Wood Cargo Area?

CodePoet · 07-14-2003, 07:06 PM

Hey all i've been mulling over things to do with my explorer and I stumbled over an idea that I haven't heard of anyone (at least here) doing. I was watching Trucks! on TNN(?) a couple of weeks ago and the dude was putting a wood bed in an old Bronco. It looks sweet as hell so I started to wonder if a version of this could be built for the explorer? I've seen it in many restorations of classic trucks, I don't know why the idea couldn't be adapted to the explorer. My idea is to get a few high grade planks, route them (so they interlock), very very carefully cut them to fit tightly all the way around, and of course put a very good finish on them. Only think I don't know about is the trim, i'd like to get some kind of chrome trim to fit between the planks and around the fender wells, and the rear sill. What do y'all think?? Has anyone done this? Just curious, thinking about this has done wonders for getting my mind off Calculus!

Later
CP :

aldive · 07-14-2003, 07:20 PM

Why not just use high quality tongue and grove planks?

*alphabets13* · 07-14-2003, 07:32 PM

this may give you an idea. it was just done by TravisC
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...threadid=83110

FHfirefighter · 07-16-2003, 10:37 PM

yeah like aldive said, just get some tounge and groove hard wood floor from home depot or something. if you cut it carefully and seal around the edges where it meets the trim that would work. and it would look sweet as hell.

*TravisC* · 07-17-2003, 08:02 AM

I just threw mine together one day. It took about an hour or so of measuring, cutting and putting it together. My brother just made on too but dividers in his and JasonB has one that has drawers on the front. Jason's is pretty sweet because of the drawers, I stole my idea from him.

410Fortune · 07-17-2003, 08:46 AM

Its a great idea.

Step one:
rip out the carept and cardboard Ford put in there

Two:Build a wood or metal frame for your new floor

Three:
INstall new floor

Shouldnt be too difficult, fabricating the frame to fit the cargo area I would imagine to be the hardest part

There are some super high end truck bed kits (wood) on the market, maybe look to those for idea's......the best ones I have seen usuallt have a stainless frame with a nice slit of stainless between each plank to act as runners, so if you do load up crago it sits higher then the face of the wood, a little less damage and scarring

Farkwee has a false floor in his Navajo built for storage and to minimize center of gravity. He took it a step further with actually chopping out the rear metal and building it all from scratch, I think hes even gota BII fuel cell......

I found a piece of heavy plastic at the junk yard, cut it to fit and screwed it in under the BII trim, Works GREAT, wipes clean, matches my floor mats

CodePoet · 07-18-2003, 02:44 PM

Hey I wanted to keep up with my thread, unfortunatly I had a calculus test that I was studying for this week and the thread sliped by the wayside. Anyway, as for the frame what would you suggest? I wouldn't want the new floor to sit too much above the stock carpeted level, it's going to be bad enough just with the thickness of the wood. For the frame i'm supposing you are talking about something to tie all the planks together, adding some strength, and securing it to the newly uncarpeted floor. If so couldn't I use some fairly thin stips (maybe 1/8" thickness) to build the frame? I was also thinking the stainless strips that would go between the planks, I didn't even think about how they would give some clearance between any cargo and the wood. I think I might go to lowes and look around. If I can do it i'll deffinltly let y'all know, and post some pics. Well I have the urge to goto the hardware store....later!

Later
CP

p.s. I think **knock on wood** that the calc test went pretty well!!

410Fortune · 07-18-2003, 03:05 PM

I would think a metal frame bolted or welded would work best, the frame should also accept the end pieces.......just like the aftermarket wood bed kits hot rodders have been using for years, just in your cargo area, not in the bed of a 50's Chevy......

jasonb · 07-18-2003, 04:11 PM

here's mine! bolted to the floor and drawers slide all the way out. i have a second half that folds up that can be used to continue the floor over the back seats. i don't keep it in the truck much though. it works great and keeps stuff from banging around. there is room on the sides to stuff things like bungies, ropes, hitch shackles, whatever. the top also hinges open if you want to access it that way.

Mr XLT · 07-19-2003, 09:19 AM

Very nice cargo area man! I like the drawers. I am going to build one and paint Hurculiner bed coating to it.

Greg

07-14-2003, 07:06 PM	#1
CodePoet Wannabe Elite Explorer Indianapolis, Indiana 1993 XLT Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,415 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Wood Cargo Area? Hey all i've been mulling over things to do with my explorer and I stumbled over an idea that I haven't heard of anyone (at least here) doing. I was watching Trucks! on TNN(?) a couple of weeks ago and the dude was putting a wood bed in an old Bronco. It looks sweet as hell so I started to wonder if a version of this could be built for the explorer? I've seen it in many restorations of classic trucks, I don't know why the idea couldn't be adapted to the explorer. My idea is to get a few high grade planks, route them (so they interlock), very very carefully cut them to fit tightly all the way around, and of course put a very good finish on them. Only think I don't know about is the trim, i'd like to get some kind of chrome trim to fit between the planks and around the fender wells, and the rear sill. What do y'all think?? Has anyone done this? Just curious, thinking about this has done wonders for getting my mind off Calculus! Later CP :

07-14-2003, 07:20 PM	#2
aldive Elite In Memoriam 1999 XLT Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 25,270 Vehicle Specs	Why not just use high quality tongue and grove planks? __________________ Al Franklin My truck My Quest for 30 RIP Al Franklin! 1947-2010. Gone but not forgotten! :(

