45 pickup storage (1 Viewer)

[65swb45]

I started a post at the beginning of the year about my new springs. After wheeling it one time, the truck developed a severe lean to the left [over 1" drop!] I corrected it temporarily by preloading a coil over rear shock and redistributing some weight in the truck.

I had been talking about building some under-bed boxes for a while, but decided that the better 'bang' for the buck right now would be to build a wheelwell box that I had also been contemplating to replace my 'hell' box with all my heavy trail spares.

I was encouraged by recently fabbing some frame/body mounts for my buddy's 55 wagon that is pretty well rotted out in the back. While I still don't consider myself a professional welder by any means, I seem to be getting a pretty good 'handle' on laying down a bead without burning stuff up!

So I sketched out a box on paper that would conform to the floor of the bed, rise with the wheelwell and span it, and clear my new CO2 mount on the passenger side of the bed rack. I don't have easy access to a sheet metal brake, so I opted to use a heavier 16ga steel that I could weld onto a skeleton of my own design.

6 hours of cutting and welding later, this is what I accomplished:

 

[65swb45]

I was actually able to just butt the corners of sheet together and weld them without burning thru anything!

 

[bull]

Nice mark! What does that sucker weigh as it sits? How are you going to set the top on? Just flat steel? I like it!

 

[65swb45]

The larger section across the top will get a lid made from an angle iron frame skinned in 16 guage. The 'step' near the front of the box fits neatly under my CO2 mount and will help keep the box secured in the bed with a minimal amount of drilling.

About half way along the skeleton that hovers above the wheelwell I will install a crossbrace with a welded nut to anchor a flat plastic box that will hold my head and manifold gaskets flat and secured from the rest of the contents of the box.

I will hopefully be able to take a few more pics along the way before I finish it.

I am still undecided if I should paint it blue to match the truck {i've still got a LOT of blue paint] or white to match the cap. Thoughts on that would be appreciated.

 

[65swb45]

I'm about to jump off the puter to go to volleyball, but I saw your post bull. I think I calculated final weight to be somewhere between 60-70lbs in the 16 guage. Not much compared to the weight I'm gonna add when I get around to the cab sliders!

 

[D'Animal]

Looks nice. I really like it. Does that work with your ladder rack. I can't remember if yours was a bed mount or a bed rail mount. Is the rear near the tailgate going to be tall enough for your PowerMax?

 

[bull]

Blue would look correct with the body and hold up to smudges dirt etc, If you go white there will be a ton of grubby old finger prints and crap on it.

You should come up north when it is done and fill the boxes up with parts

The larger section across the top will get a lid made from an angle iron frame skinned in 16 guage. The 'step' near the front of the box fits neatly under my CO2 mount and will help keep the box secured in the bed with a minimal amount of drilling.

About half way along the skeleton that hovers above the wheelwell I will install a crossbrace with a welded nut to anchor a flat plastic box that will hold my head and manifold gaskets flat and secured from the rest of the contents of the box.

I will hopefully be able to take a few more pics along the way before I finish it.

I am still undecided if I should paint it blue to match the truck {i've still got a LOT of blue paint] or white to match the cap. Thoughts on that would be appreciated.

 

[65swb45]

You should come up north when it is done and fill the boxes up with parts

HA! You saw how much stuff I got into the rig at the 45 run, didn't you? Besides ALL the camping gear and the hell box and guitar, there was the complete front axle, the two transfer cases, 3 speed tranny, 4 windshield frames, 6 distributors, 1 carb, 1 manifold set, tow bar, running boards, heater, 2 instrument clusters, carb, tire carrier, and a couple of other things I can't remember!

Then I stopped to pick up my new 45 seats from poor boy pulling and threw them on top of the other stuff.

I felt like Mr Hainey from Green Acres traveling back down 395 to L.A.;p

The toolbox will actually free up MORE bed space. You know what that means!

 

[65swb45]

Well I finished the bulk of the box up three weeks ago, but couldn't get around to making a lid for it in time to put it into use on the 45 run. I decided to add three anchor tabs on the inboard side for helping to secure loads inside the bed. Here's a pic of the box.

 

[65swb45]

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I wanted to build a new campbox that was gonna be 45 specific and was wondering if there would be a way to anchor it on top of the toolbox. With my big expedition coming up in just a few weeks, and time running short, I decided that, at least for the moment, I could kill two birds with one stone by making the bottom of the campbox BE THE LID for the toolbox.

There are two oak strips 1x3 under the box that fit either end of the toolbox to keep the campbox from shifting side to side and front to back, as well as ensure the door will open all the way flat when the box is not on the truck.

 

[65swb45]

The box will have two vertical dividers and two shelves inside, as well as two chains to hold the door in the horizontal position, and will still have taken me less than a quarter of the time it would have taken to fab one up in metal.

 

[65swb45]

Spent Saturday at the shop with help from Stumbaugh, Calico and Bad Karma working on a few other cool projects for the expedition, including dual front cargo trays and a canopy. More pics to come.

I put my new rear cargo extension to good use, as I surpassed last years record for picking up parts on the trip! Loaded the bed til I was riding on the bump stops! Thanks to D'Animal and Calico for helping me out at the farm.

 

[65swb45]

Wow, 35 views and not one reply!

 

[bull]

looks good marky mark! Was the con-ferr rack used beyond repair?

 

[D'Animal]

I was going to comment about the blind spot it will give you being up that high.
I then looked at post #12 and decided not too. LOL!

 

[seapotato]

I like it.

I'm going to make some changes to the "boat rack" I have on the back of my 45 this winter. at the moment its holding up my fake troopie top , but I think I'll be putting the regular lid on pretty soon. ( gettin' a tad chilly in the mornings...)

I may steal some of those ideas....