The Ford Barn

Jeff/Illinois · 07-27-2016, 12:18 PM

Question. Why do '35 and '36 Ford pickups that you see for sale today, with the pickup beds with varnished wood floors, get advertised as 'original'? Our '36 is pretty much original and has a sheet metal floor with a wood underlay. My Dad had a '36 that he bought in 1951 when the original owner traded it in, it was all original, and IT had the steel floor in the box NOT the finished wood you so often see.

That confuses me are not the steel floors original, not the wood???? Wouldn't that take away from the value as it is not 'original' with a polished and prettied-up wood floor?

CaliforniaBorn36 · 07-27-2016, 01:32 PM

My original 1940 pickup was as you describe, metal floor with molded in ribs and an access opening for the fuel sending unit. There were oak boards under the metal. No wood was exposed on the topside of the bed bottom.

36Bill · 07-27-2016, 02:44 PM

The '36 pickup had the steel bed with wood under.

Bill

Stenny · 07-27-2016, 03:43 PM

Many vehicles are sold through dealers who know very little about what they are selling but do know that advertising it as original drives up the sales price. The above responses are correct that Ford used sheet metal over wood.

alanwoodieman · 07-27-2016, 05:32 PM

New guys got to have that "bling" of shiny chrome strips and varnished boards.

36and63 · 07-27-2016, 06:15 PM

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I think a lot of the sheet metal used in the beds simply rusted out so bad most simply replace with a wood bed kit. My 36 bed is in really nice condition and I feel very fortunate since you don't see many that survived.

Pat

Vanspeed · 07-27-2016, 07:14 PM

My floor in my 35 is to the point of needing replaced and I am going the wood floor, strips way simply because of cost and I like how it looks better. Does not change the vehicle to me at all whether it had the original steel or aftermarket wood. The price of the original style steel floor with wood subfloor is around $1000 because the shipping is so darn high, as opposed to about $360 through Mack Hil. I also use my truck and the wood is going to fair better than scrapping up a painted metal floor. Just my 2 cents.

Mike in AZ · 07-27-2016, 07:23 PM

probably the same reason you see cars listed as "fully restored"...with 350/350, A/C....etc....etc....and so the story continues...lol....Mike

Bulligen · 07-28-2016, 10:03 AM

Steel is the only way that the trucks came from the Ford factory, (wood underneath)

Newc · 07-28-2016, 10:34 AM

HI all; It just depends on whether the truck is going to be judged in an original class as by the Early V8 Ford Club. Newc

Seth Swoboda · 07-28-2016, 11:07 AM

Many of these vehicles are marketed to the low information buyer who doesn't know what original was or should look like or don't really care what original is. I can disseminate, usually, what is original and not. However, many folks aren't like me and really don't care that much and that is fine. It doesn't bother me. My wife refers to many of us here as SME's (Subject Matter Experts). In her job she would call on a SME if needed.

corvette8n · 07-28-2016, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

probably the same reason you see cars listed as "fully restored"...with 350/350, A/C....etc....etc....and so the story continues...lol....Mike

+1 on that fact, it really irks me to read some ads especially the ones that say "just like Henry made it".

Karl Wescott · 07-28-2016, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

Question. Why do '35 and '36 Ford pickups that you see for sale today, with the pickup beds with varnished wood floors, get advertised as 'original'? Our '36 is pretty much original and has a sheet metal floor with a wood underlay. My Dad had a '36 that he bought in 1951 when the original owner traded it in, it was all original, and IT had the steel floor in the box NOT the finished wood you so often see.

That confuses me are not the steel floors original, not the wood???? Wouldn't that take away from the value as it is not 'original' with a polished and prettied-up wood floor?

Either the seller does not know, or they think the buzzword "original" will add to the sales price. As a only somewhat related example we get several calls a year asking about fiberglass 1934 3 window coupes with a "wescott" body, of which we have built exactly 0. Cavet Emptor.

Talkwrench · 07-28-2016, 11:18 PM

Steel....

willowbilly3 · 07-29-2016, 03:49 AM

A car is only original once and that's when it left the factory. I think we can generally allow the word original to be applied to vehicles that have had things like tires, belts, hoses, water pumps, brakes or other normal maintenance items replaced over the years. I generally prefer the term "basically stock"

sprint29 · 07-29-2016, 07:12 AM

I'm restoring a 36 pickup. Trying to get it back to original as possible. Can someone tell me how the metal sheet that goes on top of the wood sub floor fastens down? Also , does the metal have a lip on 3 sides or is it just flat? Thanks

jimTN · 07-29-2016, 07:31 AM

Exposed wood in the early pick up beds is something the "drug store cowboys" just have to have and believe is cool.

