Ryoken's 89 Crew Cab Tubebed build... aka Mutt....

[Chevy305]

I was picturing those boxes hanging a lot lower but I like how they follow the rocker panel lines. Are you going to add rounded tube in front of it to match the other main tubes?

 

[ryoken]

Are you going to add rounded tube in front of it to match the other main tubes?

I was waiting for that one..



no... trust me, I've thought about it... same treatment as right above.. but I think it'd be "too much" BIG GIANT corner coming at ya!!! clear the way!! somehow the giant hangin box just being stepped back a bit and shaped different gives it as much subtlety as the rig can muster...

the other thought to that is, if you do the front,

(coughbiggerpaininthearsebendcough),

you'd probably need/want to run a curved, or straight tube around the tire.. opens up a slippery slope of circus tent... and more panels....... and killing spree...... and breathe...


so for now.. the intention is to just panel that... I think it proportions well to the other mass above the bed, the doghouse... I think once it's clad in alum, it's gonna look killer....

next week I'll start fitting up the door/panels and doing tabs... for the insanity record... there will be fuggin 30 panel mounts....

8 for the floor, 6 for the front/back, left/right panels, 6 for the ceiling, and the rear will be 4... single Southco paddle latch....

 

[blazinzuk]

Digging the depth the box adds.

Weirdly enough I think it looks good with out the curved corner. I didn't think it would. Seeing it makes a difference in my perception I suppose.

 

[cyclic]

Add the curved bar, fill the horizontal area with expanded metal to make it a step. same with the curved bar above it. Then fill the vertical part with aluminum. Basically making it a step system to help with entry, but mostly additional access for the bed and tire. The "roll bar" makes a good place for the hand at the same time.

 

[ryoken]

thanks Eric.... as with most of this build, it needs the surrounding parts and pieces now to look "just right" IMO...

when the box is done, and the drawer is back above it, it's gonna look better.. still a bit funny tho with that straight up alum line of both boxes..

but with the that little curved alum facia in front/above em, it's gonna make it look just right...

 

[ryoken]

Add the curved bar, fill the horizontal area with expanded metal to make it a step. same with the curved bar above it. Then fill the vertical part with aluminum. Basically making it a step system to help with entry, but mostly additional access for the bed and tire. The "roll bar" makes a good place for the hand at the same time.

tho I have no intention of needing climbing access up onto the actual bed from anywhere other than the back, just having the curved tube at the bottom and an expanded steel screen /step to that whole bottom tube flat would be very handy for fueling...

not sure where you meant for alum... but I don't think I'd do any.. just that upper facia, than the lower step... so the alum of the box would still be visable...

good idea... probably wont add that for awhile, but it's another option for getting to the fills easy peezy, as opposed to some swing down, "soon to be rattling", step kinda deal...

 

[ryoken]

Add the curved bar, fill the horizontal area with expanded metal to make it a step. same with the curved bar above it. Then fill the vertical part with aluminum. Basically making it a step system to help with entry, but mostly additional access for the bed and tire. The "roll bar" makes a good place for the hand at the same time.

oh, I see what you where talking about... 2 steps..

 

[ryoken]

I definitely want to add the upper curved facia... I think it will help break up that vertical alum line....




here's some with the drawer back in...

my MPS entry!

 

[cyclic]

Basically take the aluminum and instead of following the outside curve, make it curve to the inside of the truck bed. An insert for the step part. Take a look at the back bumper of a Avalanche, the corners have an inset that is a step like what I'm meaning. By being made aluminum it ties the entire bed together while giving you two steps to reach anything you might need to.

