My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

[Rembrant]

Cory is that 3 pieces of ply wood under the strips?

Yes it is, marine grade plywood. Same as it came from Ford, except I'm not painting it. I'm going to be putting a spar marine varnish on it.

[Oz EconolineF100]

Cory is that 3 pieces of ply wood under the strips?

Yes it is, marine grade plywood. Same as it came from Ford, except I'm not painting it. I'm going to be putting a spar marine varnish on it.

Thanks Cory! Mine must have been replaced at some stage. It has individual boards between the metal strips which are now twisting and out of shape. I think I will eventually go down the same route as you with the ply board.

[Rembrant]

Thanks Cory! Mine must have been replaced at some stage. It has individual boards between the metal strips which are now twisting and out of shape. I think I will eventually go down the same route as you with the ply board.

Depends on the year of the truck Oz. From 1980 to sometime late in 1982, the bed floors were individual boards (7 boards, and six metal strips). After that, until 1987 it was plywood with five metal strips. The plywood was in 3 pieces, and the 5 metals strips made it look like it was individual boards.

I'm already getting some flak from a few buddies for installing plywood in there...lol. I know oak is the defacto standard for classic truck beds, but I'm not spending the money on it...not this year at least.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Cory! Mine must have been replaced at some stage. It has individual boards between the metal strips which are now twisting and out of shape. I think I will eventually go down the same route as you with the ply board.

Depends on the year of the truck Oz. From 1980 to sometime late in 1982, the bed floors were individual boards (7 boards, and six metal strips). After that, until 1987 it was plywood with five metal strips. The plywood was in 3 pieces, and the 5 metals strips made it look like it was individual boards.

I'm already getting some flak from a few buddies for installing plywood in there...lol. I know oak is the defacto standard for classic truck beds, but I'm not spending the money on it...not this year at least.

Good explaination, Cory. I looked it up and it was July of '82 when the change was made, as shown here:

[Rembrant]

Good explaination, Cory. I looked it up and it was July of '82 when the change was made, as shown here:

Gary,

Yes, I should have clarified, when I said late in 1982, I meant late in the 1982 model year. I've seen a couple 1982 Flareside owners confirm that their trucks had the plywood floors, but they were late build trucks. Do we know when in the Bullnose era that Ford changed the model year production? August or September? If the floor switch was in July, there must have still be a month or two left of 1982 model year production, or else the parts list would have said 1980-1982, and then 1983-1987.

By the way, on a side note about the plywood. I've been varnishing a test piece all week with Spar Marine Varnish. Three thick coats on it now, and I think it looks pretty good. It's darker for sure, but not too dark.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Good explaination, Cory. I looked it up and it was July of '82 when the change was made, as shown here:

Gary,

Yes, I should have clarified, when I said late in 1982, I meant late in the 1982 model year. I've seen a couple 1982 Flareside owners confirm that their trucks had the plywood floors, but they were late build trucks. Do we know when in the Bullnose era that Ford changed the model year production? August or September? If the floor switch was in July, there must have still be a month or two left of 1982 model year production, or else the parts list would have said 1980-1982, and then 1983-1987.

By the way, on a side note about the plywood. I've been varnishing a test piece all week with Spar Marine Varnish. Three thick coats on it now, and I think it looks pretty good. It's darker for sure, but not too dark.

That's a good question. And I don't have a good answer for when the model year production changed. But I've kind of assumed it was August.

However, looking at the TSB Index I see that the 1981 initial specifications came out on Sept 15th, and the 1983 specifications came out on Sept 24th.

Maybe someone knows?

Anyway, post a pic of the plywood with varnish. I'll bet it is going to look beautiful when you are done.

[Ray Cecil]

That's a good question. And I don't have a good answer for when the model year production changed. But I've kind of assumed it was August.

However, looking at the TSB Index I see that the 1981 initial specifications came out on Sept 15th, and the 1983 specifications came out on Sept 24th.

Maybe someone knows?

Anyway, post a pic of the plywood with varnish. I'll bet it is going to look beautiful when you are done.

We had this discussion about my flareside in another thread. Mine is a June or July 82 san Jose California I believe, with the individual boards. Someone thought it might have been one of the last of the beds with the individual boards.

[Gary Lewis]

We had this discussion about my flareside in another thread. Mine is a June or July 82 san Jose California I believe, with the individual boards. Someone thought it might have been one of the last of the beds with the individual boards.

When you get a chance check your build date, please. If July and you have individual boards that’s something we should capture, maybe on the Y2Y differences page.

[Ray Cecil]

When you get a chance check your build date, please. If July and you have individual boards that’s something we should capture, maybe on the Y2Y differences page.

June 1982

[Ray Cecil]

June 1982

So, was the end of June the switch over to 3 piece ply?