frame horn. So, ended up using the 4" angle grinder with used cut-off wheels and used grinding wheels (smaller than 4"). I was able to cut thru about 3/4 of the weld bead, from top to bottom. The rest I was able to cut thru with a hack saw blade and cold chisels. It's not pretty.

This is what the left/driver's side of that rear cross member looks like, with respect to the angle bracing. They're pretty sad. I thought maybe it was due to an accident but the other side looks the same. I think vibration must beat them to death.

Here's the opposite (right/passenger) side. Similar story.

The more I look at that rear sill/x-member, the more I think I may replace it. It's no longer square or straight and I think it may have had a tough life (considering its location, I'm not surprised).

However, up where the bed planks lay, it's in pretty nice shape.

The intermediate x-members are no different (going back to front).

And finally, the bed front which, no surprise, shows the most corrosion (very little, all things considered).

Here's the bed side now removed (in front of the other bed side).

And, the current state of the truck itself.

I cannot believe how easily the hardware comes off. I'm missing a nut or lock washer here and there but most everything is still there and still usable. Although, I think the blocks that go between the under-bed cross members and the frame might be 'after-market' as they have irregular shapes. But, I'll figure that out when they're removed.

[mat in tn]

I couldn't get the RotoZip in there because it was too long to fit between the bed side and the rear frame horn. So, ended up using the 4" angle grinder with used cut-off wheels and used grinding wheels (smaller than 4"). I was able to cut thru about 3/4 of the weld bead, from top to bottom. The rest I was able to cut thru with a hack saw blade and cold chisels. It's not pretty.

This is what the left/driver's side of that rear cross member looks like, with respect to the angle bracing. They're pretty sad. I thought maybe it was due to an accident but the other side looks the same. I think vibration must beat them to death.

Here's the opposite (right/passenger) side. Similar story.

The more I look at that rear sill/x-member, the more I think I may replace it. It's no longer square or straight and I think it may have had a tough life (considering its location, I'm not surprised).

However, up where the bed planks lay, it's in pretty nice shape.

The intermediate x-members are no different (going back to front).

And finally, the bed front which, no surprise, shows the most corrosion (very little, all things considered).

Here's the bed side now removed (in front of the other bed side).

And, the current state of the truck itself.

I cannot believe how easily the hardware comes off. I'm missing a nut or lock washer here and there but most everything is still there and still usable. Although, I think the blocks that go between the under-bed cross members and the frame might be 'after-market' as they have irregular shapes. But, I'll figure that out when they're removed.

it looks like the worst is behind you. so much easier to repair and clean up individual pieces. those rear crossmember ends look repaired already, not well but you can probably save them.