Projects fixing a smashed 31 model A pickup cab.

I bead blasted the pockets and put a rust treatment on the back sides.

 

my sheet metal break is not big enough to bend a 54 long piece so I had to clamp it down and bend it over the work bench.

 

I sanded the bed sides down and put a weld through primer on the flanges of the pockets and the corresponding faces of the bed sides.
while that was drying I removed the bolting brackets from the head board. they had broken off when I took it apart and I thought it would be easier to fix it with them off.

 

I ground off the rusty parts of the bolts that protruded through, then welded a nut on the broken side and took the bolts out. once I fixed them both I welded one side back in.

 

I marked it to make it narrower.

 

of course I started cutting it out and half way into it I remembered I had to leave it 3/4" long to make a flange. so I had to weld it up. cut it in the right spots then bent up the flanges

 

I welded the bolting bracket back in the shortened side.
I had to mock it up to see how it worked.
it sort of looks like a model A bed

 

Chevy wheel?

 

I don't know what I took it off of. I did part out a bunch of Chevys

 

Doh!!... good work remembering before finishing the cut.

 

yes it made it easier while it was not cut all the way off. I am sad to say I do things like this more often than I should.

 

Me too!...and I can't count how many times I've made two left or two right side panels when I really wanted one of each!

 

Looks great Ted. I like the idea of the wheel on the bead roller. I'll have to try it on mine.

 

Tom it really makes the bead roller so much easier to use. I did those panels by myself and was able to keep the beads straight.

 

if you look at my mockup, I even clamped the head board to the wrong end of the bed....

 

tonight I drilled the holes to bolt the head board on the bed sides. I used the piece I cut off as a template. I did drill them on the correct end.

 

I welded the stake pockets on, I put the shorter ones on the front and used the longer ones on the rear so I can extend below the bed to make a support across the rear.

 

worked on the other side, welded the pockets on and cleaned the welds up.

 

I then marked the pockets to shape them like a model A.

 

plasma cut, cleaned it up and welded them.

 

all cleaned up, this side down now on to the other.

 

Simply Smashing job @tb33anda3rd...

 

thanks, I think I created the "illusion" of a model A wide bed...without spending any money.

 

this is the photo I have been using for inspiration.

 

Ted, you just keep doing good work.

 

Awesome build thread!

Rescuing the cab was inspiring but I really like how you're adapting the bed as well.
Thanks for sharing all the pics & commentary.

 

I fit the head board to the sides, drilled for the bolts and marked for the stiffening bead.

 

I ran a bead above the bend line of the bottom of the head board. then put it in the brake and bent at the bottom of the bead.

 

I then trimmed the flange and made cut outs for the fuel tank supports. Charlie had give me the measurements for them. I cleaned up the cuts and sanded it down.

 

I wanted to use carriage bolts so it would look like rivets so I filed the holes square for them.