Frank
They are easy to make. I made a set for Uncle Wally
last summer to replace those that were lost in his
accident. I used 1 in stock aluminum right angle
iron (available at any hardware store). Cut to 7 inches
and round the corners with a file. I used a penny as
a template. Mark a center line down the side that
will go against the panel. Drill three 1/4 holes on the
center line. One in the middle and the others 1 inch
from each end. If you still have the old panels, use
them as a template to drill 1/4 holes. Attach the
brackets with short chrome screws and lock nuts.
The originals were pop riveted. This just adds to the
pop rivets on the id tag controversy. To be safe run
a piece of foam tape across the nuts as they face
the gas tank.
If you are missing the original panels. Place the
truck deck in position. Using a piece of chalk mark
the top of the deck. Remove the deck and come down
the thickness of the deck. That's where they will go.
Note that the battery side is higher than the other
and that the brackets are at an odd angle. When they
are in place, the shelf is supported horizontal.
The shelves are about 12 1/2 inches from the back
of the panel as measured from the trunk opening.
The battery shelf should be about centered in the
battery part.
You can paint them black if you want. Though
getting paint to stick to aluminum may be hard.
The original bracket was black and had a black
jute strip on top (almost hard a pattern like the
pebble grain upholstery). For Wally's, I cut to fit
the same stuff I made his side panels out
of and then glued. You could use any black
vinyl scrap.
I'm checking to see if I have the boot bracket
in one of my odds&ends boxes. Never can tell.
Dave Johnson
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