Widebed Box on 1931 Stepped Frame

[billontario]

Help! I have a reproduction widebed box for my 31 Closed Cab pickup. The frame is stepped the 2.5-3 inches of the height of the frame in the rear. Any suggestions how to mount the box as I’m thinking the wide oak sub rails will interfere? I need to still be able to carry a load in it. Looking to keep it original looking, but lower to accommodate ‘35 16” wire wheels.
Pics would be helpful. Thanks, Bill!

 

[Brentwood Bob]

Oak sub rails?

 

[billontario]

Yes, that’s what on the retro box. They’re quite thick; close to the step on the back of the frame.
Bill

 

[wuga]

This is my pickup with oak blocks between the frame and the box. You can barely see them in the first picture. They are meant to raise the box so the rear cross member doesn't intrude through the floor. I slightly modified mine for the plank floor. If your kick is 3", make blocks for in front of the kick to support the front of the box. A rear extension could be fabricated to the kick that could be welded or affixed somehow to carry the rear of the box. It would be hidden by the box. Could you post any pictures showing what you have?
Warren

 

[billontario]

Hi, the box I have is different than yours. It is taller, longer and wider. It doesn’t use wooden blocks, rather wooden rails. The wood rails run front to back at the bottom, under the crossmembers of the box. I can’t raise the bed at all as this type is at the belt line of the cab to begin with. To clear the step, the wood would have to be notched which wood take away much of its strength to support a load behind the truck’s rear crossmember. I’m thinking I’ll have to replace the wood with a square steel tubing that can be stepped itself over the frame step of the truck. This will reduce bed depth. I was hoping to not give up bed depth, but ??
Thanks, Bill

 

[rotorwrench]

Stepping the frame generally always leads to body/bed interface problems. Another way to lower the rear without stepping the frame is to extend the frame back 7.5" and use a later rear axle & shortened torque tube drive to have spring behind the axle. A relatively flat fabricated crossmember and a later low arch spring will lower it quite a bit.

Model A rear crossmembers in stock locations required a cut out section with a metal cover plate in the bed floor. Using a reverse eye spring drops the rear several inches but that's about it.

Modifications are always a give and take situation with the model A frame design. The bed will have to be either mounted higher above the frame or the bed floor will have to be stepped up to make it work and look stock.

 

[billontario]

Thanks for the reply. The truck is going on a chassis that is already done with a step. I was just wondering what people do when they wish to retain a useable space on a stepped chassis. If anyone has done this I’d love to see some pics.
Thanks, Bill