I wonder if your short-long bed had been pulled off and stored inside for a while, and the crew-cab toted a flat bed or utility bed? It is way less faded than the cab and front end.
Why did you take off the cantilever leaf overload springs ??? I had those on my 1965 C-10 and they worked great, much to my amazement. Nice ride empty and then it steadied out when you put some load on it. That short bed with coil springs and four speed manual would go almost anywhere with just 2wd.
