I agree with Longhornman.Yet,on the Delmarva Peninsula you can find some pretty un-rusty stuff since snow is rare,so are salty roads.
A lowered longbed looks damn sleek to me.Shoetbeds are the more costly way to go,for sure.And,that`s mostly because of the availability of it`s namesake,the bed.I bought two California bedsides for $400 each.A clean(sort of)complete bed here in theeast is a $1200+ item.You can buy a longbed,keep looking for a cheap shortbed donor for the frame(under $400),and save or piece together a bed in time if that`s what you really want.I paid $1000 for the one I`m working on.The Fleetside is there,but pretty bad for a resto,yet usable.I have two I bought,pretty stripped short cab`n`chassis for $300-500.I found a StepSide that just needed a floor for $350.I jumped on it like a skidrow wino on a 1/2-full bottle of fermented Welches in the back of a garbage truck.That`s how I build shortbeds.Here`s a $300 short truck I have:
