Many folks don’t understand the stepside pickup. At one time, that’s all you could get, until Chevrolet introduced the Fleetside on its 1958 model Apache. The shortbed stepside has been with us from the advent of trucks. But as the capabilities of trucks rose to meet greater expectation, the beds grew longer, and eventually wider. So why would anyone still want a Stepside pickup?
The short bed stepside has been about style and having a light, small runabout pretty much since the long beds became available. But longbed stepsides were all about work. Back in the good ol’ days you could order a custom grain bed for your pickup. A grain bed is a high-sided stepside, sometimes having a slanted floor but always having a tight fitting (sometimes lift out) tailgate. The reason for all this was ease of unloading. You ever try to get all those bits of soil from in front of your wheel wells? No problem in a stepside.
Up until 1972 you could order your Ford with a nine foot stepside. For what purpose? Aggregate, of course (gravel, rocks, dirt, mulch, grain, wood chips, etc). Aggregate was the forte’ of the stepside.
Having loaded and hauled plenty of firewood, I can tell you it’s a lot easier to load and unload a stepside than a fleetside. But what about that extra few feet of space gained on a fleetside, you ask? Well, if you are loading something long like plywood, or boards, you won’t actually get anymore in anyways. Now what if you wanted to carry some tools around with you? You could put a cross-box toolbox in your fleetside, thereby losing lots of space. Or you could put a toolbox on the step of your stepside, losing nothing.
Chevrolet was one of the last companies to make a true stepside long bed but they are very rare. So what about today’s “flareside” trucks? Well, none of them have a step big enough to accommodate a tool box, gas can, and/or spare tire. And some even have some of the wheel well extending into the inside of the bed! Those trucks are rightly called “styleside” bed trucks. Because that’s just what they are for, style, not work.
And that is what really killed the long bed stepside. a shift in the purpose of trucks. Who would want to put rocks in a forty thousand dollar truck?
I’ve always loved stepside pickups (my dad had a 1960 Apache 10 that was his beater truck and daily commuter–three-on-the-tree, no power anything, no radio, “2/40” air conditioning). I think the long bed throws off the proportions a little, but I can see the utility in having one.
I always thought the GM offerings in stepsides were a little more cohesive than the Dodge or Ford stepsides, which seem a little ungainly to me.
Came to post a pic of an Apache 10 I spotted nearby a few months ago and there’s a shout out in the first comment. This one was in very good shape and for sale for $2800. (click pic to supersize)
That’s a nice one! My dad’s was black, and the spare was mounted underneath, so the cutout on the fender wasn’t there. I’d almost like to buy it and show up in his driveway with it, but he’d probably ask why I was driving such an antiquated truck (now he has a Z71).
2800 is a most doable price for this. lovely truck but i’m a Ford guy in my heart.
Yeah my dad had a 65 chevy longbed stepside. He carried all his tools in a crossbody tool box and there was plenty of room for anything else he wanted to carry. And youre right. Used to be the only pickup body you could get. Because trucks were all about work and utility. Not about style and beauty like it is now. Time is coming when we will see the standard shifts go too. Trucks arent supposed to be pretty they were meant to be workhorses not luxury cars. All part of trucks being sissified like everything else. No guts no glory. Who wants to pay fifty grand for a pickup truck.
Buy a stepside so that you can step up on the side? There have been recent remarks about trying to lift things over the sides of new trucks.
I would love the long bed step side for work. Load plywood and/or drywall without worrying about it moving laterally, just securing the load so it won’t fly out. I’d wager you could load with less damage to those products AND secure your load faster. WIN/WIN.
i have a 1971 Chevy truck long bed step side 4 sale blue w/white top cab 1 ton, tons of extra parts new and used only problem is outer starter bolt hole cant get it lined up. took out 350 trans and dropped in a 400 trans lots more power. only serious responses please. {951}213-7510
is the 71 pu truck still for sale?
you still have the long bed for sale
Hay I have a 77 3/4 ton for sale long bed step side
Do you still have that truck for sale? If so what state are you in?
I’ve had my share of short-narrow-box pickups, mostly from the pre-wide-box era. My dad had the archetypal work truck though, a 1955 International heavy half-ton, long stepside box, with 4-speed transmission. This rig had a 200-gallon diesel fuel tank with a pump mounted in the front of the box and an almost-as-large toolbox behind that. What space remained was for gas cans, hand tools, hard hats, dynamite boxes, and all the other incidentals of an earthmoving and land clearing business. That old Cornbinder carried the load for a good many years – iirc it didn’t get replaced until 1964.
You could put a cross-box toolbox in your fleetside, thereby losing lots of space. Or you could put a toolbox on the step of your stepside, losing nothing.
