Pics of the Studebaker US6

[lowrdrbird]

We did think about that but most of the wood was still there so we made it for the larger size. this way if someone needs a correct early wood bed for a 4-5 ton truck it is all there. besides it could be good trade in the future. So i will be on the look out for a 80x144 bed that is all wood. i might even already have one source out there we just have to see if its still around.
Ken

 

[lowrdrbird]

A few weeks ago
OK here are some more photos of the work being done on the bed
Let me let Ray do the talking for this
"well, it been a lot of hard work and it took time to find wood floor boards... talked to a lot of companies and know one would cut the size I need... so we found a barn that was coming down and we took the beams from there and we planed them down to the size we needed... the wood looks great... also sand blasted metal parts and primed and painted the medal parts... used 1/8th piano wire for a new hinge pin for the tool box door... took a lot of work to figure out how the rear beam looked since I had nothing left to study... found out it was a 1" too narrow so I had to add an extra board to it... now it fits great... it is starting to look like a bed again "


Planing the outer boards








"today was the day to start putting things back together.... bolted the rear beam back in place, then mounted the tail light brackets back on, then mounted the rear panel using 6=1/2" x 6" carriage bolts and 4= 3/8"x2" carriage bolts... the whole package will then hold the rear cargo door once it is installed... before I mount anything else back on... the Studebaker will be here so we can mount the bed on the frame then mount the floors on and rebuild the sides "

 

[lowrdrbird]

Well this past week was great
I took phantom for her longest run yet about 7 hours but she was on the back of my truck on a trailer.
Took her all the way to Racine WI to get her bed put on I know that everyone has been watching the progress of the bed and now it is all coming together.
Here is what Ray said and some photos
"Well, the day has finally come to put the bed back on the Phantom... I mounted the frame when Ken was here dropping off Phantom... I wanted him to at least help with that part... Ken attached the lights and the plug socket and rewired the connections.... This afternoon at 5pm was the day of days... we started laying and drilling the floor boards and the straps to hold everything together... one by one it looked better and better... at midnight we were finished with the floor.... It was so much fun...My friend Katrina and my brother helped out a lot... next is to recreate the end sills and mount the walls on..."












So after all that was done Ray took Phantom to a reenactment at Trimborn Farm this weekend and took some photos of her around the camp. Still have to put the sides on the bed but its looking good.



Rob in the background wishing he could take her home.

Ken

 

[nattieleather]

WOW that is really coming together. I hope to see the finished truck in person someday...maybe at one of the local vehicle shows. Or if you ever feel like taking on a drive to Cleveland come on up and sit a spell... Are you planning on replacing the wood in the tail gate or did you feel that it is in good enough shape to leave it unrestored?

 

[lowrdrbird]

The tailgate was in good shape so we decided to reuse it as it give her some been there done that look. I haope to have some more pics when the walls are up.
KEN