1987 GMC Truck: Fleetside or Stepside?

[GMC85HighSierra]

Hi all, just seeing what people's thoughts are about a stepside bed on my 1987 GMC Truck. It's a long bed truck 305 2wd 1/2 ton. Thanks

[mongocanfly]

if your keeping it a lwb I'd just keep it fleetside ....my .02.... a good stepper bed may be hard to come by anyway..and the expense of one may be more than the projects worth unless you already have one

[LT7A]

I like fleetsides best myself, but I do think stepsides look cool. The LWB stepsides are not common and don't look as proportional to me. I think your truck looks cool. I would lower it a bit, not alot, clean it up and drive it. Looks like there's a couple of things you could do to straighten it a bit but I think it looks good even if it's not perfect. Maybe you are going to do a full resto, you didn't say so maybe my comments are irrelevant. But I throw them out there since a truck doesn't have to be perfect for me to think it's cool.

[RotaryRocketeer]

Stepside makes it look like a dog with a big head and a little body haha. Fleetside all the way.

[GMC85HighSierra]

Thanks for the inputs. I thought about lowering the truck, but my dad hates lowered vehicles. Right now I plan on just driving it around how it is and fix things here and there, like the grille. How hard is it to take a 67-72 Chevy long box stepside and put the 73-87 fenders and steps on it? I found 2 67-72 boxes near me I could get pretty cheap: one is $250 and one is $300. Thanks

[RotaryRocketeer]

Just lower it. Bet Dad won't hate it enough to raise it back up!

[Jstock85]

Fleetside

[Desert_Eagle02]

In my opinion, fleetside. It looks good as is. If you really want to go step side then go for it. Its your truck so build it how you want it. If you lowered it a bit and put a step side on it with a nice wood floor, I think that would look sweet.

[aussie87]

I personally prefer the Stepside om my 87, but I might be a bit biased.

[GMC85HighSierra]

I'll probably leave it at stock height; it already sits kinda low (and I don't feel like changing out the suspension components ). Never done a lowering kit on a vehicle; only a lift kit (We mostly have 4x4s around here, except for 2 trucks: my 87 and my dad's 76).

I planned on doing a stepside, but things just changed. My dad had a short box stepside I was going to use for parts, and I was going to hunt down a long box stepside and put the short box's parts on it. Turns out my dad sold it today while I was at school . Guess I'm sticking with fleetside now... (unless I can find a long 73-87 stepside box...).

We got the truck almost running; it turns over and starts, but then dies because the TBI isn't getting gas. Gonna replace fuel filter tomorrow; hopefully that'll get it running (it's probably clogged). I have never heard this truck run, but it sounded great from the little I got to hear. Replaced gas tank, gas tank straps, sending unit, undercoated frame, coil, cap and rotor, some fuel line hoses; that's all right now . Thanks again for your guy's inputs.

[mongocanfly]

if you do want to lower it just a little it can be done for basically no money...front coils can be cut and pull a few leaves from rear to level it out...

[LT7A]

Sounds like you are doing a good job getting it into good running condition. Build thread?

I say lower it since your Dad sold the parts you wanted. That'll teach 'im. haha

[xs-style]

Does anyone but me remember the custom classic trucks issue from a few years back that had a feature on a long box C10 in that same color combo? When I get home I'll try to look up what issue it was. I bet you'd like the write up.

[WyattTX]

That is a pretty good looking truck as it is. I would get it running good and leave it be, and then you can decide whay modifications you want to do to it. As for a stepside, if you can find a long step bed, buy it. They are not common, and I think I might be one of the few people on Earth that prefer long steps to short steps. But Fleet side beds have more storage space, so I Think you got the better of the 2 already. If you must have a long step, get a much more common short step bed, and stretch it. That would probaly be easier than finding a clean long step bed.

[andrewmp6]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

if your keeping it a lwb I'd just keep it fleetside ....my .02.... a good stepper bed may be hard to come by anyway..and the expense of one may be more than the projects worth unless you already have one

You know they did make some long bed step sides right ?

[mongocanfly]

^^^^ I know they made a lwb stepside...doesn't mean I like em..short steps look good...that's why I said if he's keeping it lwb I'd just leave as is...

[xs-style]

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1010c...et-trucks/amp/

There's the article I mentioned.