Or if you drove an IH you could pull those fenders off and install the optional tool box sides. That way you retained the full useful bed and tailgate but gained some of the functionality of a “service” bed which for some stupid reason seemed to always come with a really short joke for a tailgate and who’s sides were too tall to reach over to put something in.
Or if you drove a Ford you could order the optional under bed locking tool box on your Styleside Contractor, Rancher, or Camper Special.
Yes, I have seen a modern version if this recently. The built in boxes would be awesome.
My only pickup was a stepside (Flairside if you were a Ford guy). My 1963 F100 had the short bed with the wood floor (iirc). I also recall that the Ford short stepside bed and fenders were pretty much the same pieces from about 1953 (the original F100) through 1979. At some point Ford flattened off the tops of the side rails, but that looked to be about the only change they made. The 1980 models finally got redesigned fenders and, I believe, an new bed.
Also, I believe that the 1957 Ford Styleside beat the Apache by a year for the first widebox pickup.
Yes. Long bed step side trucks are for hauling gravel. Thank you for bringing back that memory for me. Summer of 1980, Oklahoma City University work crew. We were mixing cement by hand and putting in sidewalks around campus. I had to shovel gravel into the old 50’s era (’55 i think) Chevy long bed stepside truck the school still used. Six cylinder, 3 on the tree and I loved driving it. Hated loading it but at age 17 I could do it without getting light headed like I would now.
jpc pointed out the reason why I went for a wide bed for my ’66 Ford: a solid steel floor. The wood floors on the older step-sides rot out, especially in our wet climate. The steel floor in my wide-bed is still solid.
But I am intrinsically drawn to the step-side, and would love a nine-foot bed with a dump lift on a F-250 or F350 chassis.
I think it was an example of style winning over practicality. I’m sure stylists hated being transferred to the truck division and then being told that their design actually had to serve a practical purpose. Fleetsides were able to give a flowing look, and allowed them to express themselves. After all, that’s what every working man wants, a truck that let some stylist in an air conditioned office express himself.
The added space in a Fleetside always seemed wasted to me. Anything big would need to be tilted over one of the wheel humps to get to fit. Those humps also meant that it was difficult to tie something securely flat against the side of the truck, and thus things would always shift around. I still remember carrying fried Mercury Villager (AKA Nissan Quest) engines (three at a time- two runs a week) back and forth from the dealer to the engine depot in their plastic boxes. These slid back and forth in the F150, but would have wedged neatly in a stepside.
The tool box that Eric mentioned were there for the Ford also. Mine was a 73 with boxes. Very useful for a serviceman and frankly, I think they would have worked well for camping as well.
I would love to have a stepside 7′ bed for my S10. Needs to be just a little wider as well. Guess we don’t get everything we want but ulike the mythical manual, diesel, wagon – I would actually have bought it.
Nice writeup and some great looking trucks there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a truck like that brown GMC. Very cool!
I see a green/white ’76-’78 C20 or C25 sitting on a piece of undeveloped land every time I make a scrapyard run. It’s probably a good thing that I don’t know who owns it. I kind of wanted an excuse to stop by & check it out & now I have one, thanks. It would be really cool if it had the 292 in it. I’ll post a picture of it in a few days.
When I was Saudi Arabia, the only GM pickups I saw were late-70s vintage long bed stepsides, all in the same Maroon color. Thus, I theorize that most were built for export.
Hmm, intriguing information. It makes one wonder.
I’ll echo 84GT-s ….. I would most happily drive that brown/copper GMC, sweet truck.
I grew up driving my dad’s F-350 Mason dumps and his litany of pickups….. 67 international p/u, his same vintage international dumper and the matching 74 F100 & F350 in that funky, sickly Ford green to the 1984 F350 V8, 460 that burned down in our driveway from a wonky gas line and lastly the 1994 F150 and 1995 F350 with the V-8 460 that rusted right underneath him. that 94 F150 in the ubiquitous maroon, long bed w/ liner & 2 gastanks was a good friend to me as it helped me move various times & haul different loads while doing the gardening at my own house. I kick myself for not buying it for the $1800 he eventually got for it. Part of the problem was that he would not have accepted $$ from me for it and that defeated the purpose of the sale.
The rusty F350 w/ headers where you could see sparks from the engine, and crappy electric hoist (stupid just another thing to spend on replacing 3 xs.) and brake master cylinders that needed replacing every 3 weeks, he managed to sell to an enterprising set of Mexican guys looking to restore it… maybe they really a we a set of guardian angels because no one in their right mind should have bought that truck and much less for $2950.00
Excuse me, but what do people use to carry rocks now?
Their heads mostly, Carcounter 🙂
Trailers pulled by SUVs.
They pay someone with an NPR or International to do it
After reading this I had to go and dig out one of my favorite childhood toys, a Chevy Stepside Pickup that I built and installed a slide-in camper made from Legos!
