Technical 1940 Ford Pickup - Bed Assembly

I'm working on piecing together the bed for my 1940 Pickup Project.
Its a difficult task when you don't have an existing bed to work from.

The bed subframe is comprised of two side sub-rails that attach to the bed sides, two metal cross sub-rails and two wooden cross braces.

I've been working out the position of the side sub-rails by ***embling it in position on the truck to try and figure out where they go.

At the rear of the truck, it looks like bed side position gets determined mostly by the rear stake pockets. The stake pocket has to form a curve with the rear bed roll pan (The U-Shaped piece at the back of the bed, below the tailgate)

At the front of the bed, there are two lower sub panels.
The position of the rail to the side panel, would depend on how much of a gap there is supposed to be between the subpanel and the running boards.

Hopefully the attached pictures make it clear what I'm trying to do.
(Basically lock down exactly where to attach the side sub-rails to the bed sides.)

In the attached pictures you can see I have a strip of wood as a spacer to hold the filler panel above the running board, but this would mean the side sub-rail is not even to the bed side along its length

Ford must have had a drawing that indicated the position the sub-rail attached to the bed side?

What should the gap be between the side filler panel and the running boards?


Any info anyone has on their ***embly would really be appreciated.

Kirk

 

if I remember right, the side rails sit on top of the bed floor wood and the bed wood sits on top of the lip on the header panel and the rear cross support

 

Paging @Bandit Billy to the white courtesy phone. Paging Mr. Billy

 

Sorry, I was watching football. As a Cowboys fan it was a bad year to give up amphetamines.

I ***embled mine on the frame but I have seen many do it on a table or even the floor. I figured that if I wanted the thing to look right and the gate opens and close without taking the paint off, do it on the truck.

I put the wood timbers in and located them where they belonged anddropped a bolt in to secure them. I added the sub floor one piece at a time until I had the base figured out.

The top rail of the subfloor lies on the wood timbers. The subframe bolts through the truck frame 4 times as it crosses the arch in the frame. They bolts have a wedge to compensate for the movement in the frame. You can see two of them in this next picture.

 

The bed sides are tricky working alone. I used bolts like the OP to secure it as I went. I started with the front of the bed and added one side and then the other. I used a few ratchet straps and magnets to hold it together. I bucked in rivets but if I was to build mine again I would weld it together. Not that the rivets were not secure but they are a ***** to sand around and paint/polish. You can see the screw heads I used to ***emble before riveting.

The front lower extensions bolt to the bed side. They are kinda difficult to add after you ***emble the bed. Again, welding would have been easier but at the time they were being louvered.

These are rough fits in the pics, I lined them up neatly with the bed front before making them permanent. Kinda funny, I had Russ Meeks stamp these and he got the louvers going the wrong way. No biggie, I just cut the ends off the extensions and reversed them. Problem solved. I can fix anything with a welder. Anyone need a vasectomy?

On my truck anyway, I would have welded these on and lost that seam...maybe. I like them fine the way they are.

 

Here are some random pictures of the bed ***embly showing both my riveting and welding.

I welded a few inches down the bed front panel to secure it to the sides. They are already riveted at this point.

Rivets installed. What a PITA! Should have welded them but it looks more correct with rivets.

Around back I did the same thing. I welded up the seam on the tail panel. I had the tail gate area braced at this point to make sure the bed sides were perpendicular. This was all welded on the truck, the bed here is off as I cleaned up the welds and prepped for body/paint.


This is the bed fairly complete.

 

Those top seams where the bed sides meet the front panel needed attention. I decided to weld them up too.

At this point that is a one-piece bed, as sturdy as I could build it with my skill set.

 

By the time I was finished all of the spot welds that were there from the ***embly of the stake pockets and the side roll were filled and blocked out. That was a lot of extra work but being gloss black and a hot rod it was worth it, I think.

That bed is not an easy task, it would be a lot easier with two people rather than working solo but that is how I do things.

Once your all finished you install the bed wood. I installed mine with the bed on the truck, that was a mistake. Unless your gas tank is out, I would install the bed wood off the truck. I had to cut up and weld together a bunch of wrenches to install the wood.

You can see a bit of the underside hardware in this picture, above.

Nothing to it, right? If I can answer any questions or be of any help I am happy to be of ***istance.

 

Isn’t it great to be wanted, and volunteered? You da man!

 

Those are great pictures, thank you!

So for the bed side rail (riveted to the bed side)
At the rear, the position of that rail to the bed side is determined by lining up the stake pocket bottom curve with the roll panel. (in my case its about 18 1/4" from top of sub-rail to where the bed side angles out)

At the front it would be determined by how much gap you leave between the bottom side panel and the running board. As you increase that gap, it angles the bed sides to the rear.

1. In your installation were the side rails parallel to the bed side (distance from bottom of bed side to bed rail) or did it go on a slight angle to provide a gap to the running board?
I attached a markup to explain what I'm asking because I'm not sure my description is that great, lol.



2. Did you put cage nuts in the rear stake pockets for bolts for the tailgate hinge and tail light brackets?

Thanks,

Kirk

 

Also did you use the brackets for the rear stake pockets that go in the rear roll pan? I don't see them in your pictures but that may be because you hadn't installed them at that point?

Kirk

 

(1) I'm a bit foggy (normal for me) on what you mean but I ran out and put a tape on the bed. I am 22 3/8th inches from the start of the 45 degree (or whatever that is) at the top of the panel under the bed roll to the bottom of the bed side. I am the same front and back. Dead even. And the bed rails are parallel to the stamped horizontal raised bed panel. It doesn't run downhill or uphill.

(2) Regarding cage nuts, my bed came with doglegs (for lack of a better term that had a nut in them. I opted to not use that panel and welded my own cage nut in. I welded a nut to steel panel and then spotted the panel onto the bed. A lot easier than welding blind.

 

That is what I was referring to as doglegs. Because I was welding up everything I opted to not use them. I reinforced the entire area with the steel plate I made (holding the weld on nut) and the welding I did outside the bed joining that panel to the bedside that I didn't think it necessary. If i was bolting and riveting everything I may have gone a different route but what I ended with is quite stout and the gate sits square in the opening.

 

Very good explanation of the bed ***embly, BB. To the OP, the little front extension panels in my bed kit will not be at an angle and there is 3/8-1/2 gap to the running board. Mine is all apart so I can't provide a picture.

 

There was a 1/4 in. bolt holding the fender to the extension piece. I don't know if it was factory or farmer installed

 

Yep, there is a gap and that gap is the reason most running boards rust out there. Leaves and grime get under there and you can't clean it out. It holds moisture and you get to patch up the boards after 50 years.

 

thanks Billy I have a new 40 bed hope I can find this when or if I try to put it together

 

I will check again, but right now it looks like if my bed side sub-rails were parallel to the bed side front to back, I will have no gap between the running board and the front sub-panel. It would literally be sitting on the running board.
(I'm out of town for work but I'll verify this again on the weekend)

I'll place some bed wood in, and see what my distance is from the top of the bedwood, to the 45 degree angle on the bed side, so I can get an idea how it compares to other peoples beds.

If this is true then to get a gap I would need to space the whole bed up 1/4" or modify those subpanels to be shorter.

The cab used rubber spacers between the wood and the frame, did you use rubber spacers between the bed crossmembers and the frame?

And what is everyone using for bolts that are long enough to go through all of this? Looks like I would need about a 9" carriage bolt at the front.

Another question: I have an original front sub panel, and it looks like there was a small bracket on it at the front that attached somewhere, has anyone seen this on an original? And where did it attach?


Kirk

 

It can look overwelming when you first unbox the flatpack but make a big work area, lay it out and then go grab some thinkin juice and read the instructions a couple times. Then throw them away, refill the juice and get to work. You give that box to 50 guys on here and you'll get 50 different ways to put it together and all are correct.

The higher you jack up the bed the higher you make the fenders. Remember that.

There is no rubber under there. I did put an adhesive frame webbing on mine where the wood touched down to prevent squeaking, but the cab and the bed sit on hardwood.

