Crafting A Pickup Bed - Bed Styling On Order

The patch panel is installed so that it matches the contour of the wheel opening, before a cut line is marked on the fender.

Both panels are then trimmed and welded to replace the offending section of fender. You can see by the weld line the section of fender that was trimmed away and where the patch was used.

Here’s the bed reassembled on the truck, complete with a new LMC louvered tailgate. Kev fabricated a rear nerf bar to house a pair of taillights and wanted to flow the lower bed rail better into the ends of the nerf bar before he paints the bed.

To do so, Kev first cuts away the stock rear bed panel and shapes the ends to follow the curve of the nerf bar. A keen eye will notice that the curvature has been cut into the rear panel so as to raise the nerf bar into the bottom of the rear of the bed. A tie down helps hold the bed square.

Next, Kev mocks up the nerf bar into the cut out section using a few C-clamps and spacers to mount the nerf bar exactly where he wants it in relation to a piece of square tubing that replaced the stock rear bed panel.

A piece of 14-gauge sheetmetal trimmed to fit the width of the rear panel is formed using a mallet and a piece of wood.

Then it’s welded to the bottom of the stake pocket and rear panel, one at either end.

To finish the back of the bed off, Kev found these disc plugs at the local metal yard. Welded to the bed rail, they finish off the otherwise open hole nicely.

To finish the back of the bed off, Kev found these disc plugs at the local metal yard. Welded to the bed rail, they finish off the otherwise open hole nicely.

Using some body filler and gray primer, Kev then knocks out the dings and dents from his bed and fenders.

The Summit high build primer is then sanded nice and smooth using a longboard 320-grit sandpaper, dry.

The two-stage Summit Racing paint requires a black base coat, so Kev applies a few coats of their black primer/sealer before wet sanding in 800 grit.

With everything nice and straight, Kev applies Summit’s Acrylic Urethane Indian Bronze Pearl followed by a couple of clear coats.

Wet sanded with 800-grit followed by 1500 and finished off with Mother’s rubbing compound applied via a buffer and foam pad, and Kev’s roadster hauler is looking like it could have left Ford’s factory like that in 1946.