From the rear…
I like how the springs sag. heheh
Richard I used to put Lego campers on my Corgi Land Rover pickup. I dig that Chevy stepside of yours.
Mine was a ’59 Chevy with the wrap-around rear window. Public-restroom-tile green, with the long stepside box. It ran like chevy sixes do, never a problem. I looked up under the dash once and discovered that everything had been rewired by someone who’d had a whole spool of red wire. I let a friend use it one weekend, and he brought it back with that big back window shattered. I put it up for sale not long after that, and a guy just down the road from me bought it. This guy builds street rods. It disappeared into his shop for a month or two and emerged in gloss Battleship Grey, with the pickup box shortened, which meant that he’d shortened up the frame right along with it. Also dropped in a smallblock 400 with all new running gear, and used it as his parts chaser. As far as I know, he still runs my old ’59 as his company truck . . .
When I was looking to buy my first new vehicle in fall, 1975, I wanted a 3/4 ton short bed stepside. Why? Here’s my logic from back then: Unleaded gas was 2-3 cents more per gallon and I didn’t want to pay that – I’m cheap, OK? So, I wanted the “cuteness” of a short-bed stepside, but without the unleaded-gas penalty. Chevy didn’t make a short bed-bed stepside, just long-bed, which they did have one on the lot.
It was ugly…
I wound up buying a long-bed standard bed 3/4 ton pickup! What a gas hog that thing was, but I saved 2-3 cents per gallon! Stupid, stupid. Worst car purchase I would ever make…
I like using my pick up..and upon seeing these vehicles..it makes me challenge more to make improvement into my car,, like putting a good accessories .. like tool boxes..
These is good..showing that even the old type of vehicle can be nicer and more attractive because of the unique and different type of tool boxes..
I got this truck when I was 15 ( more than 35 years ago now) It was a beautiful truck in high school after my dad and I fixed it up. We just pulled it out, time for its long overdue makeover. Its a heavy-half as they used to call them, f100 with 8 foot bed, heavy rear suspension, 16″ 5 lug wheels. No power anything, 240 with a 3 on the tree.
Hi there
Lately I have read about your old truck Ford
If you’re willing to sale it kindly send me some pic.
Thanks
Hey guys, know of where i could find an 8′ stepside for a 77 f-250???? been looking for weeks. Amanda Ohio
Dave
I am looking for a 1965 F250 stepside bed. Will purchase a complete truck if necessary
I deartly loved the answers and especially the photos! Thanks, y’all! My story: I found a longbed w/long stepside 1969 Ford F-100 in a junkyard five years ago. I have been restoring it to use in my antiques business (low budget: here). I have located every part I need except the gas pedal and linkage. Please help me!
The pedal and linkage must come from a 1968-72 Ford F-100, 6 cylinder. The linkage runs-over the engine in these models.
I’d appreciate any real leads….Somebody musta parted-out one of these precious babies….
Best work truck ever built. Why did they stop making them. Would love to have one today and yes for work.
Hi guys
I am looking for Ford truck f350 step side long bed
pls if any of you can email me with thanks.
I have a ’60 F350 9′ stepside for sale. vin F35COK54XXX
Has 146 hp 292, 4-speed. Galion lift gate. All glass is good. Has not been run in probably 20 years. Body is very straight. Tires are up (not sure about the inside rears) Even has a spare. Pretty rare truck.
Let me know is you are still looking.
David
Thanks for the msg, yes I am still intersting pls if you have pictures send me on emal or whatsap +966560472456
Appreciated.
Thank you Mr. David for the email,
pls can you send some pictures ( in & out ) of the truck?
my email is azizsv@gmail.com
Regards
I owned my ’73 F100 Flareside 8′ since 1985. It was originally a work truck for a city parks department and I have kept it original the whole time. This past year we have been working on the full restoration and here’s the result.
Does anyone know the first pickup with a 4×8 bed ever made? I’m looking into a restoration, rather than a purchase of a mid-90s model, and a very early truck would be an attractive project.
I had a ’69 Chevy long bed stepside w a wood deck, “heavy 1/2 ton” . It was a Colorado Forest Service truck w 16.5 in rims. Dual exhausts and headers, too!) Don’t know if that config was stock or whether it was specified for a fleet purchase.
That thing had balls! 3 speed tranny w a stump puller gear. It had a 4:11 rear and could start in 3rd gear w/o giving it gas. Nothing every broke on it! (except the thermostat a couple of times)
It liked to cruise @ 40 mph. I got about 7 miles to the gallon-going up hill, downhill, fast,slow whatever-7.
I loved that truck (what a sound downshifting was!) but the gas bills were killing me so after mostly sitting for a few years (w me mainly enjoying looking at it) I reluctantly sold it.
