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Model51 · 08-28-2022, 08:09 AM

Just as a point of reference, in the mid-1930's at least, Ford painted, in the same body color, the entire big truck flatbed assembly after it was fully assembled. This included the underside metal ribs and wood floor. I know this is not the same issue you guys are discussing with pickups, but I just wanted to chime in that Ford did, for some models at least, paint the underside of the bed. The body color painting includes not only all of the steel framing parts, but the wood and hardware too as it was done after being fully assembled. The racks were also individually painted body color, fully assembled with wood slats riveted to metal stakes.
My opinion comes from studying lots of factory photos of truck beds at the Ford Archives as well as looking at several original survivor trucks. Thanks for this discussion as I learned something about pickup beds that I didn't know.

08-28-2022, 08:09 AM	#18
Model51 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fairfax Station, VA Posts: 777	Re: Painting underside of bed Just as a point of reference, in the mid-1930's at least, Ford painted, in the same body color, the entire big truck flatbed assembly after it was fully assembled. This included the underside metal ribs and wood floor. I know this is not the same issue you guys are discussing with pickups, but I just wanted to chime in that Ford did, for some models at least, paint the underside of the bed. The body color painting includes not only all of the steel framing parts, but the wood and hardware too as it was done after being fully assembled. The racks were also individually painted body color, fully assembled with wood slats riveted to metal stakes. My opinion comes from studying lots of factory photos of truck beds at the Ford Archives as well as looking at several original survivor trucks. Thanks for this discussion as I learned something about pickup beds that I didn't know.