Karl Wescott · 07-29-2016, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprint29

I'm restoring a 36 pickup. Trying to get it back to original as possible. Can someone tell me how the metal sheet that goes on top of the wood sub floor fastens down? Also , does the metal have a lip on 3 sides or is it just flat? Thanks

The sides flange up and are riveted to the bed sides.

Kube · 07-29-2016, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

Question. Why do '35 and '36 Ford pickups that you see for sale today, with the pickup beds with varnished wood floors, get advertised as 'original'? Our '36 is pretty much original and has a sheet metal floor with a wood underlay. My Dad had a '36 that he bought in 1951 when the original owner traded it in, it was all original, and IT had the steel floor in the box NOT the finished wood you so often see.

That confuses me are not the steel floors original, not the wood???? Wouldn't that take away from the value as it is not 'original' with a polished and prettied-up wood floor?

Jeff, This is kind of a pet peeve of mine. MANY ads state "restored" and then go on to explain (examples) the 12v system 'added", disc brakes etc.
I typically chalk this up to ignorance of the English language. I do not think this is done out of any malicious intent nor out of deception. Nope... just ignorance.

Jeff/Illinois · 07-29-2016, 10:59 AM

Kube you and I think alike! Glad it's just not me

The wood floors look nice heck we had one in the '37 pickup we owned years ago, but I sold that truck and bought the '36 because I wanted 'original'. The '37 looked stock but had a 302 V-8 and a C-4 tranny. Good driver always dependable though I have to admit!

rbdrake · 01-23-2017, 03:55 AM

Does anyone know if the 36 beds came with rope tie down hooks on the side rails? My truck has them. Not sure if they were an option or someone added them. They are mounted under the side rail with carriage bolt heads showing inside the rails.

Roger

Scott H in Wheaton · 01-23-2017, 10:20 AM

I replaced the oak boards on the underside, then made a piece of plywood to cover the original steel topside.
IMG_0440.jpg

IMG_0477.jpg

IMG_0809.jpg

mhsprecher · 01-23-2017, 10:45 AM

When I took my wife to her first V8 club show in Gettysburg a couple of years ago, she asked what people carry in those beautifully restored or over-restored pickup beds? I told her they carried pillows! We still laugh about that.

My jailbar has a beautiful bed. I picked up some used appliances in it, but I put some moving blankets in first!

FortyNiner · 01-23-2017, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbdrake

Does anyone know if the 36 beds came with rope tie down hooks on the side rails? My truck has them. Not sure if they were an option or someone added them. They are mounted under the side rail with carriage bolt heads showing inside the rails.

Roger

I haven't seen them on the beds I've handled. They likely were owner mods.

kehughes · 01-03-2018, 09:50 PM

Does anyone make a steel replacement? I prefer the steel for my '39, but can find a source for one..thanks

GB SISSON · 01-04-2018, 12:23 AM

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The 8' tonner beds were wood plank with bed strips. I will be re-doing my fourth one this spring. Painted steel bed strips and painted boards. That's how they came through. My jailbar half ton has a pretty nice steel floor in it which will still be there when my wife posts the auction notice.

37 truck · 01-04-2018, 11:41 AM

The stake side ford script beds, like my 37 has were wood and metal strip, and the rear fenders have channels for the bed to run through. Ford did it both ways!

38bill · 01-04-2018, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehughes

Does anyone make a steel replacement? I prefer the steel for my '39, but can find a source for one..thanks

Try: http://www.mack-products.com/products-page/ford/page/4/

Clem Clement · 01-04-2018, 11:49 AM

My '39 Peeekup came with three beer kegs in the back. One was empty. Was that original??

kehughes · 01-04-2018, 01:14 PM

I'll call Mack's up. Thanks for the info.

kehughes · 01-05-2018, 07:51 AM

Just in case anyone else is interested.... Mack DOES make the stamped steel bed flooring. $350 for it, which I think is reasonable. The problem, however, is it requires freight shipping....around $300 to NW GA. Also, there is a $125 crate fee added, so a total of around $775(Whew!!!) to me. In contrast, Mack's oak wood/stainless strip bed kit is $390 + UPS shipping(around $100 to NW GA).

Might be worth going to pickup the steel flooring if I go with it. It's around 8.5 hours 1 way. I have some things to think about I guess.

