67 Stepside Bed Questions

[ecna]

Did all stepsides come with wood floors?

Is it possible to mount the bed without any floor so that at least it "looks" like a truck and deal with the floor at another time?

Thanks,
Eric

[GR8-68]

You can, just have to have the cross supports in there

[ecna]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

You can, just have to have the cross supports in there

Thank you. (I have those)

[supercheyenne]

Originally Posted by ecna

Did all stepsides come with wood floors?
Eric

No, My 67 has a steel floor from the factory (ribbed like a wide bed).

[ecna]

Originally Posted by supercheyenne

No, My 67 has a steel floor from the factory (ribbed like a wide bed).

Interesting. Thanks. I don't see any repros, that's why I was thinking they were all wood. Frankly, I like steel better and considering it will probably be outside often, figured it would hold up better (if I make it that far).

[In The Ten Ring]

You could make a steel bed, my truck's original owner did (my dad). His rotted out but he replaced it with a 1/8" thick mild steel bed. He even re-enforced the bed sides with the same material. He was a welder by trade and the seams are well "seamless."

He didn't weld to the frame but "plug welded" it with four bolts and the entire bed can be removed by one man with the careful use of a number of jacks.

Now this isn't the job for a novice but there are some very good welders on this page and if you chose this route, you'll end up with a very strong bed. With steel prices as low as they are now you could do this on a tight budget. I'm just a novice welder and my dad's eyes are failing but if I was to try this I would enlist the help of the welding teachers at the school where I took a welding course last fall. I am sure a similar trade school instructor could be hired elsewhere.

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by supercheyenne

No, My 67 has a steel floor from the factory (ribbed like a wide bed).

Pretty sure that's not factory. All the step sides and some of the fleet sides have wood floors. And that's quite a few trucks over the years!

[71swb4x4]

Originally Posted by supercheyenne

No, My 67 has a steel floor from the factory (ribbed like a wide bed).

I don't think that's a steel floor installed at the GM factory. I have never heard of a GM factory steel floor in a 67-72 stepside. I have seen conversions performed by people, but never a factory steel stepside floor.
Can you show us some pictures? If it's a factory steel floor, you have a rare bird.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

I don't think that's a steel floor installed at the GM factory. I have never heard of a GM factory steel floor in a 67-72 stepside. I have seen conversions performed by people, but never a factory steel stepside floor.
Can you show us some pictures? If it's a factory steel floor, you have a rare bird.

A steel floored stepside? Well certainly a rare avis as you say. However, it might have been factory after all.

My father's neighbor was a life-long GM assembly line man and he told my father and another neighbor about some pretty interesting custom work done right on the line. According to him, some movie star or perhaps country music singer wanted door handles made from Colt pistols and they did that right on the line, special order.

The other neighbor openly doubted his story which resulted in threats made on the spot to knock out the man's teeth.

This story is as my father told it to me and I've never found him to exaggerate. Sadly that x-assembly line man has passed on: from my direct dealings with him he was a friendly and warm fellow.

[supercheyenne]

Must be a replacement from a later model then. Truck is definitely a repaint, so maybe stuff got changed.

Here's an interesting Picture that was posted by SSTim.

[In The Ten Ring]

I'm getting off topic here but looking at those two pics, I realize yet again that my SWB stepside just doesn't look right!

I need a LWB stepside.

[71swb4x4]

The step sides in the photos above are wood floors. Wood floors were painted black or body color from the factory. I think some 67's were painted black, but I am nowhere near an expert.
If you look closely you can tell the wood from steel in those pictures.

Also from what I understand step sides got wood floors through 1987.

[67swb72klb]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

The step sides in the photos above are wood floors. Wood floors were painted black or body color from the factory. I think some 67's were painted black, but I am nowhere near an expert.
If you look closely you can tell the wood from steel in those pictures.

Also from what I understand step sides got wood floors through 1987.

I have never seen one with a steel floor...

[68panelman]

You would have a hard time mounting without bedwood. It's what ties everything together. Would basically be sitting on front panel and rear cross sill. The middle sills don't reach the bedside.

[67ChevyRedneck]

GM was cheap. It was shocking they even offered the wood floor in the fleetsides. To have two different floors they had to have different header panels, different cross braces, and the brace at the back of the bed is different. This is to make up the +/-1/2" difference of the wood floor.

Because of this, GM NEVER offered a steel floor for the stepsides. Over the years a lot of people have added their own steel floors. The best ones are cut down fleet steel floors, those can look cool.

As posted above, I believe they were kept wood until the fiberglass step beds came out in 1988.

You can run without a floor, as long as you have the cross braces. You don't have to space the angle irons to lift the bed, it will just sit a little low.

[supercheyenne]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

GOver the years a lot of people have added their own steel floors. The best ones are cut down fleet steel floors, those can look cool.

Now I gotta figure out what is going on with mine... With the shoddy workmanship of other repairs I just can't imagine the previous owner put that kind of effort into the bed floor.

Unfortunately my bed is full of truck parts so I can't just go inspect it.

[Keith Seymore]

Found this while looking for something else -

Just reinforcing that all stepside beds were wood floor. This happens to be from the '72 info packet at the GM Heritage Center.

K

[midniteblues]

You can mount and run without the bed wood.
i only have one cross sill in its the front one i used a small 3/4" thick block(not seen)to space out the sill and bedsides too simulate the thickness of the bed wood.

I wouldnt recomend driving too much with only one sill in it as it puts alot of stress on the bedside angle strip.
Install the other sills if you plan on driving alot without the wood in it.

You can allways bolt/clamp a piece of plywood in too hold something.