I bought some bed panels for my '34 truck from Mack's. (sides and front panel) My problem is that the front panel is twisted like a propeller. The top edge has the square tube formed into it, the other three edges have a 3/4" lip, the center has the typical '32-'34 truck bed ridges stamped into it for stiffening. If you stand it up like it goes on the truck, with one side vertical, the opposite lower corner kicks out a good 5". If you try to straighten it, it springs the other way. I bolted the sides to it, hoping that it would settle down a bit with something stout bolted to each side, but now it has this weird bow at the bottom edge. How can I take the stresses out of this thing without wrecking the panel? I don't want to cause more problems. I believe the panel is 18ga. (pretty stiff, I've got 20ga and I know it's thicker that that) Thanks for any suggestions.
I assume that you've asked if they would swap for a straight panel, before getting into correcting this one? OK, are there "regions" in the panel, that if they were shrunk, would tend to "draw" the panel toward flatness? I tend to think of the weld beads I've seen on truck frames, used simply to bring the rail into proper alignment. Typ. they are a row of parallel beads, that are there only to shrink the rail face. Anytime that you apply a torch to the center of a panel (for example), it will be constrained by the un-heated area around it, and will cool, by shrinking. So depending upon your technique, you can either shrink it in the direction of becoming flat, or render it into a pretzel! The tubing at the top is also suspect, until found innocent of causing the deviation.
If the beadwork was stamped into the panel it wouldn't have the warp to it. Rolled beads cause this tweaked situation. Usually where the beads cross the mfgr does handwork to complete the pattern. Many replacement panels for cars & trucks are made this way because stamping dies are very expensive and the potential market for the parts is too limited to get the investment back in a timely fashion. Try to bolt the panel in as is, often they will not be weird in appearance or fit once cinched down into position.
Hey, Five inches is alot of misalignment! Was this panel damaged in shipment, or no damn good to begin with? I'd try to align it on the shop floor, prior to instalation. If the square tube frame isn't straight, perhaps some work with a BFH and a block of wood, using the shop floor as a guide will bring it into alignment'
The Jalopy Journal
