Truck Bed Floor Alternatives

I'm trying to decide what to use for the bed floor of my '52 Mercury M1. For some reason a new wood bed with stainless strips just doesn't seem "right" to me... they look great on a restoration or a high $$ show truck, but not on a hot rod - especially one that probably won't have a fancy shiny paint job for a few years.

What else can I use? What have you guys seen that looks good? I believe there were stock metal bed floors from the factory, but finding one in decent shape to use would likely be impossible, and repros are probably hugely expensive.

I've seen polished aluminum tread or diamond plate used, and that looked ok... Not sold on it though.

Or maybe you'll convince me that wood is the way to go after all!

Any thoughts / ideas / suggestions / and especially pictures would be much appreciated.

 

its upside down but thats what I would do

 

They also make the strips in black, and you can chose whatever kind of wood you want.

 

Check this one from the Rodster out!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=463308&highlight=wood+bed+cheap

 

nothing really looks as good as oak and strips.

 

Burning the grain with a torch... never would have thought of that!

This one looks good... I guess maybe I just don't like the super high gloss shiny wood beds with 15 layers of stain and 15 coats of clear. Plus I don't want to spend hundreds on an expensive wood.

Thanks guys, keep the suggestions coming!

 

Whats wrong with lunch meat.

 

Ill get you a picture in the am, but I bought 10 x 2 treated pine, cut the metal strips out of some s**** iron, and used my plasma cutter to make a cut out of the state of Texas and placed it right in the middle! gets lots of compliments. ive also seen a few guys use the torch, Most looked great aswell.

 

I used some synthetic deck lumber-it came in 1 X 6 (actually 5/4 or full 1"). Already had rub strips left from a failed oak kit from several years ago. A table saw cut the rabbets and final length.. I probably have $150 in a natural but subdued looking deck that will never rot, warp, or curl, and never need any refinishing.

 

Good old 3/4" or 5/8" treated plywood, painted body color or black? put some painted metal strips on it if you want. Cheap and effective. Gene

 

I have plywood in my truck. You want to put some support under it, so it doesn't sag; 2x4s worked just fine in my application. A few of those tiedown gizmos help secure the cargo when necessary.

 

My '55 F100 had steel diamond plate in it when I got it. It's 5/16" thick, gives a better ride, and some weight in the '****' for good traction. Wood underneath needs replacing, but when I do I'll probably just paint the diamond plate again and drop it back in there.

(it's carriage bolted in with 16 of 'em, and is drilled & tapped 3/8" USS in 3 places, 2 at each place. Handy for chaining things down...)

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/BillyBobAndCompany#p/u/12/OR1VkFMDmMw Diamond plate custom bed in a Diamond T, with Cherry wood stips, cool

 

Fellow gave me a sheet of 5/8 plywood with a plastic like coating on both sides. Heavy stuff. They use it to shore up trenches when they dig sewer lines.

 

I used a piece of steel diamond plate in mine....the bed is exactly 4 ft wide, so its perfect fit, just cut a bit off the end.....I haul **** around in mine, so I dont have to worry about it

 

And people call themselves traditional.... Trucks NEVER came with Oak beds, plywood, or checkerplate . Stick with what came in the truck.

 

Trucks and cars never came from the factory chopped, channelled, fenderless either.....so much for tradition.

 

We are attaching 3/4 inch thick rubber mat to pieces of wood for our F1 and using aluminum strips to hold it down. The rubber mats are from the local farm store and are pretty cheap. They hold up well and wont let the cargo slide around. The rubber/wood strips will be 7-8 inches wide (Cut out of a 4x8 sheet ) and should look like rough cut blackened wood.

 

I used a piece of 14 gauge carbon steel in the floor of my 50.Its not layed on top of rotten wood though.I did it right and removed the bad floor (what was left of it )and took the bed off so i could roset weld it to the cross sills from the bottom (after i straightened them) then spot welded it at the top all around the edges ,then followed that with sum angle on the sides welded to the floor and sides to kinda trim it off.It will last longer than the rest of the truck and its solid as a rock .I think im into it for about $85.00 for materials .I plan to put bedliner in it up to the rails .Mines gunna be a daily driver ...