Willys Stake Bed Truck Bed Color

I am restoring a 1950 Willys stake bed truck and I need some help with the color of the bed. The only color picture I have found is one painted red and white. The attached picture did not scan the color very well, but the top, grill, and lower portion is red and the hood and upper portion is white. This picture also shows the bed frame and wood platform as black, but the metal stakes and side boards as red like the red portions of the body. My question is what color was the bed boards, and the bed board fasteners? Thanks for any help.

Attachment 11446

The original bed color would most likely be black, depending on the vendor of the actual flat bed. A quick search through the archives of eWillys.com brought up Miller Manufacturing as a vendor. Now whether it was a dealer installed or factory installed remains a question without a clear answer. I don't see an option in the brochure for a cab and chassis with no bed.

The hardware would have most likely been cadmium plated to where they would not have been painted, with the caveat lector being, never say Willys never did something.

http://www.ewillys.com/?s=willys+truck+brochure

WOW! That was a trip down WIllys history.

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Originally Posted by gmwillys

The original bed color would most likely be black, depending on the vendor of the actual flat bed. A quick search through the archives of eWillys.com brought up Miller Manufacturing as a vendor. Now whether it was a dealer installed or factory installed remains a question without a clear answer. I don't see an option in the brochure for a cab and chassis with no bed.

The hardware would have most likely been cadmium plated to where they would not have been painted, with the caveat lector being, never say Willys never did something.

http://www.ewillys.com/?s=willys+truck+brochure

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Guys: I have two of these, a 1948 and a 1952, and both have the original stakes sideboard hardware and some of the sideboards intact, and they show signs of paint, and in the the color of the trucks. That is not to say they came that way from the factory. Also, as I mentioned the picture shows the stakes and sideboard as painted red like the main body color. I'm pretty sure the stakes and sideboard were the main truck color, it's the bed boards themselves I am not sure of. If they were black, like the frame that would be an easy restoration. One other point the 1952 has a VIN plate of 452 ED1, which is the VIN prefix for a stake bed truck. The 1948 simply has the VIN plate prefix of 4WD., as they only had 2WD or 4WD VIN prefixes that year. Thanks.

Wow what a collection of brochures gm! I agree Larry, what a trip down memory lane.

dg I would just be happy as heck "with two of those"!

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Originally Posted by bmorgil

Wow what a collection of brochures gm! I agree Larry, what a trip down memory lane.

dg I would just be happy as heck "with two of those"!

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I attached the one in progress, it has a twin stick PTO with a rear belt drum and a front winch. I'm putting a completely rust free 1948 cab and the stake bed that came with it, and the front clip from a 1950 1/2. The motor is the F134. The other one I attached a before and after picture. It needed a lot of body work and I stained the sideboard and painted the stakes black because at the time I did not know the colors. Thanks for all your help.

Attachment 11447Attachment 11448Attachment 11449

Nice! I love the black, that thing looks like it is workin' in the 50's!

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Originally Posted by dgoodenow

Guys: I have two of these, a 1948 and a 1952, and both have the original stakes sideboard hardware and some of the sideboards intact, and they show signs of paint, and in the the color of the trucks. That is not to say they came that way from the factory. Also, as I mentioned the picture shows the stakes and sideboard as painted red like the main body color. I'm pretty sure the stakes and sideboard were the main truck color, it's the bed boards themselves I am not sure of. If they were black, like the frame that would be an easy restoration. One other point the 1952 has a VIN plate of 452 ED1, which is the VIN prefix for a stake bed truck. The 1948 simply has the VIN plate prefix of 4WD., as they only had 2WD or 4WD VIN prefixes that year. Thanks.

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One learns something new every day. I didn't think to look at the serial number break down to see if there was a category for flat beds or cab and chassis. The wood could flooring may be like the station wagons to where they were stained in a dark oak stain.

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Originally Posted by gmwillys

One learns something new every day. I didn't think to look at the serial number break down to see if there was a category for flat beds or cab and chassis. The wood could flooring may be like the station wagons to where they were stained in a dark oak stain.

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Here's a picture of the floor pained black in the 1952. I think this is the original flooring as the screws holding in down are all the same and in the same holes on the frame as they were intended. They are also rusted in place, so I did not try and removed them for fear of breaking every one off. Please note there are no metal fasteners in between the boards, the 1948 flatbed does? Thanks.

Attachment 11450

It would make sense that the flooring and hardware would be painted black. The stain would be a bit too labor intensive. The wagon being smaller and less numerous pieces, so it would be less labor to stain them for installation.