Fleetside to stepside conversion...should I ?

[Rob73-87]

Hello folks,

right know I`m talking with a buddy of mine, discussing which way I should go with my 1982 shortbed...

Personally I like the "oldschool"-looks of a stepside bed on our squarebody trucks - he thinks a fleetside is a must-have...

What do YOU think about that....?

I noticed, that a couple of guys here got rid of their stepside beds and used fleetsides instead....

I have to say, that I don`t need the extra room of a fleetside, because I don`t haul stuff around with that truck, I just want it to be low, black, loud and pretty fast (383ci...) !

So what do you think ?

[ghettoluxury]

If it was a 73-80 I would say step but since it's an 82 fleet

[Oldschool82]

Man....that's something that I have been wrestling with. I also have a 82 swb and have a chance to get a step side bed from a friend and have been trying to decide which way to go. They both look good if the truck is fixed up right. They fleet side dose look more streamline, but I don't see as many stepsides cruising around. I change my mind from day to day. I think the fleetside looks a little better on a lowered truck and stepside looks a little better on jacked up 4x4s. It really depends on the over all look of the truck down to the color. Black should look mean with either bed.

[S10Fan]

I have a stepper and love it, I also like the fleets. If I had a good straight fleet side it would be hard for me to swap it out for a stepper.

Not much of an answer huh? LOL.

[chrismoore701]

long bed fleet, short bed stepper

[old Rusty C10]

if you arent hauling with it then the step bed is nicer IMHO if you use it for any kind of hauling then you need the fleet then again if youre using it as a work truck long fleet

[N2TRUX]

Fleets are fine and the first choice for most people, but I like stppers too. If you want a cool truck with a bit of a different look, build a stepper. I agree with the others that the stepside bed looks better with the 73-80 front end.

[Oldschool82]

Back again , had to get off here earlier. Over all I would say that I lean toward fleet, but there are always receptions like this one I ran across on a Google search I did a while back!

[ECU PIRATE]

Originally Posted by Oldschool82

Man....that's something that I have been wrestling with. I also have a 82 swb and have a chance to get a step side bed from a friend and have been trying to decide which way to go. They both look good if the truck is fixed up right. They fleet side dose look more streamline, but I don't see as many stepsides cruising around. I change my mind from day to day. I think the fleetside looks a little better on a lowered truck and stepside looks a little better on jacked up 4x4s. It really depends on the over all look of the truck down to the color. Black should look mean with either bed.

if it's still available oldschool, let me know how much and drop it off at my family's place in Monroe.....I want to do the stepside swap

[knightowl73]

hmm, kinda biased here too. ve always liked the fleets and the steppers. now i have a stepper for once, but the only thing i dont like is the chains bangin all the time. i always hear them, and they do still have the plastice coating on them. if i keep the stepper bed imma put some door latches or something, also a rear bumper solution would be nice too........BUT i wanna go really low and still be able to drive , plus fatass tires in the back and the stepper bed isnt a better choice when goin low. the sidesteps dont come down far enough so the bed looks higher, and looking at my donor fleetside bed ive been to lazy to mount, seems like theres alot less room for a really wide tire, though no problem if i just wanted a taller tire.

with my 4.11s in the back im def going to a taller tire, but have to go fatter if imma be paying all the money so new wheels and tires wont even come till i swap to a fleet bed, and then i can worry about that ankle-low drop i yearn for again, but this time without all the scraping

hope this helps, these were my concerns.

[Rob73-87]

Well, - please check out this one... it`s for sale here in germany - I think it`s awesome.....and it sits pretty low esspecially in the rear









...the only problem is, is pretty hard to find a used stepside bed - they`re very rare - you will find lots of fleetsides squares here but stepsides ?!

[86swb]

With the 82 my vote is fleet side.

[1LowToy]

I'm converting one. Best advice I can give is if you find one attatched to a truck with a good floor is to cut the mounting bolts off. When you try to remove them the sometimes split the wood floor whichk is a big expence if your on a budget. Any time you buy a used bed snag the fuel filler hoses too.

[Oldschool82]

It is sweet .That thing should not be way over there in Germany....It should be right outside in my driveway...

Originally Posted by Rob73-87

Well, - please check out this one... it`s for sale here in germany - I think it`s awesome.....and it sits pretty low esspecially in the rear

[Stepsideride]

Hey mines an 84 and shes a stepper..as far as chain banging I remedied that noise.

[Rob73-87]

Okay, - I think I will do the conversion, but I will keep my fleetside bed just to have one "in stock" ...

I tried to figure out the prices for new bed parts at LMC - wow I think it`s too expensive to "build" a stepper with new parts...

Any suggestions ?

[Oldschool82]

I would say, try the junk yards...but I don't know how good that would work for someone in Germany. If you can find one at a U-pull-it yard, it should be much cheaper and easier than building a new one.

Originally Posted by Rob73-87

Okay, - I think I will do the conversion, but I will keep my fleetside bed just to have one "in stock" ...

I tried to figure out the prices for new bed parts at LMC - wow I think it`s too expensive to "build" a stepper with new parts...

Any suggestions ?

[camshaftgsxr]

i think the steps look way better in person than in pictures... but i think the rest of the truck determines how which (step/fleet) looks better, really low trucks for me look better in a fleetside but static dropped hotrod style trucks look pretty darn good in a step

[BIG10]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

long bed fleet, short bed stepper

I guess I think the opposite. I've seen a couple of long steppers on here that look great. And I really like a short fleet. That's a tough one though, because I really like them all.

If I had a short fleet that was straight and clean I wouldn't touch it.

[87 chevy silverado]

i would do the change if u can

[spinem]

step it!

[bagged81]

Fleet. Stepside breaks up the sleek body line.