PDA

View Full Version : Question on fab process to choose



olason
07-04-2013, 11:21 AM
Hello,

I am looking over a project of mine that I was given by my grandpa. It is a 1958 Ford F250, but it has been a sprayer pickup for Roundup on the farm since he got it in the late 80s. I plan to remove the sprayer, and for now restore the pickup.

The box floor is rotted up due to a leaky tank sitting in it for the last 25 years for sure. I can't seem to find a replacement steel floor on the web for the styleside box.

To make a new box floor with the raised sections like the factory box floor has would you use a bead roller on a piece of sheetmetal?

That is the only way I can think to reproduce this piece. I know the stepsides are more popular, and the parts are more available yet a long box styleside fits with my view of pickups. You can always use more bed space it seems like.

Eventually it may get a diesel swap, from the I6 stocker and manual trans, to be a tow pickup.

Ron Sutton
07-04-2013, 01:10 PM
When we make race car sheet metal floors ...

we use step rolls & bead rolls to create style & strength in the floor pan sections. We ... obviously ... make hard breaks with brake, and tunnels with a slip roll. If we need to have a 90 degree break that curves ... like where the trans tunnel connects to the firewall ... we use shrinkers & stretchers.

This is a pretty good book if you need to see photos & have more details on the how-to ... here (http://www.cartechbooks.com/automotive-sheet-metal-forming-fabrication.html).

But on this Forum are some of the best craftsman. Maybe they'll chime in with more detailed advice.

olason
07-04-2013, 01:38 PM
78607

I found over on another board of a guy building his own dies for a bead roller to make a similar step up in the floor that I was referring too. I guess I will have to measure the floor that is remaining to get the dimensions needed for the dies to be made, and then find the time to head to town. Dad owns half of the lathe that is in the welding shop in town.

I plan to start tooling up with fabrication tools as soon as I finish my bachelor degree in December.