eventually going to have to replace the bed floor

I have a '62 Econo Pick-up and am going to have to replace the bed floor somewhere in the future.... I was wondering if I cut it out, if I could weld in 1" square tubing across the uni frame to the bed sides about every 18" and it be structurally safe? I think that a wooden bed would be cool and that would give me a place to fasten the wood down????? I know there would have to be angle around the outer edges and like I said, this will be in the future. just curious to see if anyone else has done something like this or will I be better off getting a van floor and just welding it back in??? Thanks..... lectricman

Thats a cool idea and I think its possible, my rusty red dodge would also be a good candidate for something like that. I'm thinking I would not use the tube tho and go with 1/8"angle for cross members, probably have to have it made on a brake , maybe 2 or 2 1/2 " web, drop and notch it over the frame rails to keep the original height and fasten it to a perimeter angle on the side panels about the same size . maybe a light weight channel made the same way for the X members would be better yet. the depth of your vertical webbing would give the strength, I have built trailers for toting equipment around using similar design, but we are not talking a 5 ton payload here. This was a 3 minute idea. but its something to think about?