Deliverance
Gear Grinder
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2015
- Messages
- 21
- Location
- Louisiana
- First Name
- Evan
- Willys Model
- Pickup
- Willys Year:
- 1949
TL;DR: I used the bones of an old bed to build a new one. I purchased a bed floor from Classic Enterprises that is well constructed, looks nice, and is affordable, but the ribs are not an exact replica.
Like many Willys Pick Up owners, I have long been hungry for a new bed. Being a restoration, I wanted something that was to exact Willys spec (which ruled out using a Chevy bed) but didn't feel like shelling out $5k for the reproduction kit. So I decided to get creative with the goal of building a bed for less than half the price of a reproduction kit. The process is detailed below, as well as a review of the bed floor I purchased from Classic Enterprises ( https://www.classicent.com/products/willys_truck_46-62_pickup_box_floor ).
Is the classic enterprises bed floor the way to go? I'm happy with it, but ultimately that is up to you to decide. For the Studebaker floor, both halves, are $475 plus $190 freight charge, or $665 total. Compare this to the Willys repro bed floors that are $800 for each half, or $1600 total. This means I saved $975 by purchasing the Classic Enterprises bed floor. While it is hard to put a price on originality, I considered "close enough" to be worth the grand I saved.
Now, as many of you know, the original bed floor was the same piece of metal as the lower side crossmembers. If I had bad crossmembers I would probably do the Willys reproduction pieces. But for just replacing the floor? I'd definitely do this again.
I see that Jeepsterman has also begun selling this product ( https://thejeepsterman.com/products...pick-up-truck-usa-made?variant=48239166324973 ). While it is a bit more expensive, it might be worth paying to support a Willys parts vender, which are getting harder to find these days. They also list "Floor w/ Wood Slates" as an option, but have no pictures. I would love to see this.
Thanks for reading!
Budget Breakdown:
Like many Willys Pick Up owners, I have long been hungry for a new bed. Being a restoration, I wanted something that was to exact Willys spec (which ruled out using a Chevy bed) but didn't feel like shelling out $5k for the reproduction kit. So I decided to get creative with the goal of building a bed for less than half the price of a reproduction kit. The process is detailed below, as well as a review of the bed floor I purchased from Classic Enterprises ( https://www.classicent.com/products/willys_truck_46-62_pickup_box_floor ).
- I bought a spare bed that had a rotten floor but good stake pockets and reusable cross members. Good stake pockets was my primary concern as they are one of the priciest components on a repro bed and not something I can have made locally. With a couple ratchet straps, I was able to secure it in the bed of my F150 and headed back toward Illinois.
- Once I had the bed in my shop, I began cutting out the rotten floor, assuming it was all that needed replaced. I found the best way to do this was to remove the old bed in sections separated by the crossmembers. After cutting out a section with a cut off wheel, I would pry up the next section with a crowbar then cut the spot welds with a Sawzall. I experimented with a plasma cutter, but was afraid of cutting into the crossmembers. There is probably a less cave man way to do this.
- I sent the bed off to my sandblaster guy. The sand did its job and revealed holes in the sides and header. Guess they weren't as reusable as I hoped.
- For the next stop in the bed's journey I sent it to a local fab shop. They used the existing sides and header panel to create new ones from thicker steel and weld a pipe on top. They also capped the ends of the bed rails. Although this is not original, I love not having to worry about dirt and wasps.
- For the floor, I contacted Classic Enterprises in Wisconsin. Their customer service is fantastic and Mark is a great guy who seemed truly interested in my project. He was up front that the floor is for a Studebaker, and although it is the same dimensions, the ribs are not exactly the same as a Willys. The Studebaker floor has 6 wide ribs vs the Willys narrow 10. Link: https://www.classicent.com/products/willys_truck_46-62_pickup_box_floor
Is the classic enterprises bed floor the way to go? I'm happy with it, but ultimately that is up to you to decide. For the Studebaker floor, both halves, are $475 plus $190 freight charge, or $665 total. Compare this to the Willys repro bed floors that are $800 for each half, or $1600 total. This means I saved $975 by purchasing the Classic Enterprises bed floor. While it is hard to put a price on originality, I considered "close enough" to be worth the grand I saved.
Now, as many of you know, the original bed floor was the same piece of metal as the lower side crossmembers. If I had bad crossmembers I would probably do the Willys reproduction pieces. But for just replacing the floor? I'd definitely do this again.
I see that Jeepsterman has also begun selling this product ( https://thejeepsterman.com/products...pick-up-truck-usa-made?variant=48239166324973 ). While it is a bit more expensive, it might be worth paying to support a Willys parts vender, which are getting harder to find these days. They also list "Floor w/ Wood Slates" as an option, but have no pictures. I would love to see this.
Thanks for reading!
Budget Breakdown:
- Rusty Bed- $500
- Sand Blasting- $250
- New Bed Floor- $675
- Fab Shop Work (Materials + Labor)- $1,000
