56 W300 deck rebuild

[camshaft9303]

On a side note

While driving about today i got a 1967 Fargo W300 for another project truck.

[camshaft9303]

Deck update

Well im getting everything put together and all the wood is finished. I also ran some signal and brake lights but seem to have reached a snag. Somehow during my wireing something seems to have gone terribly wrong. With my wireing all i had to do was attach to the battery and ground the switch to the column(besides running the lights to all the corners). Anyhow now the truck absolutly wont fire.

The battery is strong and im getting power to the coil and everything else and all components are in specs. The distributor also has all new components. What could i have done to mess this thing up? Haha. I bought a new coil and that didnt do anything. The plugs are relatively clean and its getting fuel. Any ideas anyone? would this be a grounding issue with the destributor or something?

[camshaft9303]

Problem solved!!!

Well after about a week and a half of fiddling it turned out the wire going from the (-) terminal on the coil to the destributor was shorting against the side of the rotor housing. After fixing with a new insulator she sparked right up!.

After getting that issue solved i began getting the deck nice and strait and started screwing it down using self tapping stainless screws. I did 2 on the ends and 1 on each crossmember.

[camshaft9303]

More deck pics

Few more pics of the deck outside and the screws on it. Looking pretty darn good if i do say so myself.

[camshaft9303]

Feedback

Well all is comong along and looking good. Just hoping i could get some feed back as to what you guys think of the truck deck. And if you guys can actually see my pictures haha. Any how take a look and see what ya think. Much thanks.

[Clint Dixon]

I like how you have made the deck for your truck. You should find the flat bed very useful. Interested to see what you settle upon for tool/storage boxes. I always carry Hi-Lift jacks on my trucks. Watch the auctions, junk stores, and flea markets. With a little searching, you may find an old Hi-Lift jack that had a wooden handle. They are the perfect vintage for a Power-Wagon. Best of all, they work just as well as a new Hi-Lift and the major components have not been changed over the years so the old wooden handled ones can still be rebuilt with new wear parts.

[grover26]

Well all is comong along and looking good. Just hoping i could get some feed back as to what you guys think of the truck deck. And if you guys can actually see my pictures haha. Any how take a look and see what ya think. Much thanks.

Looks good.....Question is about about your choice of decking material. The last flatbed I built I used 2x8 CCA yellow pine. It was awhile back as CCA is long gone. I tried sealing between planks with clear silicone....worked for a while, but eventually failed and had continual problem with debris collecting between the planking. Wanted to use T&G but wasn't readily available in my area. Was even thinking of grooving the edges and using splines. It appears the T&G you used had a flush side and a beveled side and you elected to go V-groove up. Hard to tell from the pictures. My actual question is if V-groove up, what determined your decision to install that way? Also read somewhere warning against using T&G as swelling from water expands the tongue causing splintering of the sides of the grooves. If even true I would imagine V side up would reduce this tendency.

I'm usually not this long - winded....Just trying to gather info for my upcoming build for my Power Wagon.

Again.....Fine looking job.

[camshaft9303]

Looks good.....Question is about about your choice of decking material. The last flatbed I built I used 2x8 CCA yellow pine. It was awhile back as CCA is long gone. I tried sealing between planks with clear silicone....worked for a while, but eventually failed and had continual problem with debris collecting between the planking. Wanted to use T&G but wasn't readily available in my area. Was even thinking of grooving the edges and using splines. It appears the T&G you used had a flush side and a beveled side and you elected to go V-groove up. Hard to tell from the pictures. My actual question is if V-groove up, what determined your decision to install that way? Also read somewhere warning against using T&G as swelling from water expands the tongue causing splintering of the sides of the grooves. If even true I would imagine V side up would reduce this tendency.

I'm usually not this long - winded....Just trying to gather info for my upcoming build for my Power Wagon.

Again.....Fine looking job.

Well at first i did think of putting the flat side up so debris wouldent collect in the chamfers on the deck. But in the end i decided to go the more astetic root than practical. After all if it workes for the grain trucks on the farm itll work for me haha. As for water and swelling the boards shouldent crack too much or absorbe much water because iv been putting a coat of tounge oil one once every 2-3 days so the boards are almost solid with the oil so no water can penetrate. In the end i just went with this design because it looked good worked really good and should last a good 20-30 years if cared for.

[grover26]

Well at first i did think of putting the flat side up so debris wouldent collect in the chamfers on the deck. But in the end i decided to go the more astetic root than practical. After all if it workes for the grain trucks on the farm itll work for me haha. As for water and swelling the boards shouldent crack too much or absorbe much water because iv been putting a coat of tounge oil one once every 2-3 days so the boards are almost solid with the oil so no water can penetrate. In the end i just went with this design because it looked good worked really good and should last a good 20-30 years if cared for.

I agree with your thinking, but also believe that the V-groove will not allow debris to be 'trapped' between the planks like straight edges would....Easily swept out. Mine became packed with small pebbles and crud. Wood is still good after close to 30 years. I clean out with a hacksaw blade, and give it a 'Wood-life' treatment every couple years.

I fabricated my frame from 2"x4" box. Like you, I think I will use 2"x5" on my next. Gives it a 'beefier' look. NOW...as far as 1/2" wall thickness cross members....YIKES! LOL.

[camshaft9303]

Crossmember issues

I agree with your thinking, but also believe that the V-groove will not allow debris to be 'trapped' between the planks like straight edges would....Easily swept out. Mine became packed with small pebbles and crud. Wood is still good after close to 30 years. I clean out with a hacksaw blade, and give it a 'Wood-life' treatment every couple years.

I fabricated my frame from 2"x4" box. Like you, I think I will use 2"x5" on my next. Gives it a 'beefier' look. NOW...as far as 1/2" wall thickness cross members....YIKES! LOL.

Ya due to the thickness on the walls i ended up doing 1 screw per board. Im really realllly glad i did that. On the ends were the angle iron was it took about 20 seconds of drilling to get the self tappers through. On the crossmembers it was about a minutes so my drill was smoking hot and i had about 4 batteries on rotation.

[grover26]

Ya due to the thickness on the walls i ended up doing 1 screw per board. Im really realllly glad i did that. On the ends were the angle iron was it took about 20 seconds of drilling to get the self tappers through. On the crossmembers it was about a minutes so my drill was smoking hot and i had about 4 batteries on rotation.

My apologies for being alarmed on your use of such heavy-walled cross members. At the time I didn't realize you were from Canada and must factor in the Winter snow load.....Ha! Ha!. Seriously, we all use what's available. I once saw a flatbed trailer with 1 1/2" 0r 2" iron pipe for cross members. Seemed fine.

[camshaft9303]

My apologies for being alarmed on your use of such heavy-walled cross members. At the time I didn't realize you were from Canada and must factor in the Winter snow load.....Ha! Ha!. Seriously, we all use what's available. I once saw a flatbed trailer with 1 1/2" 0r 2" iron pipe for cross members. Seemed fine.

Ya being from a rural area most of the projects iv seen are farmer builds haha. That being way too much material with really crappy welds. So with my build i wanted to make it look more professional than these kinds of projects. But i figured for the crossmembers beacause no one sees them it would be fine to use recycled materials. And the fact it was the main supporting part of the structure i didnt feel to bad about using really heavy material.