Whadia you think of my "AD" bed ? (be honest)

Taller looks better for sure but as mentioned before stuff that is completely flat with square edges just tends to look "homemade".

Some type of roll pan or bumper on the back may help to visually lengthen the back end down towards the ground which may take away some of the squatness to the overall look.

 

That was THE funniest line in that movie, I laughed my *** off ...or LMAO...sorry for the long explanation.

 

If you're going to weld the ***-end shut, use something other than flat steel. Maybe a door skin or hood? Something with a body line down the center and rolls under like a roll pan.

 

Hard to tell without paint on the tail gate, but I think it looks fine.
Tail lights don't.
Too big...
I would put the tai lights on the fenders...
Cheers !!

 

...if you like it, ...I like it. It's not in my garage. You're never going to please the "TRAD POLICE" on the HAMB. Everything has been tried somewhere sometime. In the 40's, 50's and 60's, when a new production engine came out somebody stuck it in an old body and it became a HOT ROD. Now, if you put a Lexus V8 in a 32 Ford, you're a space alien from the planet Xygorn. Just do what you think looks good and if people don't like it, tell 'em to smooch-it-in-the-pink!!

...that's what I think.

...we now return you to regular programming.

 

my $.02 is only worth $.02..... Not feelin it .

 

just a few more posts and you will have it looking just like everyone else`s...lol lol

 

I worked on it a little more.I added a few things and changed a couple since last time.I cut the sqaure tubing loose on the top and used round tubing that i cut from the top of the seat frame which im not using anyway.I also made some tail light housings from the back portion of some old headlight buckets ,but im not using these lenses.I also made the start of the roll pan ,but its not done and i havent even started making the licence plate box .I also added some "spikes" to the bed rails that i made from some junk 30's tail light ends .Oh yeah ,i also reshaped (curved) the part where the bed rails meet the gate on the sides.I think it looks a little better ,but im still not sure what im gunna do with the rear stack pockets to fit them into the deal.I want to keep them cuz i like the way the front ones look and i think it would look dumb to have them on the front of the bed and not the rear.Please keep in mind im not done with it ,but im getting further on it and yes ,the rear of the truck is gunna be lowered ...

 

Like the tail gate but the lights are **** ugly--Fix it--LOL

 

Ugly ,maybe .**** ugly doubtfull ,lol .Thanks for the compliment on the tailgate ,even though its not a functional gate .You really cant see it in the pic ,but the tail light housings i made are slightly beveled over the lenses and they stick out a few inches past the pan .I cut them at an angle and welded them to it .The tailight ***emblies fit in side them and are bolted from the back side ...

 

Sorry, it still looks wrong. The gate is just too short, and unless you're doing a really radical custom, a pickup needs a tailgate. What you have looks like one of the 5th wheel hitch gates on late model pickups. Except it doesn't open. I know you've put a lot of work into it, but it's not right.

brian

 

I havent really put alot of work into it (maybe 4 hours and most of that was drinking beer).Its only about 2 inches shorter than a stock tailgate .I dont ever plan to use this truck as a truck,so a tailgate is not a priority for me .I have a late model for that .I appreciate your imput .I have real weird or no taste i guess ,because im actually starting to like it ...

 

Well, if you like it, that's all that really matters! God knows, I've built lots of stuff that nobody but me appreciates!

Happy New Year.

Brian

 

Stock, in this case, is better.

 

It's a little weird, but I think, for being homemade, it's pretty trick. Especially the taillight treatment.

 

I appreciate your honesty .I just cant believe that there is only 2 excepted options with these trucks in the tail gate area.

Option 1 -stock tailgate and chains with the stock tail lights.

Option 2- use a smooth tailgate from cl***ic parts and a ready made roll pan like every other one you see.Bolt on these parts in 20 minutes and call it special .With Repro 59 Caddy or 39 Ford lights from Speedway .If you really want to get crazy use the the "stealth latches " .

Im not trying to put down anyones truck ,but i just cant get excited about something that is exactly like everyone elses ...

 

Exactly like everyone elses? IMHO, you are going to get real tired of hoisting everything over that permanent bath tub, insert big IF here, IF you ever actually use it as a truck. This configuration below last year moved cordwood, an entire '58 2 ton clip, 2 261 engines, an overload of a friends machine shop move, a house move that was a load of two full size sofas and bed box and mattress set, etc. If you are headed for the get-togethers with lawn chairs and a cooler you will be in good shape.

I do believe that one defines cool by looking in the mirror and not what other people think. "Most likely you'll go your way and I'll go mine." I think that was Bob Dylan.

