Topic: '83 Bed Rebuild Ideas

[thestoic22]

Here's a story for you all.  I just purchased an '83 with a "saggy" bed.  Little did I know, the bedliner was the only thing holding the bed onto the rear of the truck.    When I took it off, the fenders fell onto the tires and all I could do is chuckle at this precarious situation.  the fenders seem to be half way salvagable.  Can you all offer some best practices and lessons learned for trying to band aid this thing?  I am going to actively try to find a donor bed, but until then I want to still be able to drive the truck.  Thoughts?  Suggestions? 

[PAToyota]

Sounds like it is beyond the point of no return.  By the time that you welded in enough structure to support things, you might as well do a flatbed or something similar.  If you want to keep the stock look, I'd just start looking for a bed.  If you need something back there until you can find a bed, I saw a guy that just bolted some 2x6s across the bed mounts, nailed a couple sheets of plywood to them, and fastened the taillights to the underside of the back.  It isn't going to be permanent and you're not going to be able to carry anything back there, but it will keep the cops off ya' if you need to drive it around.

[Rebeltilldeath3]

I got a bed for an 83 if you wouldn't mind taking a drive to Pennsylvania to pick it up.

[thestoic22 [OP]]

That would be awsome if you think it would be worth a drive from Virginia Beach.  How much do you want for it?

[Rebeltilldeath3]

$150.

It has a few pinhole rust spots.  We were going to paint it up, but we got the right bed for the 87.  That bed actually belongs to the truck right next to it.

[thestoic22 [OP]]

Where are you located in Pennsylvania?  We are coming through there in a couple of weeks to visit my in-laws.  Maybe we can set something up....

[CTENG in KS]

Is this a driver or a wheeler, cut the sides down until there is nothing left but bed skins, then do a nice pimp dovetail!

[thestoic22 [OP]]

Hey Rebel,

Do you still have that bed that you are looking to part with.  I know it's been a while, but I figured that I would take a chance.  I thought that I was making progress with rebuilding the one that I have, but I'm seadilly realizing that I am pissing in the wind and wasting a lot of time with this thing.  Let me know if you still have the '83 bed. 

Thanks,
Brandon

[Westy]

what about flatbedding it??