has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

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daveyboy
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has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by daveyboy »

???

If one had a early bed and needed replacement cast type tie down hooks, where would you turn?

Is there anyone making these? From my experience with old 1/2 ton Dodge military WC's, they apear to be very close if not exactly the same hook as used on early Chevy cargo beds...

(hence, I ma going to post this inquiry on the Dodge section as well)

Thanks, Dave
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by retro-roco »

Dave,

That wouldn't surprise me at all. The beds were not manufactured by Chevrolet or GM, but by third party mfgers. A similar bed was used on the Studebaker US 6 too, from what I understand. I'll send you a PM with an email for a guy who MIGHT be able to help you out if you only need a limited number...
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by daveyboy »

THANKS Kirk,

actually, I was hoping someone made them in large numbers, for a person maybe making his own bed.

BTW. the reason for my inquiry...

I am currently working on drawings of ALL the other parts of the bed, simplified versions that is, for a local house to fab up for me, in addition to the one front bed panel you gave me (John at mid west is making these soon in the future)

I did a lot of thinking regarding my bed, and after looking it over, I realized that after I cutout and replace the front bed panel, and the floor, Ill still be stuck with a bed that has less than perfect sides (a bit pitted )

Then, to correctly do the floor and front panle replacement , I got to cut, grind etc then sandblast the rest. Basically, all adding up to mucho-dollars in the long run. and I am still stuck with the less than perfect sides, etc.

So, I decided to make up drawings and have the entire bed locally fabbed. A freind of a freind has a contact with a sheet metal guy locally that has the equipment to handle large sheets and heavy gages. BUT, I cant ask him to make me a one off bed with all cutouts, holes, etc. Ill ask for the basic shapes, formed to size and Ill drill and cut where necessary. and weld the entire lot together.

Perfect situation? No.. But economincally feasable to have a sheet metal house just blank and bend than to ask them to set up a punch tool machine for holes and cutouts (Set up charge for one peice, plus programming would make the parts cost prohibitive)

anyway, I am hoping on going this route, that is, making my own NEW bed.

And I would like to sell the old bed someday. BUT, if I gotta take all the cast hooks off, it will make it less than desirable to sell. If I could get enough hooks for my new bed, then I wont need these and can leave the old bed intact

Anyway, Ill be keeping the forum updated as I make progress..

Not sure if you ever completed an entire set of drawings to fab an entire bed or not, so I may be re-inventing the wheel. But like I stated, having simpified drawings made to the extent of where its cheap to be made, and I invest my own sweat to drill, cut and weld, I might get this bed done rather cheap.

Indicaters so far in pricing I have been given looks good..
Last edited by daveyboy on Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by retro-roco »

Daveyboy,

How far are you with the drawings??

I have just in the last couple of days nearly finished drawings for almost all of the parts for the full steel (NOT composite) bed. If they are any help to you, I'd be happy to send them to you...

If you have yours done, I'd like to see them just to compare...
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by daveyboy »

Hey back. Ill be sending you a message off line on all this.

(OH.. in case I cant find it, will you send me your email again pleaase?)

Anyway, I sure would like to swap the drawings for comparision. However, Ill tell ya up front that mine wont be detailed like yours. As I stated, I am trying to be realistic with the manufacture of a single bed. NO sheet metal shop will cheaply setup a punch press for a single peice. The setup and programming would be buried in the one peice part price . SO, my drawings ONLY show the basic size and shape with none of the cutouts and holes, exactly what I expect a shop to manufacture for me, keeping the cost down.

So, keep this in mind when you see the .pdf files.

In fact, I also took the liberty to modify a few areas of construction. When its completly welded up, there will be no readily noticible differences from a stock welded bed to mine. I am just making it easier on the fab guy.
And my wallet.

youll see :)

wc57doggieboy@yahoo.com
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by RANGER »

Original hooks were forged, best way is to use the flat stamped hooks as used on the Euro made Cargo Bodies as found on return CCKW's. Memphis Equipment is loaded with them as well as the late round wire style.
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daveyboy
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Re: has anyone found a company making cast tie down hooks?

Post by daveyboy »

much appreciated on the lead for the hooks. Might be the best way to go, AND keep my original bed intact for the next buyer.

thanks again
"there is no sense living like Barbarians just because there is a war going on"

"Major Dietrich Wilhelm von Alsberg
aka “THE COUNT”
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