Easiset Method
Wow Maverick,
I may be missing the boat here (pun intended), but I think there is a WAAy easier method. I am in the process of redoing my 49 Chev custom for the 3rd time(styles changed again). Anyway, I have owned a 49, 52 & 53 Chevy pick up and I do alot of woodwork. I have also built a few wooden boats and I built a few music instruments, so I know a thing or 2 about bending wood including plywood. These guys are giving you some correct info aboout bending wood, but I think there is an easier method. If you take boiling water and pour over wood, yes you can bend it as you pour the water and ,let it dry for a day or 2 and it will hold shape. What you are doing is breaking down the lingen in the wood. If you buy marine merranti plywood, say in 1/8. it bends very nicely and finishes like mahogany, it is mahogany just Luan is Phillipine mahogany except it can take hot water withoout delam. Anyway, if I wanted the wood look on one of these pick em ups, I would do it an easier way. If I remeber right, they have a back, or 2 piece shell made out of sheet metal. If what you are after is JUST a nice wood look, how about going to a wood worker store, and getting pre split veneer and gluing with contact or urethane adhesive? This stuff is split as thin as 1/32" in failry large sheets and made out of many domestic and exotic species and will form to a curve like linoleum, even compound in some cases. You can even finish it like regular wood because it is real wood.
If you have a few sheckles, coco bolo or rosewood would look awesome. If real wood look is all you are after, I would go this route, otherwise you can bend 1/4 wood strips in about 4" wide sections and then finish level after install. If you can and are willing to successfully do the latter, you can also build wooden boats by hand. Let us know if you need more detailed information.