We're redoing a 72 and I was at the steel place yesterday and had an idea. I saw some of that polished aluminum diamond plate and thought it might look cool as a bed floor?
We're also welding up that smugglers box area. I thought that hinging a small "hatch" in the bed over the dead space next to the smugglers box would make a good place to put the battery.
Has anyone seen a DP bed, any pics available.It could look good, or it could look gawdy - it's hard to visualize for me.
Thanks for any help, I'm new here and like the site.

Bill

I saw one done with the diamond plate at a car show here last year.

I did not care for it.

I'm with you I think it would look nice. I've only seen wrecker beds done in Diamond Plate Aluminum and they look nice. It's possible, I don't know how bad it could be, that during some parts of the day the sun could be a issue in the back window. I wanted a white interior once. I had the dash done and I couldn't see out of the windshield when the sun was overhead or directly coming in the windshield.

I did see a Pro Stock 72 Camino that had some thin Diamond plate aluminum as a bed it was really sharp. But then the truck was killer anyway so you really hardly noticed the chopped up bed with the roll cadge running through it. But overall the Elky was killer!

polished aluminum diamond plate and thought it might look cool as a bed floor?

If you want the "Utility Truck" look, it would be awesome. If you are going for a "Hot Rod" or "Street Machine" look, it would be awful!

Too "trucky" for my tastes.

Every Diamond plate bed in a for-sale Elky I have ever seen was reduced in value because of the "bad bed".

I suppose we are all assuming a permanent install. If there is a satisfactory way to protect the bed with a temp install and maybe you could have the best of both.

Still, the comment about reflection is very valid. If you live in Florida, you'd probably have to do a limosine tint on the rear window to tolerate it. When I lived in Tampa, a diamond plate pick-up tool box could be hell in the afternoon sun.

Either way, let us know what you decide and give us pix.

For a removeable bed protector, it would be quite heavy to accommodate frequent removal/installation.

It would be a permanent install, and I think I have decided against it. I didn't consider the reflection in the aftertoon either. I will most likely get the replacement bed panels and put some kind of protector on top of that that wouldn't be permanent. Wheres the best place to get the replacement bed panels?

BTW I'm Bill's son

I think Goodmark industries. I also think I remember seeing one in either the El Camino Store or EC Parts, both are in our links section. If you can't find Goodmark then let me know I'll shoot you a link.

I like the idea of indoor/outdoor carpet for use when I want to haul something in the bed. Otherwise, nothing in there to spoil the look of a good clean bed.