I've been toying with the idea of a getting wood pick up bed. I've read the plans on how to build your own bed and seen the wood bed kit offered by many of the T vendors. I'd like to hear from those who have put together and installed one of these kits. How did you like it? Is it of good quality? Did go together as advertised? Any other thoughts or comments? Thanks

Steve: I made my own with original '25 steel strips and the dimensions I got from Steve Coniff. Used hard pine/southern pine. It was quite an easy job. I'm sure I have the dimensions in my files and would be glad to share. Bill

I made my own too, including the iron.


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Bill - thanks for the offer. I have Murray Fahnstock's article on building a bed and the MTFCA's updated version of the article, both have dimensions. I'm considering that too. I like the old style hardware too. But I'm hoping to get some feedback from someone with first hand experience with the kit for comparison. I note that the kit hardware is powdercoated, which I don't care for. My car is kind of a jalopy, and if I put a bed on it, I'd want a well worn patina type finish on it. Ideally, I'd like to find a well worn, but serviceable used bed, but not likely. So I'm looking at the options.

I'll send more pics if you want them.

Thanks Hal, that hardware looks great.

I built my own bed using various plans and many reference pictures. I also built my own brackets (irons) too. It isn't hard, some planning required, I would say it is a month or two project if your still working a full time job. I myself took 8 years, LOL.

If you want something rustic but solid, your probably going to have to build it and weather it yourself---or find someone with salvaged lumber. I fabricate a lot with metal, so the brackets weren't hard, just time consuming. I primarily used 1/8" thick stock to make mine from.

Chad, I used 3/16 on the uprights (and something thinner on the hinges) and U notice I put them on the outside, thinking that you can slide stuff in and out of the box easier that way. I made "hooks" so the tail gate can be pushed or "slammed" shut and it'll stay shut without extra hardware,

Steve. I have helped a friend of mine assemble two pickup beds. They were both bought from Langs. I do not know who makes them for Langs, but they were the ones he used. No problems. Everything fit as it should. They are not just a bolt together and go kit. You will need to do the normal sanding, Some of the holes are not drilled, but they are the ones that should be drilled as you assemble. The hardware all fit OK. No complaints I can think of. You could just buy the hardware kit and buy your own wood, and maybe save a little on the price of a bed. But it would depend on your choice of wood and how much it costs in your area.

Thanks Donnie, that's the feedback I'm looking for. Do you recall what kind of wood it was?

If you have a '25-27, the best thing to do is find an original Ford bed. They are out there.

I think as more and more parts become harder to find wood pickup boxes are going to be more popular for cost reasons alone.
My 16 black smith built roadster pickup has become a priority to finish.
Wood is my area so a nice oak bed was made to replace the beat up CVG fir bed. It looked like lip stick on a pig so the original is now back on.
Decided to leave all the bent, rusted, parts on and concentrate on a good running dependable pickup even if the engine is a 26 style. Funny after this amount of time the original bed is still very strong. Stories like both sides of the splay box tail gate have a burned spot from the exhaust pipe because it was reversed when one side was burned. The bent up tool box used as a step stool will be left as found.

My car is a bit of a jalopy, I don't intended to spend a lot of money on an original steel bed. A wood kit bed would be ok, I can give it an aged patina finish to match my car or a used wood bed would be fine too. I may have a lead on a wood bed locally, but not sure yet.

Steve, The wood in both of the beds my friend bought was red oak. If you were closer I have a complete, original, aftermarket, wood bed that Im thinking about selling. It will need re-wooded but it has all the hardware. The hardware is a different style than most of the hardware used today. I went with another T collector that lived near me to a sale in Nebraska about 20 years ago. He bought the bed I have now from out of a barn at the sale. It was NOS never used. He carried it home, sat it outside and never touched it again. When he was forced to move by the city, I was called to remove all the left behind model T stuff. I was sick when I saw the bed, as well as the rest of the T stuff that was rotting away. The bed actually is still in pretty good shape for sitting outside for about 15 years. Well, enough of my ranting.....

Wow, what a shame. But sounds like it is salvageable. Wish I was a lot closer!