I was searching around on the site using keywords trying to find pictures of first gens with utility bodies on them and wasn't having any luck. Was hoping anyone who had a picture available along with the brand of the utility bed could post it here please. Im looking to find a utility bed for my first gen, but none of the utility bed manufacturer websites list my truck as a possible platform, they dont list back that old.

Also opinions on paint jobs, I'm trying to visualize what my truck would look like with a utility bed on it, with the factory "stripe down the middle: paint job continuing onto the utility bed, seems like it might look really weird and that I'd have to paint the bed a solid color. Thanks in advance for the help everyone.

Branden

 

Here's a picture of mine with the Grumman service body I put on last summer. It's all aluminum. Mounted up very nicely. Has 3 inch channel on the front of the frame and 2.5 inch oak blocks on the rear section of the frame. Originally the body was on an early 80's Chevy.

 

Look in the 1st. gen classifieds a guy had a fiberglass I think ut body in there for sale and I think a picture.

 

I think it was OILCAN from CT.

 

92 we had. Cab chassis 159" WB w/ 11' Knapheid utlity body...truck weighed 9500# with nothing in box. The box runs about $3500 new.





It was BIG and HEAVY. and SLOW

 

Measure from the cab to the center of the rear wheels. Any utility body with the right measurement can be made to work. I have moved them from truck to truck to truck....

 

this is before first gen knaphiede short box single tire. soon to be removed.

 

but extremely functional, this reading topper weighs about 500lbs.

 

Thanks for all the posts everyone, Nice to see some utility boxes on some first gens before i take the plunge. I am going to buy one almost exactly like the one listed by crossy's son today. It only has one of the storage boxes infront of the wheels, is a little shorter, and a large amount "thinner" it will be about the same width as the truck. Its also a khapheidde, so im glad to see it "can" be mounted to my truck. Ive never installed one, what is the normal method of "hoisting" the truck box above the bed, in order to build brackets and install the box. The guy says this thing weighs like 1500 + pounds.

My other concern is paint, which unfortunately I'm still concerned about. My truck is dark gray, with a light gray stripe down the middle. The light gray almost completely peeled back leaving a primer stripe down the middle. I was trying to imagine what a truck would look like with the factory paint scheme, continued onto the back of the knaphide body. I'm thinking that might look really weird, forcing me to paint the truck cab/utility bed one matching solid color. Currently the utility bed is spray painted black, and I'm hoping to mount it on the back of my gray truck without having too much of a contrast, temporarily until i can decide on a paint scheme and get it done. I've always been a fan of black vehicles, but im very hesitant to paint my truck black due to temperatures here in Arizona.

Perhaps someone with a little more artsy thought on things could give me a couple ideas to run with? Thanks in advance

Branden

 

not sure if i did this right, but this should be a link to my new utility box. gonna install it as soon as i figure out a way to get it up and on my truck.


https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...hp?photo=39734

 

here is a picture of mine. it is an 8ft reading. the service body, truck doors, and truck fenders are going on a newer-to-me '92. I have totally "rebuilt" the service body; fixed all rust holes w/new metal, all new latches, locks, lights, etc. it has also been totally stripped, primed, and painted. It will get LEDs, a headache rack, and a manual crane. I also got rid of the horrific, yet typical, service truck bumper. there was about 100lbs of dirt and salt laying in the bumper alone. i have not installed the body yet, as i still have to clear-coat it, but it is coming along nicely.

Donor truck when i bought it:


And this is how i take beds on and off:

 

extremely jealous about the tractor, that'd make things a whole lot easier. I just spent about 4 hours wrestling my utility box off my trailer with floor jacks, some pipe for wheels and a come along. I like what you did with the paint scheme. I was thinking of doing similar, I was thinking to match the utility body to the stripe down the middle of the truck, instead of matching it to the main cab colors, but now im thinking of changing my mind. I talked to a paint shop today, and they said they would be able to continue the factory "two tone" onto the utility body if i wanted, but im worried that may seem a little busy, since the color change would be going right across door lines in the utility bed. He also said he could have two colors on the utility body, one stripe 4-5" tall at the top of the box, matching the top half of my truck, and the rest of it matching the stripe down the center of the truck. In this case the bottom portion of the utility bed would not match the bottom portion of the truck. I am completely torn on what to do here.

My truck now is charcoal gray top/bottom. silver down the middle. not sure if the utility box would look ok silver, the current plan is to change the truck to charcoal gray top/bottom, black down the middle with the utility box being charcoal gray on the top 4-5" and black on the bottom. Any thoughts guys? I've got about 1-2 weeks to decide while prepping the utility bed and getting it mounted before I'm gonna get it painted.

 

Finished installing my Utility body just before new years and finally got my truck back form the body shop, ended up keeping the stock paint scheme. Had to take the picture with my phone so the quality isn't too great, but heres the new work truck. Thanks to everyone for the above posts helping me install and decide on paint schemes.

 

looking good. should get some calls for work with that.

 

That looks pretty Snazzzzy for a work truck. I like it