49 f-1

[Forty niner]

did these trucks have wood beds or metal?

 

[mercman from oz]

Bed Floor in 1948 Ford F-1

 

[Newc]

My '48 had the sheet metal cover over wood slats. Newc

 

[pbsdaddy]

48 and 49 had metal beds.

 

[RalphG]

The 49 I have here in the yard just has metal strips and a lot of empty space between them so I'm guessing it was wood at one time.

 

[TomTruck]

It changed in mid 49 from the 48-early 49 bed with a metal cover over the wood to the 50 style bed with wood and metal strips. The bed sides and rear fenders are different between the two styles.

 

[Forty niner]

I will be getting this truck from S Dakota in May. I think it has the vin plate still on it. It has a metal bed now so we will see. Thanks

 

[GB SISSON]

I will be getting this truck from S Dakota in May. I think it has the vin plate still on it. It has a metal bed now so we will see. Thanks

We anxiously await its' arrival. Have your camera ready please.

 

[FortyNiner]

It changed in mid 49 from the 48-early 49 bed with a metal cover over the wood to the 50 style bed with wood and metal strips. The bed sides and rear fenders are different between the two styles.

That change was during the 50 model year not 49.

 

[38 coupe]

FortyNiner has it correct. All half ton beds with stamped sides came with metal floors. Starting midway through 1950 Ford started producing the flat side bed with wooden floors.
Replacing the metal floor is more difficult than cutting out rusted remnants and installing a wood floor. Many original Ford beds made before 1950 now have nice looking wood floors, but that is not how they left the factory.
Confusing the discussion is the 3/4 and 1 ton pickups that used wood floors from their beginning in 1938. You occasionally see someone mistakenly claim wood was used in all pickup beds earlier than 1950 and support that claim with a picture of the larger 3/4 - 1 ton bed.

 

[rotorwrench]

Mack Hils produces the 48/49 & 50 bed kits for around $4K. The 42 to early 50 bed skin is also sold separate for $350. They have beds and tail gates for quit a few models of the big three auto manufacturers from the 30s thru the 50s. They also have replacement stake pockets and other bed related sheet metal products.
https://mack-products.com/shop/page/23/

The caveat on bed kits is that they don't come with instructions. The builder needs an orginal bed in good enough condition to take critical measurements for assembly.