I’m looking for (2) 1980-’86 FordF-100/F-150 6.5′ ( or 6.75′) StepSide (FlareSide) Beds for my 1980-’86 Ford F-100/F-150 StepSide (FlareSide) Tandem Axle Pro Street Pickup,
I’d contacted DVAP (Desert Valley Auto Parts) has 5.5′ StepSide (FlareSide) Beds @ $550/Each
I have a 1969 f350 1 ton flareside with a 9′ bed. I was wondering if anyone knew how many were made and how much they are possibly worth?
Nathan File:
First things first, you do not have a F-350 1 ton truck, what you have is a F-100 LWB 3/4 ton truck and it is clearly evident it’s a F-100, all one has to do is look at the hood emblem. Furthermore, with the shape the sheet metal is in, who knows it’s value.
The vin says it’s an f350. It has the wrong hood and grille in it. And I think the nine foot option was only in the f350s for this year anyways.
The vin says it’s an f350. It has the wrong hood and grille in it. And I think the nine foot option was only in the f350s for this year anyways. The truck in the picture you posted is only a 8 foot bed because it only has 3 stake pockets. Mine is a nine because it has 4.
did you ever find out what a 1969 f350 1 ton flareside with a 9′ bed is worth? I’m looking at buying a 68. It was used as a forestry truck and has a lift gate on the back.
1960 Dodge W300 with 9 ft stepside
Stunningly beautiful, any more pictures?
Thanks,
Michael
The orange F250 step side at the top looks exactly like one I drove in high school. As a matter of fact I think it is the one I drove in high school because the bedrails are flat. The truck I had was sold in the summer of 1984 in Norman, Oklahoma. Does anyone know where the picture was taken?
My 1987 gmc
my 72 Chevy heavy half with 79 4×4 3/4 ton chassis and longbed stepside, not original but real handy
with lumber rack and fold doun garbage hauling box
Just as an FYI: ‘Stepside’ is a legally-registered tradename used by Chevy only. It does not apply to any other manufacturer, as each one had their own registered tradename. Even the GMC pickups weren’t allowed to use ‘stepside’…they had to come up with their own tradename, which they called ‘fenderside’. Dodge beds of this style all called ‘utiline’. Many folks mistakenly think that ‘stepside’ is a universal term to refer to all pickup beds with external rear fenders, which is completely inaccurate. As I’ve said, it ONLY pertains to Chevy beds. If you try to adapt Chevy tradenames to fit Ford products, you might as well say all automatic transmissions should be called ‘Powerglide’ or all 4-speed transmissions called a ‘Muncie’.
Thanks, but we’re aware of that. Now I need to find some Kleenex to blow my nose.
No, it’s generally fair game to use a descriptive trademarked word as a general descriptor. To apply your example, if “Transmission” currently were a trademark of Panhard et Levassor, “transmission” would be a valid generic identifier for the device, but not “Panhard et Levassor.”
Looking for a tailgate for my 68 f250 flareside longbed
Just picked one up…. tearing into it now. Full restoration.
I have a 58 F100 heavy half. Bought it when I as 18 for $250. Was my daily driver for 4 years then the engine burned up 243 6cyl. I recently acquired a high output 292 y block for it that runs that I will be putting in soon. In the process of going through it to make sure it’s good for the long haul. Always thought about changing it to a fleetside but last few years I have come to realize how rare this truck is. I have only seen 1 other in Arizona about 10 years ago. Looking forward to cruize it around again but think I might replace the glass in the doors so I can roll down the windows lol, never been able to do that. Been moving it around with me for the last 20 some years so someday I could drive it again.
how many 1976 GMC C2500 trucks were built with the 8 foot step side bed
I’ve wondered if it might be possible to put an older Dodge long stepside box on an 07 D3500. My fleetside box has a crack and is starting to rust, and I’m tempted to do this, although I can’t really explain why.
Good article, but didn’t Dodge offer a long bed step up until around ’85? I could be wrong maybe gm offered them longer. Thanks, Ben
I have a 64 Chevy C30 w/ a 9ft stepside. It was my great uncles. No one knew he mothballed the seat, the floor and the bed. We just thought he was old and delivered vegetables from his garden in it. He saved the salesmans card, the handwritten bill of sale showing he traded in his brand new 64 Chevelle (they were ugly back then) when he ordered it. He saved all the paperwork and the 1964 Chevy Truck advertising book and a Chevy Christmas piano music book. The title is a MSO. Nobody knew! 44k miles. I don’t mean to brag, but I thought I was just getting an old, cool truck. He even took the original spark plugs and points out at 22k miles and put them in the boxes (marked”original – 22,000 miles) of the replacements. Yes, I am in heaven!
I have an 84 k20 with 8 foot stepside bed, bought from the original owner. I never saw one before this one and was wondering how many were made. Could not find any information on how many were built
Here is my 1965 long bed step-side