Will a 1968 stepside fender work with a 1972?

[In The Ten Ring]

It looks like I may have found a nice stepside rear fender WITH the driver's side spare tire cutout for my truck.

BUT I need to be sure before I bite and pay a boat load for shipping.

Will a 1968 rear stepside fender work on a 1972?

Is the side marker light cutout the same?

Thanks!

[Tim Christian]

Yes it should but I know they made one for a long bed and a short bed on 55 to 66 models with the spare tire cut out not 100% sure on 68 to 72 with a cut out?

[cwilkie]

I am pretty sure it it will work. The step fenders on my 1968 are from a 1972.

[Tim Christian]

I know it will bolt on just fine but is the spare tire cut out the same on long bed as short bed?

[In The Ten Ring]

I've heard the size is the same for both long and short wheel bases, mine is a short wheel base.

I'm mainly worried about the side marker cut out. Will my light work on that fender?

[PanelDeland]

The sidemarkers are all the same.Even on Burbs and panels.

[In The Ten Ring]

Thanks guys.

So the side marker on a 68 fender will allow me to attach a side blinker without issue, correct?

Now, as to the spare tire cut out (which is essential that it works for me), does anyone know if there are differences betten lwb and swb?

*Mine is a swb.

[Catslug1]

Yes. The position of the cut out is different between swb and lwb. Is the fender your are looking at lwb or swb?

[In The Ten Ring]

No idea! I'll have to call the guy and ask. Thanks for the update! I'd hate to get stuck with a fender I can't use and not be able to quickly sell.

[Catslug1]

Let me know. If lwb, I would be interested in purchasing with tire mount hardware. Thanks.

[WIDESIDE72]

68-72 not cut out stepside fenders interchange. 67 will as well but no marker hole. Ive jad 4 or 5 stepsides and 8-10 pairs of fenders some with and some without cutouts but i have never had had any with a cut out that i knew for sure came off a lwb so cant say as far as swb and lwb cut out being in a different place/ shape. A 68 fender will not have a hole for the wiring asthe markers were no lit, reflectors only. You just need to drill a hole in the backside. I believe factory is 1/2".

[68shortstep]

LWB fenders with the cutout are definitely completely different at the cutout from those for the short wheelbase, as are the brackets which holds the spare tire, but I think there'll be no problem on year-built. Just be SURE you're getting the right body-length fender, AND the right bracket for the spare mount.

Notice in the attached photos that the cutout on the LWB fender (orange truck) goes down farther, thru the body line, while the SWB cutout is well-above the contour line (green fender). Also, the hole is a dead giveaway for a SWB fender. No hole for a LWB.

Sorry if either of these are a member's truck. I just grabbed & saved the pix for my file, when I saw them.

Dave

[In The Ten Ring]

68shortstep

THAT CLEARS UP EVERYTHING! If a swb has a hole like on this green truck, then it should be very easy to see if this fellow's fender will fit my truck.

I'll call him tonight (I think I have his number still).

Now on the side marker light, all I need to do is drill an extra hole and I can install my light assembly (with wires)?

[HIGHWAY BY THE SEA]

I just installed light sockets in my 68 that never had any. There was no need to drill any holes that I saw, so I did not. Sure wish I could find a Longbed fender with the spare cutout like you did! Good find!

[WIDESIDE72]

I just pulled the stpside fenders off a 68 lwb stepside. It only had reflectors, no he in the bucket inside the fenderwell. I wonder if some had the hole and others didnt.

[In The Ten Ring]

I just talked to the owner (of the fender). I need to figure out a business to ship it to but that might be easy.

I'm going to look at my current fender to see if it has the hole in it. I want to be 100% free of surprises!

My fender is fine, just that it is LOADED with bondo.

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

I just pulled the stpside fenders off a 68 lwb stepside. It only had reflectors, no he in the bucket insid
e the fenderwell. I wonder if some had the hole and others didnt.

Reflectors were standard in 68 & 69. Side marker lights were optional. 1970 is when they side marker lights became standard equipment.

[68shortstep]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

I just pulled the stpside fenders off a 68 lwb stepside. It only had reflectors, no he in the bucket inside the fenderwell. I wonder if some had the hole and others didnt.

I've not seen dozens of these things, but I've never yet seen a (stock) LWB fender that had the hole.

The reason is the bracket that the spare tire mounts on: on the SWB, there's a single strut that passes thru the hole (with a grommet in the hole from the factory) & bolts on a vertical angle iron, hidden INSIDE behind the fender. Look at the LWB orange truck photo, and you can see that BOTH of the vertical angle irons bolted to the bed, that the tire mounting bracket itself bolts to, are OUTSIDE the fender.

Both vertical angle irons outside the fender = LWB bracket only.

That's why it's important to get the correct bed-length bracket too..... they are made differently. Struts different length & bolt-on attachment points.

Also on the green truck fender, if you look closely, you can see about a 1" long angle iron above the fender, below the bed-edge roll, & above the hole on the bed side ---- it's actually a folded angle iron that runs on the bottom of the bed lip, that the top leg of the SWB tire bracket bolts to on top of the bed lip, and a second leg bolts onto the short piece above the fender.

SWB Photo with tire bracket bolted on: (thanks again to whichever member I copied this pic from). You can clearly see the three right-side bracket legs; the leg on top of the bed, the one between the bed & fender & the one passing thru the hole.