07-16-2003, 10:37 PM	#4
FHfirefighter Wannabe Elite Explorer Charlotte, NC area '97 Sport Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 92 Vehicle Specs	yeah like aldive said, just get some tounge and groove hard wood floor from home depot or something. if you cut it carefully and seal around the edges where it meets the trim that would work. and it would look sweet as hell. __________________ 1997 Sport SOHC 4x4 4.10LS, Longtek Safari Guard, 4-door leaf springs, K&N, BFG all terrains

07-17-2003, 08:02 AM	#5
TravisC My bro, JoshC in Iraq Hurricane, WV '92 Sport Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,285 Vehicle Specs	I just threw mine together one day. It took about an hour or so of measuring, cutting and putting it together. My brother just made on too but dividers in his and JasonB has one that has drawers on the front. Jason's is pretty sweet because of the drawers, I stole my idea from him. __________________ '92 Explorer Sport - 4" lift - 33's, I need to pay it off so it can become a project '00 Nissan Maxima SE - 1.5" drop - CAI - Hi-flow Cat - TV/Xbox - 5% tint - 5 spd - leather/loaded

07-17-2003, 08:46 AM	#6
410Fortune ELITE BRONCO2ERER Crawlorado B2 Mod Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 22,099 Vehicle Specs	Its a great idea. Step one: rip out the carept and cardboard Ford put in there Two:Build a wood or metal frame for your new floor Three: INstall new floor Shouldnt be too difficult, fabricating the frame to fit the cargo area I would imagine to be the hardest part There are some super high end truck bed kits (wood) on the market, maybe look to those for idea's......the best ones I have seen usuallt have a stainless frame with a nice slit of stainless between each plank to act as runners, so if you do load up crago it sits higher then the face of the wood, a little less damage and scarring Farkwee has a false floor in his Navajo built for storage and to minimize center of gravity. He took it a step further with actually chopping out the rear metal and building it all from scratch, I think hes even gota BII fuel cell...... I found a piece of heavy plastic at the junk yard, cut it to fit and screwed it in under the BII trim, Works GREAT, wipes clean, matches my floor mats __________________ 96 Explorer daily driver build-1996 XLT 5.0L AWD to 4x4 conversion complete on 33's 88 BII 5.0L conversion - BII 5.0l drivetrain thread My Bronco II - 1988 Bronco II 4x4 V8 on 35's - registry and updates Wifes 07 FJ build - 2007 FJ cruiser locked and lifted

07-14-2003, 07:32 PM	#3
alphabets13 Elite Explorer 2004 Mountaineer Premier Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,441 Vehicle Specs	this may give you an idea. it was just done by TravisC http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...threadid=83110

07-18-2003, 02:44 PM	#7
CodePoet Wannabe Elite Explorer Indianapolis, Indiana 1993 XLT Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,415 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Hey I wanted to keep up with my thread, unfortunatly I had a calculus test that I was studying for this week and the thread sliped by the wayside. Anyway, as for the frame what would you suggest? I wouldn't want the new floor to sit too much above the stock carpeted level, it's going to be bad enough just with the thickness of the wood. For the frame i'm supposing you are talking about something to tie all the planks together, adding some strength, and securing it to the newly uncarpeted floor. If so couldn't I use some fairly thin stips (maybe 1/8" thickness) to build the frame? I was also thinking the stainless strips that would go between the planks, I didn't even think about how they would give some clearance between any cargo and the wood. I think I might go to lowes and look around. If I can do it i'll deffinltly let y'all know, and post some pics. Well I have the urge to goto the hardware store....later! Later CP p.s. I think knock on wood that the calc test went pretty well!!

07-18-2003, 03:05 PM	#8
410Fortune ELITE BRONCO2ERER Crawlorado B2 Mod Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 22,099 Vehicle Specs	I would think a metal frame bolted or welded would work best, the frame should also accept the end pieces.......just like the aftermarket wood bed kits hot rodders have been using for years, just in your cargo area, not in the bed of a 50's Chevy...... __________________ 96 Explorer daily driver build-1996 XLT 5.0L AWD to 4x4 conversion complete on 33's 88 BII 5.0L conversion - BII 5.0l drivetrain thread My Bronco II - 1988 Bronco II 4x4 V8 on 35's - registry and updates Wifes 07 FJ build - 2007 FJ cruiser locked and lifted

07-18-2003, 04:11 PM	#9
jasonb Jackstand Wheeler Suwanee, GA '99 Sport 4x4 Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 6,390 Vehicle Specs	here's mine! bolted to the floor and drawers slide all the way out. i have a second half that folds up that can be used to continue the floor over the back seats. i don't keep it in the truck much though. it works great and keeps stuff from banging around. there is room on the sides to stuff things like bungies, ropes, hitch shackles, whatever. the top also hinges open if you want to access it that way. __________________ JasonB --Thanks to all the great people in the military for keeping us safe.--

07-19-2003, 09:19 AM	#10
Mr XLT Wannabe Elite Explorer Beaverton, Oregon 97 Eddie Bauer V-8(5.0L) Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 96 Vehicle Specs	Hey Jason, Nice! Very nice cargo area man! I like the drawers. I am going to build one and paint Hurculiner bed coating to it. Greg __________________ 1997 Eddie Bauer V-8 AWD FLowmaster 50 series SUV Stock for now