Page 74 - Issue 32

Next the body was cut 6”
behind the doors, and cab
corners added to make it
a pickup of sorts. At this
point, you’ve basically got a
Roadster or T Bucket type of
body. I’ve gone back a little,
and added some of the pics
of the surgery to catch you
up to date. A piece of sheet
metal was used to make a dash,
metal was used to make a dash,
and the inside crossed braced to
and the inside crossed braced to
keep it straight and the door lines
equal with reveal the same.
At this point it was time for a T
Bucket bed to be made. We went
a little taller and longer than a T
Bucket for added room. The bed
is 36” long, 38” wide and 20” tall.
The top 6” was bent 45 degrees
to give that old school pickup look
and a piece of 1/2” gas pipe tacked
to the top to give that rolled look.
You can use 18 or 22 gauge as you
don’t want it to heavy, and it will be
braced several ways, so that’s plenty thick enough. It’s easier to build the bed on the ground
so you can keep turning it and make the welding easier. The back of the VW also got 1/2” gas
pipe welded around the top of the back body for strength, and to give it a rolled look as well.
We sat the pickup bed against the body and on paint cans to get our desired height. I
wanted to stay 3” below the top back body rail with the top of the bed. Once this was
achieved we marked everything and pre-drilled the bed to the body, then took it back
apart in order to install the body on the frame.

74 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-TWO

72x77__TommysToolbox_RR1509.indd 74 6/25/15 7:54 AM