38bill · 01-05-2018, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kehughes

Just in case anyone else is interested.... Mack DOES make the stamped steel bed flooring. $350 for it, which I think is reasonable. The problem, however, is it requires freight shipping....around $300 to NW GA. Also, there is a $125 crate fee added, so a total of around $775(Whew!!!) to me. In contrast, Mack's oak wood/stainless strip bed kit is $390 + UPS shipping(around $100 to NW GA).

Might be worth going to pickup the steel flooring if I go with it. It's around 8.5 hours 1 way. I have some things to think about I guess.

FWIW: I made drawings of the wood bed boards and the wood subframe needed when I built my '38 box. If you are into wood working you can make your own. Just need to purchase the wood locally and order out the metal strips and bolts.

2ndgeer · 01-05-2018, 02:28 PM

Thank heavens that in America a person can create a vehicle that pleases them. I have the best of both worlds. A stock appearing steel bed floor (in my Mack Hils reproduction bed). However, I love varnished wood, too. So I went with a Bruce Horkey "Show Deck" in rock maple. This is because I need to carry a box to lock up "stuff" when I'm on the road. I didn't want to drill holes in the steel bed so I installed the tie-down runners from Macs to allow me to attach the box and my directors chair when I go to shows. This way there is a removable wood deck that pleases me. (Never have been and never will be a drugstore cowboy.)

07-27-2016, 12:18 PM	#1
Jeff/Illinois Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,789	1936 pickup bed Question. Why do '35 and '36 Ford pickups that you see for sale today, with the pickup beds with varnished wood floors, get advertised as 'original'? Our '36 is pretty much original and has a sheet metal floor with a wood underlay. My Dad had a '36 that he bought in 1951 when the original owner traded it in, it was all original, and IT had the steel floor in the box NOT the finished wood you so often see. That confuses me are not the steel floors original, not the wood???? Wouldn't that take away from the value as it is not 'original' with a polished and prettied-up wood floor?

07-27-2016, 01:32 PM	#2
CaliforniaBorn36 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 427	Re: 1936 pickup bed My original 1940 pickup was as you describe, metal floor with molded in ribs and an access opening for the fuel sending unit. There were oak boards under the metal. No wood was exposed on the topside of the bed bottom.

07-27-2016, 02:44 PM	#3
36Bill Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 315	Re: 1936 pickup bed The '36 pickup had the steel bed with wood under. Bill __________________ The best way to have a friend is to be a friend. Howdy Doody

07-27-2016, 03:43 PM	#4
Stenny Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 58	Re: 1936 pickup bed Many vehicles are sold through dealers who know very little about what they are selling but do know that advertising it as original drives up the sales price. The above responses are correct that Ford used sheet metal over wood.

07-27-2016, 05:32 PM	#5
alanwoodieman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate SC Posts: 2,963	Re: 1936 pickup bed New guys got to have that "bling" of shiny chrome strips and varnished boards.

07-27-2016, 06:15 PM	#6
36and63 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 212	Re: 1936 pickup bed Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I think a lot of the sheet metal used in the beds simply rusted out so bad most simply replace with a wood bed kit. My 36 bed is in really nice condition and I feel very fortunate since you don't see many that survived. Pat

07-27-2016, 07:14 PM	#7
Vanspeed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Suttons Bay, Mich. Posts: 3,384	Re: 1936 pickup bed My floor in my 35 is to the point of needing replaced and I am going the wood floor, strips way simply because of cost and I like how it looks better. Does not change the vehicle to me at all whether it had the original steel or aftermarket wood. The price of the original style steel floor with wood subfloor is around $1000 because the shipping is so darn high, as opposed to about $360 through Mack Hil. I also use my truck and the wood is going to fair better than scrapping up a painted metal floor. Just my 2 cents. __________________ *Respecting and Resurrecting Ford Model A's.*

07-27-2016, 07:23 PM	#8
Mike in AZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waddell, AZ Posts: 2,540	Re: 1936 pickup bed probably the same reason you see cars listed as "fully restored"...with 350/350, A/C....etc....etc....and so the story continues...lol....Mike

07-28-2016, 10:03 AM	#9
Bulligen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Elgin Illinois Posts: 736	Re: 1936 pickup bed Steel is the only way that the trucks came from the Ford factory, (wood underneath)

07-28-2016, 10:34 AM	#10
Newc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,484	Re: 1936 pickup bed HI all; It just depends on whether the truck is going to be judged in an original class as by the Early V8 Ford Club. Newc

07-28-2016, 11:07 AM	#11
Seth Swoboda Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 3,791	Re: 1936 pickup bed Many of these vehicles are marketed to the low information buyer who doesn't know what original was or should look like or don't really care what original is. I can disseminate, usually, what is original and not. However, many folks aren't like me and really don't care that much and that is fine. It doesn't bother me. My wife refers to many of us here as SME's (Subject Matter Experts). In her job she would call on a SME if needed. Last edited by Seth Swoboda; 07-28-2016 at 11:14 AM.

