Westholt Redneck Rebuild: Floor questions

TNGW1500SE wrote:
50 views and no comments? Ok,,, I'll do it.

Sorry but,,,,,, After looking at your pictures, I am wondering what you're thinking but more than that, I'm wondering what your neighbors are thinking.

Hard as it is to believe, I'm not the weirdest one on this street.

DrewE wrote:
The floor may well be held in by the bolts and nuts, maybe underneath a thin top layer of subfloor. It could also be glued down to the frame, though that's a lot less likely if it's original 1960's construction. You might be able to get some clues on the construction by examining the bit exposed where the door opens (maybe with some exploratory demolition from that point).

I am having some difficulty getting the plywood/insulation/plywood sandwich out from around the door. I've removed all the screws I can see, yet something is still holding it in. It was at that point I decided to quit for the day last weekend. I'll take another crack at it this weekend.

I didn't think about a top layer of subfloor over the base plywood. I will for sure have to look into that. Good insight.

DrewE wrote:
I would suggest you rethink your structural member sizes. 3/4" plywood and 4x4 posts are going to be heavy for what I assume is a pretty light-duty trailer suspension. The posts, in particular, would be far, far stronger than is necessary for supporting the truck cap. 2x2 should be plenty, particularly with some diagonal bracing or skin to keep them from deforming under load. I personally would also forego using pressure treated wood for this, since it's not in ground contact and the pressure treatment chemicals can do unsavory things to people and a fair few metals. Much of the pressure treated wood, at least around here, is none to straight or clear or well-seasoned. (If you do use it, make certain you don't have any aluminum parts in contact with the pressure treated wood.)

It does sound like it could be a fun project.

Yea, I'm starting to reconsider the materials. I like overbuilding things, but I started researching how much things weighed and I realized that I needed to scale things back a bit.

More reading showed pressure treatment unnecessary if I just cover it with a tarp when not in use, paint it properly, and perhaps use some aluminum flashing material to keep rain from seeping into the wood.

The metal sides are plenty strong, as long as I keep them from warping/bending under load. I had been thinking about using 2x4, but was waiting to see if someone thought 2x2 would be enough. The fiberglas topper itself would do a good job of preventing things from warping.

2x4 gives me a little more material to work with as far as securing things to inside. I may do a combination of 2x4 and 2x2 once I start seriously fleshing out an interior layout. I was wanting to mount the bed to the wood frame I put between the topper and sides so I have more open space underneath for storage. Have to get everything torn down first before I make concrete plans though.

drsteve wrote:
I'd tear it down to the frame and turn it in to a teardrop, as others have suggested. But whatever you do, lose that nasty old truck topper. It will ruin the looks of your hard work.

Oh I am the type of person who relishes in building for function with zero consideration for form. My summer car is a primer grey 1990 Geo Prizm and my wintertime car is a 1998 Ford Contour that has been totaled twice by the insurance companies. (Neither time was my fault.)

Thanks everyone for the input. Your thoughts on the flooring construction gives me some places to look this weekend. I Really want to use the original bodywork, but thinking about what I know is there and such I may have to reconsider, depending on what I find.

Talk to you all later.