M880 bed replacement

[gerth8992]

What beds are interchangeable with a 1977 M880? My bed had a rust problem in the cross members that support it and they have recently collapsed leaving the bed held up by the sheet metal of the bed floor. I was told at the local junk yard that the only beds that would fit it were off of 74-80 models and none were available. I was wondering if the 1st generation ram beds (81-93) would fit on it because they look almost identical, minus the more fancy trim work. Does anyone know if the beds have the same mounts and wold line up. Just for additional information my cab has been replaced already and is off a 78 D100.

 

[Bob H]

72-93 will fit the frame.

 

[porkysplace]

Try searching this website www.car-part.com it's a great site for searching junk yards.

 

[gerth8992]

Thanks. I knew they looked the same all those years, but i didn't know if they had changed anything on them.

 

[Elwenil]

The bodylines are drastically different on the '72-'80 and the '81-'93 models. Also there are issues with later '80s and up beds due to changes in the frame and bed. If I remember right, but I may have it backwards, the later beds will fit an older frame but to put an older bed on the newer frame the bed floor supports that ride on the frame need to be cut off. Again, I may have that backwards so be sure to investigate it. Like said above the later beds will physically bolt on but it looks like **** to my purist eyes.

 

[gerth8992]

Looking at them side by side I can see there is sort of a ridge on the newer ones near the top of the bed that matches up with the ridge on the cab. But it doesn't look like anything too very drastic. To the untrained eye it might pass. But in all honesty i'm not going for a show truck so it wouldn't hurt me too bad to not have an exact match. Just as long as it physically fits and bolts on where the old one came off.

 

[Elwenil]

It's a bit more than just a ridge. On the '81-'93 models, there is a square bulge at the front of the fenders that tapers off on the door. An identical square bulge starts at the front of the bed and tapers off to the end of the bed. Additionally there is a lower bodyline that follows the outline of the wheelwells. On a '70s era truck the sides are rounded and smooth with only a small flare above each wheelwell and a very similar lower bodyline like that of the '80s models that follows the lower belt and over the wheelwells.

Here is a shot down the side of my old bobbed '74 W100:

And a shot of my old '84 Ramcharger where you can see the typical '80s pinstripes that follow the bulges and really see how pronounced the rear bulge is:

It's your truck and you can do whatever you want with it but if you care at all about it looking "right", I'd find a correct year bed or fix what you have. It's a lot more obvious than you know. I have a buddy of mine who owns a '78 W150 with an '80s bed and so far that's been the reason he can't sell it. Most Dodge truck owners have one because they wanted one, it's not the sort of truck you buy when you just want a truck. I think most Dodge enthusiasts will spot the odd bed right off.

 

[gerth8992]

After looking at that I think I will hold out until I find a 72-80 model bed. Although I don't plan on selling it and the body lines are already a little off because the 78 cab didn't match up perfectly with the 77 doors and fenders. The vertical lines are not exactly parallel, but you have to be really close to notice it.

 

[Elwenil]

That would be a matter of adjustment. The body parts from '72-'80 will all swap with a few exceptions like early beds not having a fuel tank inlet, different valance panels for different grilles and so on. Technically you could convert the entire truck over to the '80s body style since the cabs are basically the same and the later doors and fenders will bolt on. This is pretty common with CrewCabs since the '70s era CrewCabs are much more common. Odd fact is the rear doors on the CrewCabs are the same for a '70s and '80s model which is obvious when looking at the rear door handles. The rear doors have a little indention where the handles set like all the '70s era trucks while the '80s front doors do not. At any rate, converting to the later body style is possible, but not recommended unless you need to swap all those panels and get a good deal on a parts truck in good condition. Everything but the cab would need to be swapped, including the core support and grille. Technically the cabs are also a little different but it's mainly just a couple small bodylines on the roof and the cargo lamp on later '80s and early '90s models which is not very noticeable, even to Dodge truck purists.

But yeah, if your fenders and doors aren't matching up well, you should be able to adjust them by loosening the bolts, shifting it around a bit and adding or subtracting shims, usually at the cowl and bottom near the door. If you core support is bent up or the bottom has rusted out at the mounts, it can cause a lot of alignment issues due to it pulling the front clip down.

 

[gerth8992]

That would make a lot of sense. My core support is rusted through on the passenger side. At least I think that's what it is called.(The piece that goes across the front of the truck that holds the radiator, fenders, wheel well, and grill on.) I plan on replacing it with one from the truck my cab came off of at the junk yard. I wish the bed to that tuck was still good because i would have bought the whole truck from the junkyard for parts but the back end was wrecked so the bed was shot. I planned on buying the fenders wheel wells hood grill and doors while i was at it for spare parts.

 

[Elwenil]

Yes, the core support is the panel at the front between the radiator and the grille. It's a common issue on the '70s era trucks.