Dodge little red wagon named Elle

[TheAngryDrunkenRussian]

Okay many of you know that I own Custom Lawn and Landscapes and as a owner of a total of 5 trucks right right now (looking at another). I still own my first truck I've ever owned a 94 1500 Dodge ram (the $900 truck) and growing up when they first introduced this truck I said it was mine. But now that weather and road salt has started taking a toll on the beauty of it the box is starting to rust out well the cancer hasn't spread to the doors or the cab yet and with winter approaching and running a seasonal business gives me alot of time this is my idea.

Well I want to do is that this winter I'm rebuilding the engine. At a 163K miles, orignal 5.9 and orginal Auto Trans, I can tell she is getting a little old in her age, she can't pull trailers for her age. I have plenty of know how to rebuild a engine and a trany. But I want to have a show truck on the road now (for parades, carnival functions, and of course for the business.) SO I want to rip the pick up box off this old girl and go old school style and make a wood floor and side box to it. My problem is how to make this look into this.

79 Dodge.


Pictured is a late 90's-early 2000's 1500 Dodge Sport mine is a 94. As a referance.


Specs on my truck
4X2
Reg Cab
Short box
Dual Exhaust
Must still be able to carry a "working load"
Class IV hitch
Premium wheels with New BF goodrich All Terrian's
4 ft Whips (Hey Need the CB and Weather Radio for work)
Weather Guard tool box which I'd still like in the bed.

[thecavemankevin]

so do you currently have the bed of the 79? Do you know how to weld? I highly doubt that the two beds are going to be the same size. I imagine that the 79 bed will be smaller in both width and length. Thus you will likely have to cut it up and custom fab in extra meat.

you may be better off looking to see if someone can fab a fiberglass bed for you in the style you want....????

[PyRo]

The little red express trucks are a collectors item now and the prices are going up pretty fast. Finding a bed off one is going to be difficult as the trucks are few and far between. You may be able to find a whole truck that needs work to get a bed off of but it's not going to be cheap.

Your best bet in my opinion is to find a stepside bed off a modern dodge pickup, or failing that a chevy or ford. Put that on your truck and modify it as you see fit.

You could look around and see if anyone is making reproduction beds.

[Crighton]

I think you can get reproduction 56 ford truck beds that look just like the one you want.

Now fitting it, that's going to be the fun part.

[Big'n slo]

I think you can get reproduction 56 ford truck beds that look just like the one you want.

Now fitting it, that's going to be the fun part.

http://www.rodnrace.com/rnr/5356pu.htm

F100 Fiberglass Rear fenders
I have a set on my 53 F100

They are 3" wider than original which would help match the width of the newer bodystyle and fit larger tires

[Crighton]

I was pretty sure they were floating around. We have a partial fiberglass front end on our 56 w. Ford O Matic.

[TheAngryDrunkenRussian]

Well my idea was to fab up my own bed but base it off that 79 and use the four post method the way they make beds with wood sides for work trucks basicly the same design of that 79 but trying to find fenders would be tough for 33in tires.

Another question that pops into mind is that the floor and the sides are going to be white oak 2X8's and having that added weight should I shove some stiffer leafs under it.

But designing this going to have to wait. I just got back from the hosiptal a few hours ago from dumping my John Deere 2210 down a hill. Thank god for seat belts.