Wanted: Early 3/4 ton WC bed

[Mark Cook]

Well, after getting down to the "nitty-gritty" on my WC, I think it may be better to write this bed off, and try with a better candidate.
If anyone has a decent, straight, and relatively rust free bed for my WC 55, please let me know.
I just think my current bed is just too rotted and tweaked to make it worth the effort.
I know John Bizal had on on ebay a couple of months ago, I wished I would have picked that one up......
Mark

[Mark Cook]

Ok,
So after removing more parts and bondo, I don't think my situation is all that dire after all.
I've discovered that I can remove the bed halves (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and the ability to work on each half separately will make the bed restoration much easier.
My left rear is pretty well hammered as well as the "dimples" on the corner.
I think with a little bit of work, I'll be back in business.
I hope to get my page up and going in a little bit to document my progress.
Mark

[GTBGUY]

I seem to remember that John Bizal had reproduced the ends of the bed that can be used to replace the dinged up parts.

[G. Miskovsky]

John Bizal also has the "dimples" you refer to (check out his web site). I broke mine in two and rust removal and metal replacement was very easy.

[Railsplitter]

Yes the bed sides come off. If you look at the factory pictures, you will see a photo of the two bed sides being lowered mate with the floor sub assembley. To ease assembly, I would assemble the wood floor with the cross wood pieces and metal sills on the frame. Then set the bed sides and bolt together. Good news, John Bizal is making the correct skid strips for the bed that will take a step bolt. Been there - done that!

[Mark Cook]

Thanks for all of the info guys.
Mark

[Chris Davis]

Hi Mark,

I went through this on the my WC-51. I found it easier to pull the bed and supporting channels as a unit, then tear it down.



The bolts end up being rusted in place and tweeked so they are difficult to remove... even harder when the bed is still on the truck.



After everything is dissasembled and sandblasted, cutting out and patching rusted seams takes a while.



My cross members were tweeked and had to be bent back into shape too...



Once everything was cleaned up and un-tweeked, I was able to re-assembled it on the truck though...



I'm not done with the write-up, but there's more photos at:
http://www.surplustrucks.com/WC51/WC51Home.htm

I like the look of your site... keep us posted!

Chris Davis
Centerville, UT
'45 WC-51

[Mark Cook]

Great Stuff Chris, Thanks!