Fleetside or Stepside?
 

When I bought my Shrotbed '77 K10, it had a '90 Stepside bed on it and I couldn't decide if I liked the look or not. Here is a picture:
'77 K10 Truck

I have now decided to put a correct looking bed on it and in the past, and I have always favored the stepside beds. I am open to suggestions and opinions. Aesthetics are everything, practicality is much lower down on the priority list. (Brad will point out that this is why I have a short bed anyway!)

So, what does everyone think? Any pictures that might help sway me in one direction or another? Especially black 4x4s.

Are there any differences in the beds from 73-87 that I should be aware of?

Anyone have a bed for sale near Cincinnati?

Thanks,

while its always a matter of taste i much prefer the stepside beds on a short wheel base truck to me the wide side looks best on a long wheel base

I think it would look better with the correct factory bed on it.

I like the stepside beds,... but you can shove a bigger tire under a fleetside bed. Either way,... put the correct year on it.

I agree with putting the correct yr. bed back on her and as i am bias to the stepside style of bed the chioce is really up to you in the end.

But ponder this befor you decide how many fleet side bed trucks do you see at shows verses stepsides?

Alot of this hobby is about being differant and everyone has a fleetside! JMHO.

Good luck with your choice.

Yeah, I had pretty much decided that I would be going with a stepside bed, as this is the look that I am going for. I used to have a Black '77 K10 Stepside in '83 and really liked it. I saw a black SB Fleetside C10 last night that was about an '84 and it was a real attention-getter. Just wanted to get opinions.

Thanks,

IMO a fleetside is the only way to go. The 73-87 steps have always seemed a little awkward to me.

You know, that new style bed might fit a little better, looks wise, if you continued the trim strip(?) down the cab, door and front fender?
Are the bed and cab painted the same color? Looks like no from the picture.

I like the fleetside better better but that is just my opinion! :metal:

They are painted the same color, Kevin. Paint on the cab is just a little newer. I agree with you on the trim issue. I ended up removing thetrim on the bed to make it less noticeable, but it only looks a little better.

Thanks everyone...

Be like me and get both :D

I have a 78 short/step and a 79 short/fleet. The stepside one looks much meaner lowerd down then the fleetside, it looks more smooth.

Good idea! Do you have any pictures...?

I think the step side looks better on lowered trucks and fleetside looks better on lifted. Just my 2 cents.

I prefer the fleetside for these years trucks, but I will say that whoever put it on did a good job of it. I really don't think it looks that bad on your truck, but this is the first 4x4 I have seen with one. If you kept the later bed, the only change I would make is taking the chrome strips off.

personal preferance, I like both...either would look so much better than the 90 bed..... I think Id lean towads a fleet side on yours

yeah, that bed needs to go. Either way would look good, but I would try to go for a stepside bed. I like the wheels, too.

Yeah, I am definitely tired of this bed... I used to have a black '77 K10 Stepside many years ago and I really loved that truck. Subconsciously, I think that I am trying to recreate that truck.

I have decided to ditch the wheels too, Jonboy. I think that the slots makes it look too old-skool. I bough the ralley wheels from RonsK10 and I plan to blast them and powdercoat them argent silver. Or, should I coat them black?? Here is a Pontiac Ralley-II that I coated mirror gloss black a few years ago:
http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SgAIA...29301981117250

4*4= fleetside

2*4= either look great

Hey 72',
I have a step side bedthat i might give you.The reason i say might is because it is off an 83' the rear doesnt have the marker lights and i think the fuel door is on the wrong side(left).I'm going to part with it.This truck was my first truck when i was 16,I switched it to a fleet side and then back to the step side.I know every one has fleets but i cant live with the fact that the step doesnt line up with the rocker panel.I replaced the wood floor about 5 years ago with oak.The oak is rough cut but i geuss if you had access to a planner then it could look good.let me know, i live east of cincinnati :metal:

If you were to polish the slot wheels, you might change your mind. If you are going to go with the rally wheels, I vote for silver. A black truck and wheels may be too much black.

'71... PM Sent

Jonboy... I agree, that polishing these wheels would make a big difference. I have run aluminum slots on various vehicles for the past 25 years and I think that I am just plain done with them. These will be available once the Ralleys are on the truck. I have a set of 5-lugs slots on the shelf that are polished, but haven't brought myself to install them on anything in the past 5 years. Maybe they ought to go too...

Thanks for the input,