LWB BED FLOOR REPLACEMENT (2 Viewers)

[jestlurnin]

Hello everyone. I know a lot of us are looking for replacement beds for our LWB 45's (maybe SWB 45's as well?). I've got a couple irons in the fire right now in terms of solutions but stumbled upon something yesterday and wanted to see if anyone has explored it.

I parked next to a 77' Toyota Hilux pickup at the grocery store (I found out the year cause the owner was getting in it). I didn't have any measurement tools on me but the corrugated bed of the 77' Hilux looked pretty darn close to that of our 45's....

Anyone every explored this as an option for bed replacement? If not the whole thing maybe just patch panels? Seems like Toyota maybe would have only had one pattern in the mid 70's for pickup floor beds....maybe...

Let me know what everyone thinks.

 

[47coeman]

Only thinking, but there has to be someone out there that we as Toyota people could find to duplicate or have already, ways of reproducing our needs just a thought.

 

[jestlurnin]

Our guy in Canada stopped making em' and shows no sign of returning to production and the only other option is a Columbian outfit that seems hit or miss.....

If anyone knows someone that is remotely interested in reproducing these things as stamped 14 gauge metal let's start working on them!

 

[47coeman]

I agree, parts would be excellent.

 

[Michael B]

Our friends in Columbia say they are having trouble getting steel. My bed floor has been on order since May 12th. Next possible delivery date is 31 August and they are not taking anymore orders until the end of December.

 

[jestlurnin]

Horrible news for us 45 owners 76' FJ40...

I know nothing about mass producing an item like the floor of our 45 beds. I think the reason Awltec stopped doing it was the ridiculous amount of labor that went into it.

How do CCOT and realsteelcruiserparts make/get there stuff? A big ol' press and some 14 gauge steel sheet??

Just throwing things out there.... I know how to do most things mechanical on our rigs (or can figure it out with some reading) but have no clue when it comes to body work or manufacturing body panels.

Us 45 owners need the equivalent of Racer and his floor mat mission over in the 40 section to create new floors!!

 

[Michael B]

Nik,
My understanding of the process is the tooling has to made (expensive and labor intensive), assuming you have a press and then you feed sheet metal blanks into the press. I'm sure this is the over simplified version of the entire process but it should be close. It is an expensive endeavor to be sure. You have to pay for the tooling and labor of the die and own a press before you can start making any profit.

 

[47coeman]

Ya 76
You are right, to make it profit many have to be made for the set up to cover the charge. It can be done like Kevin did it in Canada however it is also labor intensive for each one. Unless someone pipes up I think we are SOL.

 

[jestlurnin]

Just makes sense for someone that is "mass" producing body panels for 40's CCOT/realstealcruiserparts/SOR to make the investment to produce the beds even though the initial cost would be hi. If you are literally the only one producing something world wide i'd guess it wouldn't take too long to move into the black. Maybe at least a couple hundred customers could be found here in the 45 section alone. Said manufacturer could also put whatever price they wanted to on the floors seeing as they would be the ONLY one producing them... Hopefully within reason for us 45 owners.

 

[47coeman]

I agree and hoping someone out there would take that into consideration. I have 2 floors that could use replacing. One on my mostly stock 45 that isn't bad but would be nice to replace when I blow apart the bed to do repairs. The floor is repairable but I would go new if available. Also I am building a 40to45 conversion and picked up a used bed same situation with this one, I will say it again someone out there can and should get this to happen the market is there.

 

[Michael B]

Nik,
As an update to my order with Pacol; I spoke with them yesterday (their latest expected date of receipt on my item) and "my floor is at customs in Columbia and should be cleared through there in about 2 weeks, after that it is a slow boat to south Florida, with US customs to follow and then a truck ride to me". So maybe by Christmas I'll have my floor.

Michael <><

 

[47coeman]

That is great!!! Better than we can do, it looks like they have the only thing going in town, and that town is way far away

 

[jestlurnin]

I'm eagerly awaiting your assessment of the quality!! Maybe I'll be toasting to your new impeccable built 45 bed floor in New Year's Eve!!

Then perhaps if they've gotten their hands on some steel I'll put an order in! Thanks for the update!

 

[DTFJ45]

Its been a long time since I checked in here. A few years ago I has some work done locally. I think i could probably have them do another run. I would need to get permission from Awltech as he was the one who helped me with the specs originally. See photos attached. pm me.

 

[jestlurnin]

Wow that looks really purdy!

This brings up a question however. Most of our beds are beat to heck. The floor of my bed looks like the "ribs" are rounded. Are the "ribs" of my bed (and probably all our beds) rounded from years of having crap thrown in the bed? Cause both this bed and images of Kevin's bed have the "ribs" being very angular. Hopefully awltec can weigh in on this and give some insight on how he chose the heights/widths etc. that he chose when putting together his beautiful beds/bed floors. I do know that his tailgates and headache racks are spot on to OEM cause they are both sitting in my garage and I've made comparisons.

The previous thought is pretty darn knit picky but it's just something that popped into my head. One way or another it looks like if nothing else someone is going through the trouble of making our bed floors!!

 

[jestlurnin]

DTFJ45 do you have a completed/painted bed to post up?

 

[47coeman]

Yes it does look pretty, where are the people located really doesn't make any difference. I defiantly would be interested in working towards at least one of them, I could do the welding at the rear myself. Yes it looks like what we want. What about the sections around the wheel wells. Last question what gauge sheet metal are we looking at. TNX

 

[DTFJ45]

Yes it does look pretty, where are the people located really doesn't make any difference. I defiantly would be interested in working towards at least one of them, I could do the welding at the rear myself. Yes it looks like what we want. What about the sections around the wheel wells. Last question what gauge sheet metal are we looking at. TNX

Located in Ogden Utah. I have no idea how to ship something like this. I don't have the floor installed yet. I will try and snap a few more photos.

 

[47coeman]

Pics would be great, and yes it could be shipped, will there is a way. Keep us posted. Best

 

[jestlurnin]

I'll tell you right now that if the fine folks that made yours are willing to make more, the industrious Mudders will find a way to get it shipped...