Full Size Jeep Network

Greetings,

I'm a new member to the forum. I've been building out a 72 J4000. The truck is nearing completion and I still haven't resolved the replacement bed issue. The original was rusted through nearly everywhere and I've since scrapped.

With all of the experience on the forum can someone refer me to others who have either fabricated, purchased or found replacement beds?

The J4000 has a long wheel base as you guys probably know. I've toyed with the M101 trailer beds but don't like the lines once set on the frame rails. A flat bed is always an option but the truck looks really nice and I would like to finish it up in a clean way

The pinch welds along the bottom of the outside panels were rusted out on mine, and the lower valances were all rusty. The inside of the bed and the fenders were actually in pretty
good condition, so I cut the outer panels off, and made new valances out of 1/8" floorplate.
I left part of the top edge of the outer panel intact, and welded a 1" square tubing on the underside of the edge on top, and bolted the 1/8" valances and end pieces onto the bed. I used 1" x 1/8" angle iron for the uprights in the front & rear corners.

Sealed everything with urethane seam sealer, and coated everything on the underside of the box & fenders with a product called "Rus-Free" before putting it back on the truck. The tailgate isn't pictured, but it was also in pretty good condition, so I pounded out most of the dents, and repainted that.

Sort of a modified stepside now.

I would post some photos, but when I try, I get a message that says the files are too large.

You pretty much have to figure the bed condition into the value of the truck. Realize that trucks get used as trucks, and the Jeep truck beds are not plentiful. They rust out, are scarcer than good cabs and chassis, and there is no easy option for replacement. Plus Jeep truck production numbers were never very high, compared to the major brands.

I purchased a 7' bed in pretty good shape locally, maybe 10 years ago. They come up occasionally. You need to be resourceful - post up in all the Jeep-related forums (they all have "want to buy" areas), Facebook Marketplace, Craig's List. Be ready to travel quite a ways to get it. Suggest you look at car-part.com and vary the year. IIRC '72 is the last year for the single-wall beds, and they should be more resistant to rust-through than the later double-wall beds. However, I expect you could make a later bed work with less effort than fabricating a bed from scratch. The '72 long wheelbase is nominally 132", and the later trucks are 131".

Here's a photo of the (mostly finished) box:

I plan to coat the inside with bedliner eventually.

Bed floors and sides are available new these days and are for 8 foot lengths but can be cut down for a 7 foot bed. If you can find the back corners from a cab from the rear window down you can make your own tail light boxes, contours are virtually the same. Replacement cab corners can be used for the lower portion at the rear of the bed with minor modifications, replacement tailgates (unstamped) are now being reproduced but are pricey and the chains are available for the gates as well new. You're best bet is try to find an even a remotely restoratable bed somewhere and overhaul it structurally and cosmetically as needed. Theyre far and a few nowadays as was mentioned earlier but they are out there. And luckily the inner wheel humps in the bed are so insanely easy to reproduce due to them basically just being rounded unlike other trucks. I personally like the later model double walled bed over the earlier type but prefer the early tail lights and tailgates. You could always find a later model bed and graft the earlier tail end onto it and have the best of both worlds. You'd have to relocate a few of the frame mounts or add a few to get it bolted in all locations though. Good luck!

Phils67 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 11:39 am Bed floors and sides are available new these days and are for 8 foot lengths but can be cut down for a 7 foot bed. ...

Raybuck used to sell 'universal' bed floor sections and hat channels that you could use to repair the bed floor. If you need this stuff, you might get your local friendly parts store or body shop to order in the stuff you need, and save something on the shipping. Also possible to go to the local pick-and-pull and cut floor panels out of a wreck and weld them in. Get plenty of blades for your battery sawzall!

tgreese wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 12:51 pm

Phils67 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 11:39 am Bed floors and sides are available new these days and are for 8 foot lengths but can be cut down for a 7 foot bed. ...

Raybuck used to sell 'universal' bed floor sections and hat channels that you could use to repair the bed floor. If you need this stuff, you might get your local friendly parts store or body shop to order in the stuff you need, and save something on the shipping. Also possible to go to the local pick-and-pull and cut floor panels out of a wreck and weld them in. Get plenty of blades for your battery sawzall!

The shipping on those replacement parts in comparison is almost counter productive. Thats why I never got them. Shipping was as much as the replacement parts. Just stating an option and availability, that's all

If you gotta fabricate a bed, might be easier and more natural looking ot make a stepside bed? Simple flat sides angled and rolled at the tops, with some sort of fender - from a trailer maybe or graft in some from another make of truck bed. Just thinkin' out loud.