need opinion please to step or not

[zork]

I found a 1 ton stepside at local junkyard. It came from Kansas. Plate still on the bumper. It is in decent shape some rust but not to bad. Do you guys think 500 bucks is to much? It needs new wood of course. Sorry no pics.

[sdkid]

How complete is it? I paid $500 for my '68 1/2 ton about 10 years ago. It needed alot of work to get it running, but it was mostly complete. I wanted it pretty bad though. Does it have any special options?

[shifty]

sounds like a deal to me, running or not. you can pick up a new drivetrain for a couple hundred dollars more.

[zork]

I forgot to say it is just for the bed.

[CPNE]

If that is really a 1 ton (133 inch wheelbase) then that is a nine foot stepside bed. If you're looking for a step side bed to fit a LWB (127 inch wheelbase) pickup (1/2 or 3/4 ton) it won't work. If you're looking for a bed for a 1 ton, then that is a rare find. If it's what you want/need then $500 is not out of line, especially since you probably won't find another nine footer any time son.

Most guys will tell you you're crazy, why would you want that ugly thing? Long steps get no respect. Pay no attention, you sir, have taste. Plus you'll have what most SWB fleet guys desperately seek, something unique.

[junkyardjohn]

OH YA -- THATS WHAT ALL US SHORT FLEET BUILDERS ARE DESPERATLY SEEKING, AN EXTRA LONG, EXTRA BUTT UGLY STEP BED??? I LIKE EM WITH 22 INCH RIMS, BUG DEFLECTORS, SUNROOFS CUT INTO THE CAB & OH OH THOSE FLORESANT GREEN DOUBLE WINSHIELD WIPER BLADES. SURE!! JOHN

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

OH YA -- THATS WHAT ALL US SHORT FLEET BUILDERS ARE DESPERATLY SEEKING, AN EXTRA LONG, EXTRA BUTT UGLY STEP BED??? I LIKE EM WITH 22 INCH RIMS, BUG DEFLECTORS, SUNROOFS CUT INTO THE CAB & OH OH THOSE FLORESANT GREEN DOUBLE WINSHIELD WIPER BLADES. SURE!! ... JOHN

John, you need to learn to read between the lines, after all you should know me well enough by now that I rarely post without editorializing.

Let me spell it out for you. The vast majority here prefers a short fleet. When you go to a pickup truck oriented show, that is all you see. Nothing wrong with a short fleet, but pretty boring when you see the same themes over and over again. Now correct me if I'm wrong but the idea of a "custom" is to be unique, am I correct? Well how can you be unique if everyone else is doing something similar? A bit of an oxymoron, is it not? A long-step breaks from the pack, achieving what many short fleet owners seek, yet fail to accomplish in their "lemming-like" zeal. Now it's not for everyone, but isn't that the point of making something unique?

Butt-ugly is subjective, I hope Zork isn't insulted by you ill-advised choice of words.

[junkyardjohn]

I HOPE HE WASN'T INSULTED EITHER AS THAT WAS NOT MY OBJECTIVE. I UNDERSTOOD YOUR COMMENTS COMPLETELY. I WAS JUST MESSIN WITH YA STRICTLY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE. YOU KNOW THAT I'M QUITE CAPABLE OF THAT. JOHN
THATS MY OPINION, & I'M STICKING TO IT.
(& I LIKE MAKING YOU EDITORALIZE )

[Palf70Step]

As was pointed out, if it is indeed a C30/1 ton step side truck, the bed will only fit on a Longhorn or chassis style truck (133" Wheelbase),. If you are buying it for that purpose, then no it is not worth the money unless you have that style truck.

It could also be that someone during the life of the truck put a 8 foot stepbed on a truck that was originally a C30 fleetside (farmers dio all sorts of things...as do we all).

Appearance is in the eye of the beholder. Most people do not like long or extra long stepsides. I like short fleet or short steps, but if it is long fleet or flatbed is the way I would go. Some swear by the "Koolness" of a long step because you see much less of them, because less were made.

MY $.02, yes any decent bed, short/long/extralong that is complete (less wood floor) is well worth $500, expecially in rust land PA.

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

I HOPE HE WASN'T INSULTED EITHER AS THAT WAS NOT MY OBJECTIVE. I UNDERSTOOD YOUR COMMENTS COMPLETELY. I WAS JUST MESSIN WITH YA STRICTLY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE. YOU KNOW THAT I'M QUITE CAPABLE OF THAT. JOHN
THATS MY OPINION, & I'M STICKING TO IT.
(& I LIKE MAKING YOU EDITORALIZE )

That's the problem here sometimes, people mistake members who love to push each other's buttons, as "pissing matches". Where's the fun in one big happy family? I could go on and on on that subject, but I won't; you'd enjoy it too much

[zork]

well it is a 9ft bed. I bought it and the frame from rear cab mount back. They left the leafsprings on. Nice stack of leafs with helper springs.None broken.I noticed grease fittings for the bushings? Also no shocks or brackets. How come? I am thinking about welding the frame section on to my rusty 72 gmc 4wd. The rear section on it is gonzo. I need to take some measurements to see what i am getting into. How rare is the 9ft stepside? Did they every make 4wd with 9ft beds? Thanks for the help.

[CPNE]

Shocks were optional on 1 ton duallies, not sure about single wheel axles. No 1 ton 4x4s built 67-72, so therefore no 133 inch wheelbase 4x4's either.

Rare does not = desirable but a nine foot stepside is definately a low production unit and if you make a 9 foot stepside 4x4, you have a one-off work of art!

[junkyardjohn]

MY 69 1 TON HAS NO PREVISIONS FOR SHOCKS EITHER. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BE CAUSE MY LOCAL NAPA STORE SOLD ME A SET. I WAS PRETTY CONFUSED UNTIL SOME OLDER GENTLEMAN SET ME STRAIGHT WHEN I WAS RETURNING THEM. JOHN

[Longhorn Man]

yep, rear shocks are optional on all one tons... SRW, or DRW.

[9footfan]

9 foot stepsides were not the most rare factory model but are very rare today as these models tended to be worked very hard. i have hunted these trucks for years and they are very rare and survivors are rarely in even decent shape. the bedsides and steps are unique only to these 1 ton models and they are not reproduced aftermarket. these models show up from time to time on the board. only 2 or 3 members have one. my 70 gmc is the best truck i have ever owned-34,000 original miles,292 l-6, 4 speed, and a true workhorse. i would not trade mine for any model 67-72.