 

[ryoken]

I like that idea... facia at the top.. it needs it to somewhat "even out" that row, to counter the taillight panel... and "flow" the box in? if that makes sense outside of my psychosis...

stoopid thing is, I don't even really have enough tube to add the lower step... I'll add that when I build the bat box for the other side..

what I'll do is do the outer, 6" CLR bend, than do another at the back corner... like a mini sideways rockslider?!!!?!!?!?

than I'll do a straight hangin support.. 1/2way across the flat.. hidden behind the cab wall...

cutting edge expanded flush with top... I have it already..

sweet... poifict for fueling... and doesn't make the front corner look all blocky and whatnot...

and I can easily get the right foot up to the handrail for climbing up to get to the gooseneck, spare, etc when the tubegate isn't accessable...

 

[ryoken]

Basically take the aluminum and instead of following the outside curve, make it curve to the inside of the truck bed. An insert for the step part. Take a look at the back bumper of a Avalanche, the corners have an inset that is a step like what I'm meaning. By being made aluminum it ties the entire bed together while giving you two steps to reach anything you might need to.

hmmmmm, I like the idea of just doing a pocket right above the tube, on the upper facia piece as a foothold... heck, made em for da gas boxes..

it'd still be alum, break the line up.. and be a functional foothold...

I wouldn't do anything to the bottom other than an expanded step... don't want any alum paneling on the lower section...

 

[cyclic]

Isn't the battery box getting an aluminum door?

The upper and lower step would both look great with an aluminum backing either curved in, or a simple single or double bend (wide spaced 45 degree bends). All toward the inside of the bed, just reference the avalanche bumper corners. The lower being backed with the aluminum is IF the battery door is aluminum, if not then leaving it open would be fine. But I'd lay money you're planning an aluminum door there, so having the step backer will finish it nicely.

 

[blazinzuk]

Steps are super handy too. In fact here this winter I'm going to mod a couple of flatbed for a guy to put in steps.

 

[ryoken]

well... both of those boxes will have indentical alum doors, just like the tool drawers above.. but one latch..

I would still take my approach... fancy boxed upper facia.. and just a lower step...

first, a lower alum panel, curved with a foothold box at the bottom would be a serious pain in the arse.. but it also will give it that look I referred to earlier, that I'm trying to avoid.. of a giant alum corner headed at the drivethru speaker..

the stepped, lower line is important to me... that may not make sense to everyone.. but I feel that inset, flat alum box wall, will offset the upper curved facia... just right... a tube at the bottom will be unnoticeable to the "silver outline"...

 

[ryoken]

a giant alum corner headed at the drivethru speaker..

the stepped, lower line is important to me... that inset, flat alum box wall, will offset the upper curved facia... just right... a tube at the bottom will be unnoticeable to the "silver outline"...

there's some Ryoken design mental cr@p for ya...



I don't know... I'm still trying to make it a "go-fasty Baja lines" type of look process????!!????

big rig tow trucks tend to have that "GIANT LEADING CORNER COMING AT YA" type look going... seems it give a slower? look to it? like this one I resto'd a million yr's ago...

eh, looks like cr@p, I'll hack it out and redo it.. it's steel...

 

[ryoken]

hmmmmmm... you may have just saved me from doing ANY more alum bending!





I think that upper facia should be flat panel in the front, till the bend starts, 90 degree in, box, straight panel out to the vertical drawer/c-hoop spot... !!!!?!??!!!!!??


still gives that silver color, forward.. but is functional.. I'll see tomorrow (meaning later tonight when I'm 1/2 in the bag) what I need to run for a stout expanded step in there... maybe another short 1.5" tube and the aggressive expanded...

 

[ryoken]

actually.. that EXACT idea is perfect... tubed/expanded lower, and mini upper step... sexay upper boxed alum facia..


another 37.2 hr's of labor per side... but fug..... it's what I do.....

 

[ryoken]

 

[ryoken]

yeah, that's the ticket.... make it happin captin...

 

[cyclic]

Then I'll throw you one last idea, paint the battery box door and anything you do to the "new" front step black (or what ever color your doing the tubes in). It'll make that part seem smaller and accentuate the horizontal aluminum you are doing for the rest. Just do that upper front part in the aluminum like you photoshopped, but paint every thing lower than the frame in black.