 

Wonder how some louvers would look on it?

 

Nice AD you have there Cosmo ,but no i dont plan to use it as a truck.Just gunna use it to run around town in .I have a late model with a tow package to haul my trailer and do work.I figure the biggest cargo i will have in the bed of the 50 is a few Walmart bags from time to time or an ice chest ...

 

I think its all good,opinions are like tail gates everyone has one.I like it.

 

.I figure the biggest cargo i will have in the bed of the 50 is a few Walmart bags from time to time or an ice chest ...[/QUOTE]

Sorry, but if you're shopping at Wal-Mart, you should be thrashed with the original tailgate chains.

 

Ok, with that last reply about buying parts shocker, I can see you're properly motivated. You happen to be fighting something that plagues all AD trucks. I read every reply, nobody said anything about it, and many AD fans from here out may hate me for life, but here goes. You're fighting the cab hgt. Look at most every AD from the rear and it looks like a nun walking away after hittin ya upside the head. Big goofy *** cab standing way up there, like a conehead. Like a ****. Like and out of place injector scoop on a hillbilly hotrod. Go ahead, step back and check it out. IT ****S!! It can be fixed in a mul***ude of different ways and I'm doing several of them on mine soon (no offense but, **** OFF...I'm not telling). You need to add some needed bulk to the gate area to offset the "flying nun" look of an AD from the rear. One fights the other. Clearly a top chop is the 1st and most obvious solution but until then, get the back taller in some way. Since you have angled bed sides you can get away with something I can't (mine's a 54). Raise the bed an inch or 2 and remount the fenders 1/2 the raised distance down to keep them close to their OEM "Z" hgt. IE, if you raise it 1" re-mount the fenders 1/2" lower to save the proportions. You'll need to extend the rolled frame covers behind the cab and also extend the fronts of the rear fenders. Now as you head into rear roll pan territory those diffences start working together and keep the soft edges of an AD in play. The purpose of m y reply was to get you thinking rather than tell you what to do. To dial in your vision by sharing one that many of us have in common. It's a truck so things move around easy with less worry toward "rules" of kustoms in general. Long ago there was a post here about a trip to Winfield's. Within that post was nice pic of a blended box on an AD that ol Gene was masterfully having his way with. The post was back in 05 or 06 so dig deep. Think about it and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hope this was helpful.

 

Sorry, but if you're shopping at Wal-Mart, you should be thrashed with the original tailgate chains.[/QUOTE]
...

 

Tough one, I don't like it stock. I like the points, Does not really matter that the rear is lower than the stake sides as shown. For me it's the lights. I put a pair of ponchos on my 38 panel. Boring, So I bought a second set. Adds a lot more to it, you can put them 2 each on a side at the edges, you can angle the pair on each side. Roll pan is a little square, if you could bend that tin around an oxy bottle a bit and have a curve return to the body it would look better. Transition from the squareness of the bed to the roundness that is the truck shape. You can do a lot later with pin stripe treatment to pull your eyes around back there. Hard to kill the utilitarian look without drawing attention. So far your'e still on safe footing.

 

is it welded shut?

 

Nothing to weld shut .Its 16 gauge sheet metal welded in flush with round tube on top and small sqaure tubing framing it from the rear.I guess you could say its welded shut .I dont plan on hauling hogs to auction with this thing guys .I guess if i had to i could back it into a ditch so they wouldnt have to jump as high to get in ...

 

Awesome advise and eye you have .I tend to agree with you on the roll pan.I had a ***** of a time rolling it .I clamped it to bench and bear hugged it to shape a little at a time .The tough part was getting the other side to look the same .I used 14 gauge on the pan and it had alot of fight in it ...

 

well my opinion is...

thats lame.
it looks tacky and doesnt function, you got the worst of both worlds.

 

Awesome advise and i think your exactly right on the top being too tall .The first AD i had years ago i chopped 6 inches ,for the exact reason you described .I wanted to take a different approach this time .I still have sum changes in the works for this deal .Im kinda making it up as i go ...

 

Kinda like shaved handles .I guess they are lame cuz they dont function ?I think im gunna start over and do a one off idea with this thing.Picture this ,a smooth tailgate ,no even better how about one with an embossed Bowtie and louvers.I think next im gunna go with a roll pan from a cataloge ,and the part thats gunna finish it off will be sum wild looking Repro 39 Ford tailights from Speedway on the fenders.Ill bet im the first one to think of this .All i need to be able to do is operate a drill and i'll have a sweet one off custom .Next pics of it will be in primer ...