Search Results for “1940 ford pickup bed” – Early Ford Parts | Third Gen Automotive
Third Gen, put them in your contact list. I got my cab hardware from them and they are perfect reproductions of Henry's hardware.

Post a picture of the bracket, it would be helpful.

 

Sadly the parts for 1940 pickup trucks are long gone. No bolt kits for the cab or the box to frame anymore.
You can't buy door latches, window remotes etc. Everything is out of stock with no plan for another production run.

I'm trying to get the back piece of metal that goes over the wood at the tailgate, and I can't find it anywhere.
My box sides and front panel came with the truck (a project that someone started in the 1980s) I bought the subframe pieces separately, and the wood kit from another vendor.

I suspect this will be one of the last few threads where anyone discusses this.

Kirk

 

There is not a lot of aftermarket parts for our trucks. There are guys watching your thread with some parts. @40FORDPU is one such guy. He may have latches and small parts.
That need trim piece is easy to make out of stainless if you have a brake. I can offer dimensions and pictures of mine. Is this the piece you are talking about?

I polished and engine turned mine, I have issues they ain’t quite identified yet.

 

Engine turned! Nice touch, BB.

 

I measured from the bottom of my bedside to the center of the rivets that fasten the inner framework for the bed and it's 3 3/16 in. except inside the wheel well ; which is 2 1/8 in. With the large wood supports front and rear (where the subframe rests ) the bed ***embly should rest easily and bolt down securely.
The long bolts are 9 in. flathead with special recess in them to accommodate the bolts.
3 pictures; First is the bolt and washer and the second is ( I think ) the little bracket you mentioned in your initial post. the third is of the inside bottom of the bedside with the riveted subframe in the wheel well area. I hope this helps.
What you see below the angle is a reflection from the shiny black paint on the inside of the bedside. I did that before ***embly because I didn't think I'd be able to later.

 

Check this place out. I got my bed from them. They sell that rear panel you want and though I don't see them advertised in the catalog they supplied the complete SS bolt kit for the entire ***embly. I imagine they would sell the hardware package.

 

I bought a new Tailgate last year, from Carpenter's I believe. I think they had other parts at the time

 

I skimmed this thread, but Mack Products out of Moberly, MO may be a good source. I buy a lot of **** from them for my 35-36 pickups.

https://mackhilsmetalfabrication.com/

https://mack-products.com/

 

I've used several Mack Hils boxes and after some research bought them ***embled. I recently had problem with the hinges not being centered on the 35-36 tailgate which required an 800 mile round trip to their plant to stick the tailgate in their face to prove I knew what I was talking about. That was after the lady at front desk told me on the phone (we don't make mistakes) Over all they still have a good product.

 

I see someone forgot to post the URL, not much help. The link says 48-52 but once at the site you can navigate to 40-41 trucks.
48 - 52 Ford F1 and 53 - 56 Ford F100 Truck Parts

 

Is that the Northern Truck parts from Ohio? I thought the owner closed the business and started destroying his tooling when he couldn't sell it. My bed kit, one piece floor pan and left '
"A"pillar repair piece from them through Midwest Early Ford. His pieces fit great.
Nothing against Macks; I just never used any of their stuff ..... probably a mistake on my part.

 

I made a little more progress on the truck bed this weekend.

1. I made the final adjustments and attached the bed side rails to the bed sides.
2. I mocked up the bed wood into the bed floor, to see what it looked like
3. I started test fitting the tailgate

I ended up with a small gap from the front side panels to the running boards.

For the tailgate I used a small piece of wood to give me spacing between the bottom of the tailgate to the roll pan. I still need to work on those support brackets that go from the roll pan to the rear stake pockets.

I can appreciate now why people weld up the rear roll pan seams, and the top of the front panel to the side panels. It would add alot of stability to the bed sides.

I ordered the rear flange piece from CMW trucks back in November, but to date it hasnt been delivered. If it doesn't come I will have to make that piece.
---------
I notice some people put in bed bolts that go through the top wood, and some people do not.
I'm ***uming that if you don't want the bolts to go through the finished top wood, that instead you countersink a hole in the base wood instead, and then use the anchor bolts between wood planks to hold the top wood in place.

Kirk