aftermarket vs factory

[MUNCH72]

Hey guys I'm new to this site and I was needing some advice. I'm building a 72 short fleet side and I'm needing a bed. I found a bed 4 and a half hours away for $1800 but it is apart and does not have a tailgate and need some work. So for $2300 I can get a complete bed including lettered tailgate with hardware to put it together and bolt it to the frame, and southern Kentucky classics www.sokyclassics.com even throws in 8% of the price toward shipping which in my case will be $186 and shipping quote was $195 so shipping would be $9.00. I know aftermarket parts have their own problems but the factory bed is 4 and a half hours away and I need to buy trailer tires,gas and a tailgate. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by MUNCH72

Hey guys I'm new to this site and I was needing some advice. I'm building a 72 short fleet side and I'm needing a bed. I found a bed 4 and a half hours away for $1800 but it is apart and does not have a tailgate and need some work. So for $2300 I can get a complete bed including lettered tailgate with hardware to put it together and bolt it to the frame, and southern Kentucky classics www.sokyclassics.com even throws in 8% of the price toward shipping which in my case will be $186 and shipping quote was $195 so shipping would be $9.00. I know aftermarket parts have their own problems but the factory bed is 4 and a half hours away and I need to buy trailer tires,gas and a tailgate. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Sure seems like a lot of money either way. Hell, my entire truck (which came in running and registered condition) was less than that, and it included a bed and a tailgate lol.

I guess if those are your only two options, maybe look at what it would cost to rent a UHaul trailer. Have you checked junk yards? There may be one in a neighboring state that is much less expensive
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[buckskins4ever]

If you dont plan on selling it later and quoting it as "Original OEM Parts Only", then you might as well save the headaches and buy aftermarket. For the most part they are made of quality metal and fit just fine. The issue parts that most have fitment problems with are fenders, grilles, core supports, and even hoods.

[70cst]

Hey MUNCH72 ...

First of all to the forums and from Ohio.

The $1800 seems high but that's me. I always prefer original sheet metal verses aftermarket. SWB beds may demand more dollars.

Maybe others will chime in.

Good Luck

[leddzepp]

Buy an aftermarket bed.
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[RManson]

That $1800 bed could be a pile of junk, so the aftermarket parts could be a deal at the end of the day. I just built a shortbed using aftermarket parts and they went together very well. Kept the tailgate and a few miscellaneous parts from the original longbed, but it was a pretty easy job and the aftermarket sheetmetal was pretty nice. Here's a sneak peek....



Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!

[Russ.W.]

$1800 is pretty ridiculous, especially considering it's not even complete.

I'd say an original bed would top out at $1000. Anything over that it would have to be complete and in pristine condition with zero rust, excellent paint and needing zero work.

I need one myself and have been looking at a few places. Most in decent condition seem to range from $500-$800.

[special-K]

Welcome to the site. I prefer the OEM parts,but you have to figure your travel time and expense in on that. I will assume this bed you found it a real cherry. Worth every penny if it is. I mean,look what the repro costs. Is excellent OEM not worth what reproduction is? No tailgate doesn't make the bed incomplete. That is a separate piece,just like doors on a cab,a cab is complete w/o doors. I seriously doubt you'll find a short Fleetside waiting for you in the junk yard. At least none that are worth bothering with. It just doesn't happen. Time is money and paying good money for good to go parts is money well spent.
The repro beds are very well done. They go together very nicely and when done you would never know if repro or OEM. They are the "easy button" when it comes to short Fleetside beds. I'd drive 4.5 hrs x 2 for the OEM if it's in fact good to go,cuz that's hard to find and staying OEM as much as possible is the coolest way to go,in my mind. But,I wouldn't discourage from buying the repro. Sounds like you thought it out well enough to know your answer.

[MUNCH72]

Originally Posted by RManson

That $1800 bed could be a pile of junk, so the aftermarket parts could be a deal at the end of the day. I just built a shortbed using aftermarket parts and they went together very well. Kept the tailgate and a few miscellaneous parts from the original longbed, but it was a pretty easy job and the aftermarket sheetmetal was pretty nice. Here's a sneak peek....



Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!

Yea I think I'm gonna do the aftermarket bed and thanks for the input everybody. The bed looks really good. Is that some sort of spray in bed liner?

[MUNCH72]

Does anyone know if there is a difference in the height of a wood bed vs a steelbed floor. From the frame to the underside of the bed. I built a stainless fuel tank with a side fill and I know it will clear a steel floor but I love the wood floor.

[Fldawg]

i bought a bed from soky classics, probably the best bed sheet metal around and i checked alot of bed sheetmetal, it's from woodall industries , the bed floor was of heavier gauge metal than stock bed, but i bought my tailgate from LMC because i wanted the smooth tailgate and it was cheaper and it was the only probelm i had with my bed

[chiefcfd]

I buy lots of parts from SoKy Classics. Great customer service plus it helps they are 70 miles away so I can save on shipping by picking my parts up in person. I have a tailgate and bedfront on my project. It fit very well. I have seen there whole beds on display and they look very good. Aftermarket bed would be my choice.

[special-K]

All bed parts are made by one company.

The bottom of the wood floor does sit lower,but it's made up in the cross supports. It looks like your tank will clear by the picture

[67ctener]

I purchased aftermarket for my build. I sold my complete short bed in pieces for about 400. The going price is 300-1000 here for a complete shortbed. I have a feeling that one will be online awhile at that price. May be able to get it cheaper. I say go re pop. The one I got is very nice quality and best of all 100% rust free.
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[hfd410]

My bed came from SOKY. Good quality bed but the kit had some hardware issues. Where two thicknesses of metal bolted together the threads were not long enough on the bolts so I had to go buy more washers so that they would tighten up. Where there were three thicknesses coming together there was not an issue. SOKY offered no solution other than the hardware store after spending $2200 on the bed. Bed is great, customer service not so good.

[rustypu]

I got a complete aftermarket bed for mine last fall, got it all from Key parts SOKY wanted $900 just to ship to me, that was out of the Question. the parts were great except the drivers bedside was a different manufacturer fit was not as good and the seams looked different, the floor was woodall and everything else except drivers bedside was Triplus. no lable on the divers bedside. overall was very happy just make sure to get TRIPLUS sides!