07-29-2016, 03:49 AM	#15
willowbilly3 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Black Hills, SD Posts: 577	Re: 1936 pickup bed A car is only original once and that's when it left the factory. I think we can generally allow the word original to be applied to vehicles that have had things like tires, belts, hoses, water pumps, brakes or other normal maintenance items replaced over the years. I generally prefer the term "basically stock"

07-29-2016, 07:12 AM	#16
sprint29 Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: springfield,mo Posts: 75	Re: 1936 pickup bed I'm restoring a 36 pickup. Trying to get it back to original as possible. Can someone tell me how the metal sheet that goes on top of the wood sub floor fastens down? Also , does the metal have a lip on 3 sides or is it just flat? Thanks

07-29-2016, 07:31 AM	#17
jimTN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Powell, TN Posts: 2,509	Re: 1936 pickup bed Exposed wood in the early pick up beds is something the "drug store cowboys" just have to have and believe is cool.

07-29-2016, 10:59 AM	#20
Jeff/Illinois Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,789	Re: 1936 pickup bed Kube you and I think alike! Glad it's just not me The wood floors look nice heck we had one in the '37 pickup we owned years ago, but I sold that truck and bought the '36 because I wanted 'original'. The '37 looked stock but had a 302 V-8 and a C-4 tranny. Good driver always dependable though I have to admit!

01-23-2017, 03:55 AM	#21
rbdrake Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2	Re: 1936 pickup bed Does anyone know if the 36 beds came with rope tie down hooks on the side rails? My truck has them. Not sure if they were an option or someone added them. They are mounted under the side rail with carriage bolt heads showing inside the rails. Roger

01-23-2017, 10:20 AM	#22
Scott H in Wheaton Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Wheaton, IL near Chicago Posts: 861	Re: 1936 pickup bed I replaced the oak boards on the underside, then made a piece of plywood to cover the original steel topside. IMG_0440.jpg IMG_0477.jpg IMG_0809.jpg

01-23-2017, 10:45 AM	#23
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: 1936 pickup bed When I took my wife to her first V8 club show in Gettysburg a couple of years ago, she asked what people carry in those beautifully restored or over-restored pickup beds? I told her they carried pillows! We still laugh about that. My jailbar has a beautiful bed. I picked up some used appliances in it, but I put some moving blankets in first!

01-03-2018, 09:50 PM	#25
kehughes Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 149	Re: 1936 pickup bed Does anyone make a steel replacement? I prefer the steel for my '39, but can find a source for one..thanks

01-04-2018, 12:23 AM	#26
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,926	Re: 1936 pickup bed Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The 8' tonner beds were wood plank with bed strips. I will be re-doing my fourth one this spring. Painted steel bed strips and painted boards. That's how they came through. My jailbar half ton has a pretty nice steel floor in it which will still be there when my wife posts the auction notice. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

01-04-2018, 11:41 AM	#27
37 truck Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Omak, Washington Posts: 207	Re: 1936 pickup bed The stake side ford script beds, like my 37 has were wood and metal strip, and the rear fenders have channels for the bed to run through. Ford did it both ways!

01-04-2018, 11:49 AM	#29
Clem Clement Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 3,393	Re: 1936 pickup bed My '39 Peeekup came with three beer kegs in the back. One was empty. Was that original??

01-04-2018, 01:14 PM	#30
kehughes Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 149	Re: 1936 pickup bed I'll call Mack's up. Thanks for the info.

01-05-2018, 07:51 AM	#31
kehughes Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 149	Re: 1936 pickup bed Just in case anyone else is interested.... Mack DOES make the stamped steel bed flooring. $350 for it, which I think is reasonable. The problem, however, is it requires freight shipping....around $300 to NW GA. Also, there is a $125 crate fee added, so a total of around $775(Whew!!!) to me. In contrast, Mack's oak wood/stainless strip bed kit is $390 + UPS shipping(around $100 to NW GA). Might be worth going to pickup the steel flooring if I go with it. It's around 8.5 hours 1 way. I have some things to think about I guess.