MTFCA Forum

My top replacement for Clarabelle is turning into a more involved refresh. The latest item I’ve decided to tackle is replacing the wood on the ford built flatbed floor as it is getting really rough. The current boards look to be pine, 1-1/2” x 7”. They are routed on the rear to fit underneath the lip of the rear frame member. IN looking at other pictures on this forum, I see other flatbeds where the boards look more like 1” without the routed edge. Can any of my fellow TT owners confirm what their bed wood measurements are.

My bet is the building the trucks flat beds were farmed out.
Depending on who, where, when the little variations will exist.
I would try and duplicate the bed that you are currently working on.

Here is a picture of an original TT stake bed wood piece. Probably not unlike those in your picture. I cut the forward section due to damage. Indeed, it’s pine. Although it’s 100 years old, the dimensions are 1” thick and 7” wide. Zoom into the top of the picture and see it’s been routed 1 1/2” to fit into the ‘Ford Truck’ last crossmember. The board will then extend to the forward edge of the front bed crossmember. The left and right boards are also routed lengthwise to fit the side panel flanges. Many, many years ago I believe I bought #1 pine 2 x 8s and went to planing and routing…..

Good info, George. I'm pretty sure mine are replacements from 40ish years ago when the last major restoration occurred. I'm looking at going back with something like Ash that will be durable but also stain up nice. Not the way that Henry would have done it but it is a show truck...

Now that you mention the ‘metal strips between boards’, many years ago I found a company in one of the Carolina’s that not only reproduced an exact copy at the length you specified; they also punched square holes of the size you specified at locations you specified. Can’t remember their name tho’.

The boards on my TT Ford bed looked to be original when I bought it in '81.
They appeared to be Oak, and as others stated were end routered at the back end as well as lengthwise R & L to fit under the metal frame.

I ended up with Poplar as that was the only wood of appropriate size at the local dimensional wood supplier. I’m sure it will stain up nice and I will use my West System coating. I used it on the painted side racks and worked well.