'40 truck cab and bed wood

[40fordpu]

Hey guys and gals. Looking for some advice. I have purchased the cab and bed wood which is unfinished. What are most of you doing if anything to the wood? Clear weather protectant? Wood stain? Anyone know the proper, stock, Factory answer? thanks for the info! Happy Holidays.

[expavr]

I liberally applied Tung Oil top and bottom when building the bed, then reapply to the top as needed (every couple of years). To re-apply wipe on with a rag, let sit for 10 min.,wipe off the excess. Takes about a hour and a couple of beers start to finish. After 7+ years the bed wood has darkened and looks like a real working truck bed- no shiny finish. I've been able to blend in any dings in the bed using steel wool and the Tung Oil mixed with a little stain.

[expavr]

"Anyone know the proper, stock, Factory answer?"
On the tonner there were traces of green paint (body color) and a red primer (red lead?) on both the bed wood and the metal anchor strips. The OEM cab wood was black with the same red primer. I may be mistaken but I think the wood decking on the 40 1/2 ton pickups was covered with metal. You should verify that with Kube on this forum if you're thinking about a "judged" build.

[Kube]

The bed wood (top) was in fact covered by metal. The wood was dipped in a mixture of used oils and paints to offer some protection. This typically gave the wood a blackened finish. I am quite certain NO care was given to mask the wood (bottom) when the bed was painted and subsequently, the wood would have been over sprayed body color.
I am going a bit over board on my current restoration and painted the metal framing separate to obtain fine detail. Yeah, yeah, over restored for sure but I like it

[V12Bill]

Pick up beds form 1932 to 1950 had a metal floor and the wood underneith had some type of black treatment to preserve it.

[40fordpu]

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Kube - I know you are doing a restoration right now. Are you putting metal over the wood? I heard somewhere that that was a upgrade if the owner decided?

[TJ]

I used a black oil stain for the wood under the cab.

[rotorwrench]

It would only be speculation on my part but FoMoCo generally used a lot of black enamel for frames & under body parts and bodies were generally coated with lacquer in the earlier years. Wood absorbs what ever you put on it so it does make it difficult to tell some times. Black enamel paint might have been used to seal the wood. It would be interesting to know exactly what Ford used but it might take sample testing to find out at this stage of the game. Ford seemed to keep up with modern technology and they wanted a durable finish so enamels probably started to take over in there some where for body painting.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by 40fordpu

Kube - I know you are doing a restoration right now. Are you putting metal over the wood? I heard somewhere that that was a upgrade if the owner decided?

The metal bed is already installed. In fact, the bed is ready for paint at this time.
The metal bed was not an "upgrade". Rather, the metal bed (over wood) was THE stock, and only way the pickup beds were built.

[40fordpu]

Originally Posted by Kube

The metal bed is already installed. In fact, the bed is ready for paint at this time.
The metal bed was not an "upgrade". Rather, the metal bed (over wood) was THE stock, and only way the pickup beds were built.

Interesting. Why put metal over wood? Does anyone have the specs on the metal used? or how it was attached or thickness???

[Bob C]

C & G has them and there real close to you. http://cgfordparts.com/ufolder/fordp...mber=81C-10176

Bob

[Kube]

Originally Posted by 40fordpu

Interesting. Why put metal over wood? Does anyone have the specs on the metal used? or how it was attached or thickness???

The metal bed was installed over the wood - that's a certainty. There are a number of spot welds along the two sides as well as the front and rear. Plus, there are, if I recall correctly, 15 flat head screws that go through the metal and the wood and thread in to staked nuts along each of the bed floor braces.

I should be painting the bed within the next few weeks. Once done, I'll take some detailed photographs if you are interested. At this time, the bed is ready for color but is covered - awaiting time to paint.

[totto]

I used linseed oil first then black oil based stain as the original maple had a "dark color" to the wood. Put metal floor over top as original. 1934 pickup

Henry