[jasonpotts]

the bed had been pretty badly treated as well. The stake holes had been welded closed, and the tailgate too. They ran a bead all the way around the tailgate from the inside, cut off the chain hardware and latches, welded up the holes for tail light brackets, and worst of all the little folded over seam on the bedside at the tailgate had been cut off.

We found an old trailer/bed on my BIL's farm and while it was rusty it was all there.

I opened up the stake holes but the factory metal was missing where the punching process should have folded it inside the pockets. I cut those out and replaced with old pieces from the trailer.

I did the same at the back, removing the last 2 inches or so of the bedside and splicing it in.... I did have to order a new tailgate

Maybe two weeks after work, but it saved my buying and shipping two new bedsides