Finally got around to fixing the bed drain cover so the first (or is it last?) row could be bolted down...welded some shouldered nuts on the bed but had to use some stainless steel fender washers to bridge some gaps...
Oh, and I ordered some eye bolts to use instead of the fender-type bolts so I can tie things down and actually use it as a sorta-truck...
Bed drain? I didn't think one existed. The PO of my '64 drilled drain holes in the "rear passenger" footwells, and I think (hope) lined the footwells. If I wash out the back, then it drains out the slits along the front/side edge, into the footwells, and out the drilled drain holes. Does this help? Joseph
He might be talking about these. The red arrows show the factory drain holes, and the blue arrows show extras added by some previous owner, probably with a crow bar.
That's what those holes are for...the water has to go somewhere...? It's also the reason why Rancheros practically rust in two because often those holes became plugged with dirt, leaves, gunk and rust out right along that seam. A buyer should always he aware of this and be the first place to look for rust and rot....especially if a seller claims "no rust", PFFT! I've looked too many AZ/CA vehicles claiming no rust until I had the owners take the cover plate off...oops! There was a '65 Ranchero I looked at probably 10 years ago here in NC that the owner said was "rust-free" and I swear if I had got up on the bed and started jumping up and down (wouldn't that have been a sight?!) I could have collapsed it in the middle right behind the cab!
What year is that? I've never seen under the bed cover before. I think I've heard that area called the smugglers box? Yours is in great shape! My '72 has bed liner sprayed in the back so removing the cover could be difficult. I'm sure if I were to open it, it's full of rust. I always thought that area was part of the storage area behind the seat but it looks like a totally different area.
Yours is. The '72-'79 "Coke bottle meets 2-liter bottle" body design went back to the 'body on frame' design, nixing the need for the smuggler's box to gain access to the rear shocks. Unfortunately, though, the front bed sheetmetal has seams that can rust out, as it has on Babe's bed. That has allowed water inside the cabin, rotting out the floor pans.
Ah, that makes a lot of sense. I can see the underside of the spray in bed liner through the rust holes. I really want to get all my rust cut out and patched. Thankfully it's all in hidden/not so obvious areas. My ranchero is the definition of "good from far but, far from good." But I love her!
Yeah, Babe's in for numerous patches four alone in the bed, and the front bed seam's the biggest of them all. But I wouldn't trade her for the world.
The first place I checked when I got home after buying my truck, thankfully all good, and extra drain holes... Im going to clean it all properly, probably Raptor it and waxoyle it, just to make sure..
