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Old 04-05-09, 01:54 PM   #5 (permalink)
Bear
Forum Regular

 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: California
TLCA# forgot
Posts: 234
Kevin,

Briefly,

Rear valences are different:
Taillamps and their widths changed E-1968, 1969-1974, and again 1975-1985.
Valence hinge holes changed with the hinges: earliest are vertical, then 1967 - 1974 narrow horizontal, then 1975 up wider horizontal.
Originally thick, tapped, loose, dual hinge plates behind each hinge, then later welded captive nuts to receive the hinges.
1975 up bed floors have bolt-down inspection panels set over cutouts in the floor pieces located between the wheel wells and the front panel.
At some point, later Canadian beds had running light cutouts on the lower rear sides.

Reflector styles and valence holes changed 1969.

Early-1967 bed mounts seem to match 1980-1984 bed mounts for the FJ45s, and I would guess probably the entire run from early to finish are interchangeable. I have no experience with the diesels.

For your production, it may be wisest to leave the valences uncut and undrilled for lights and hinges.

Ultimately I think it shouldn't be too hard for most folks to make whatever you produce, fit their specific application. Certainly if Toyota still produced the beds for dealer sales, the constant upgrading that manufacturers do, would make differences in fit and finish, so that by now, 35-45 years later, a factory-new bed would have differences from all earlier versions anyway.

Your project is interesting. Fixes for the beds have been long needed, since most of these pickups were heavily used, as was intended. Sadly, each of the few sheet metal providers has priced himself out of the business. With your sheet metal shop, and the CAD work you already are generating for your own use, if you could produce additional separate pieces during your production runs--the five floor panels, each side panel, the front panel, the rear valence, and the under-ribs-- you might find a healthy business in addition to your desire to produce complete beds. Creating the gate posts and stamping out the fender wells may be a different story. All-in-all, this could make you a terrific resource for guys on a budget, with some skills or a local body shop to finish their projects at less cost and on their home turf.

I think the prices you ultimately ask, to which all of us must add the shipping costs, should determine your relative success. Many of the pieces could be flat stacked for storage and flat packed for shipping savings.

I believe there is a market, if you're willing to provide the product.

Good luck with your endeavor.

MS
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