66 bed sides swb

[65truckowner]

Some where on here I saw that lmc was selling swb bed sides. I am about to my whits end working on the sides I have now. I have hammered and used the dolly until my hands hurt. It is tempting to spend the money and buy the new sides. What do you guys think?

[jayoldschool]

Let's see them. If they're rust free, I'd make them straight.

[Boedean1981]

I agree if they are relatively rust free the originals are the way to go. Most after market parts are a pita to line up and fit properly. Plus you use the original parts.

[65truckowner]

I also like the original but the drivers side is rough. I have been doing hammering and dolly a while plus I am trying to get the insides nice but not quiet there yet. I want as little filler as I can get by with also. Here they are.

[Chevy Fleetside]

By the time you get the new panels, you will have those painted and on your truck. They are taking orders from what I understand and they won't be ready for 4 to 6 months.

[Captainfab]

The only way those new SWB bedsides are going to be any kind of solution is if the manufacturer (KeyParts/TriPro) greatly improves their quality control and past fitment issues with their replacement parts.

[tismy65]

The cost is $599 each side.

[Monte's62]

Your sides look pretty good to me. I agree with everyone else, I would use them and put that $1200 in something else.

[65truckowner]

Look close at the second picture and you can see how out of shape the side is. There are several holes it looks like someone drilled and pulled some dents years ago. I dont know If I will get it straight or not. The new ones look good but not sure on how they would fit

[Captainfab]

They do make patch panels for the bedsides you know. I would check into those and see if that might solve most if not all of your wrinkled sheetmetal issue. They will still need a little massaging, but until the real condition of those new bedsides is known, I think I would stick with the originals.

[vince1]

Gee, I've got one just like that in a LH 8' that I didn't use.

I wished it was a RH because that's where all the damage was. One of the Hereford bulls across the road where I got my truck from had caved it in. Cutting the bolts off from underneath and I did more damage by having three inch circles of burnt paint all along the side. That actually worked in my favour and by hammering on the crease with a 2X4 wedge and shims inside got it pretty closely back to form. Used a gallon of bondo on the box but more than half of it has been sanded off into the grass.

It is now painted and some day I'll bring in in for a new paint job because no matter how hard I tried, just couldn't get that final smoothness to it. You think you've done it but after the gloss paint goes on, there it is. I talked to a body man and he said blocking, blocking, blocking.

[1963c-10]

Maybe consider taking them to a body guy to complete whats left of the metal work. Would still save you money over buying repops and you'd still retain your originals...

[61K10]

I would have to see them myself or have somebody that actually installed them. My bed sides were totally beat up, got two more not much better after blasting all the filler off. I have tons of hours on mine + the rest of the tk and they looked good before gloss paint and color sanding, then buffing. really makes you appreciate a good bodyman.

so my bottom line is if they are close as my front fenders were i would of loved to have new ones.

[forestb]

You could also find a long bed that is in better shape and cut them short.

[65truckowner]

Well I have gave up on the drivers side of the bed. The metal is just too warped. I am going to find a donor bed to cut out the parts I need or just find a whole bed.

[65truckowner]

Has anyone bought the swb bed sides yet? If so how do they fit and look?

[Captainfab]

In one of the several other threads on this same subject, a member bought a complete bed and assembled it. Everything seemed to bolt up fairly well IIRC. Sorry I don't remember his name.

Edit: here's the thread.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...t=new+bedsides

Originally Posted by 65truckowner

Has anyone bought the swb bed sides yet? If so how do they fit and look?

[65truckowner]

Exactly what I was looking for thanks for the link.

[oldarky66]

Hey 65truckowner,
If you would like to get rid of those bad panels I would be interested in them for the right price. I need some for a different type of project.
Thanks,
Wade