"Von Tingler, Lookie here!" Flatbed Tech

[DrJ]

Ass end of The Blue Truck

[TINGLER]

I can't get the pic to load fully, but its probably just my stupid computer.
I CAN see what you are talking about with the curved sides! (pic loaded that much) I never noticed that before in your pics. DEFINITELY cool. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks for the pic!

JT.

[Unkl Ian]

Dr.J:The whole pic doesn't load properly for me either. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Curved bedsides are a great idea for a flatbed.

[TINGLER]

Dr.J,

I was thinking about your suggestion for doing a tech post on flat beds, but I really don't have as many trick tips and hints as you do. I LOVE flat beds, but I really haven't gone to the level you have.

I for one would love for YOU to do a flat bed tech post!
Here is a pic of the only flat bed I have built (so far)
It is a little weathered at this point.

[DrJ]

Sorry, My coffee activated finger double clicked the continue button and it only loaded part of the picture.
It should work now.

Von, I wasn't suggesting you copy what I did, just opening up the possibilities...
'
For instance, I never intended on putting stakes on it because it's not a "real" flatbed, it's a hotrod.
Sorta along the same idea that the bed on a "FadT" isn't really a bed, it's a gas tank and battery storage box.

[TINGLER]

No worries Dr.J,
I didn't take it as you were suggesting me copying yours.

The flatbed for the '58 will probably be more utilitarian with a hot rod flavor.
As a matter of fact, I plan on making the base of it out of angle iron and then making the actual bed material out of 3/4" plywood painted white.
The truck will have the "moon" tank and some tasteful (he he) old school stack pipes.

I really love the smoooooove-ness of your bed though! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Seriously, do a tech post for us.
I would like to see it.

JT.

[DrJ]

[ QUOTE ]

I really love the smoooooove-ness of your bed though! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Seriously, do a tech post for us.
I would like to see it.

JT.

[/ QUOTE ]

That smoothness can be a pain some times, Like on the Ranch Run when I least expected it, sometimes the sun would reflect off the bed into the rear view mirror and darn near blind me when I wasn't expecting it, like going into a mountain turn at ?0 mph with no guard rail and no vision.. yikes, exciting!

A white bed might do the same thing, as in glare a lot.


Just a thought... Boomerang or Cracked Ice Formica flat bed!

[Plowboy]

Mr Tingler, since you are the number one (and maybe only) spacetruck fan, I offer you a piece of history. The original bed off of the spacetruck! It probably ain't worth the gas to get it, it is big and heavy and kinda warped. It is all tounge and groove, the way a utilitarian flatbead should be (if you put sides on it no corn or beans will fall out of the bottom, you see)

I was going to make it into a picnic table. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[DrJ]

In case anyone's wonderin why this thread looks like it started in the middle of a conversation, it did. Here's the start of it;
PM From: VonTingler

Drj,

I recently got a new project. Its a '58 Chevy truck. I have removed the stepside bed (mucho rust) and am planning on replacing it with a tastefull and nice looking flatbed.

People are making fun of me. Including my wife.

Do you have any words of wisdom for me?
Help.

PM From DrJ
Reply:
Tell the nay-sayers "If ya can't take a joke, stay off the BEACH!"

Actually just in the past three weeks I added a new lid to the storage/"shipping crate" on the back of my flatbed. Just for the birch for the lid it cost about $40 and about $15 for brass screws and two quarts of Varnish (the real marine stuff, not that polyurethane coffee table finsh that peels off like the paint off a 10 year old Mazda) at $24 a quart for the cheapest stuff they had at the Yacht supply. plus at least a full week EVERY YEAR of sanding and revarnishing or it all goes to hell...
A stock steel bed would be cheaaper in the long run.

But not as "hotrod"!
And not as Von Kustom-Tingler!

I can't upload a picture here in the (Private) Message board so I'll have to post a picture on the HAMB board for you, look for it. I'll title it "Von Tingler, Lookie here!"

Notice how I curved the sides of the bed in to follow the wedge shape of the cab...Your''s won't do this but I'm showing you so you can see that straight sides and square isn't the only option for a flatbed. The back board is curved too, in fact the only thing flat on it is the bed itself.
I started with 4"+4"s on the frame rails stacked two high and cut out to follow the curve of the frame over the rear axle and bolted them down with 10" carriage bolts with double nuts to lock it on. then I put cross joists on pretty much like frameing a floor in a house, with screws going through crossed so they won't work loose, then floored it with Birch and brass screws. The screws cost more than the wood!
It's got probably more than 2 dozen coats of varnish on it, and is over a decade old. Expect people to go "Oooo! as the slide their fingers across the smooth wood...Weird that way. People can't keep their hands off, even people who wouldnt think of touching the painted metal part of a rod.

If ya go through with it and have more Q's fell free to ask, but do it on the board so other's can get the info too...maybe it could make Ryan's tech page!

[TINGLER]

HA HA.

The spacetruck certainly looks different now! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Uhmmm, Plowboy, you can keep the picnic table....but thanks for the offer! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dr.J,
Your idea for a formica flatbed would be really neat. I could see that one looking cool.

I don't know if I will go that route though, as I will need to actually haul stuff on this bed. I figured painting it would allow me to spiff it up before cruising the ol' farm truck on saturday night. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[DrJ]

Plowboy,
I'm a BIG Spacetruck fan!

Tongue & groove huh? Corn? Beans?
I left gaps between the board so the occasional So. Cal. rain would run out easy....
But then I never intended to haul grain, just Ass...
I had 10 highschool chearleaders on there at one time in a couple of Homecoming parades... And the Long Beach Grand Prix Queen and Princesses a couple of years ago.
And a couple of July 4ths ago I carried the local VFW color guard to the parade route on there, fully armed!

Yea, I'd do a space truck in a Hollyweird second.
It's NEAT!