Hi everyone, could use some help

[Pvmt-Pndr]

I figure if introduce myself here since this is the only place I'll really be on this site. I will be picking up a 72 Chevy today for my wife. It's far from stock and is sporting a POS big block and th400. I'll probably get an extra block and build it along with a power glide.

For now I'm having a problem locating a bed for this project. It currently has a short bed step side that my wife and I are not very fond of. There's just something about a fleet side we both like a lot better.

Where are some good places to turn over some rocks looking for a bed? Seems that most I find to me are over priced, too far away (as in a 12 hour drive) or in just too nice of shape. I'm handy with metal and this project is not going to be a perfect truck by any means. It will be used and abused.

Any good help is appreciated and I'll help as much as I can here. I'm located in south east Michigan

[demian5]

Welcome.

Southern California Craigslist is on of the better places.

[35boulder]

Welcome to the board. If you were to pay the dues and become a member you could place a wtb in the parts area. Money well spent I assure you.
Anyway welcome.

[jocko]

Welcome Pndr. Concur membership worth the small fee. Having said that, SearchTempest can be your friend - search as many or all regions for a set of keywords. You need a search parameter something like

1967|1968|1969|1970|1971|1972|67|68|69|70|71|72 Chevrolet|Chevy bed

I'd leave off the "fleetside" as many won't list with that phrase. Keep in mind it "or's" together the things separated by a "|" (that's a vertical separator, not an "I" btw) - and it "ands" together the things separated by a space. So this search would find you a 69 Chevy bed or a 1972 Chevrolet bed, for example. You want the minimum number of parameters (3 in this case) with the widest net. i.e. year + make + part mindset. You can view all the links or, the more current method is to view the direct results and just "open all". Make sure to select "with picture" so you get less garbage results. Good luck and welcome.

http://www.searchtempest.com/ it's not always user friendly, but it's worth the pain in the butt if you find what you're looking for.

Edit: forgot to ask, why swap a TH400 for a PG? Not understanding that logic. TH400 is about the best non-o/d you can put in these trucks. Also - do you need a long or short bed? http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=740119

[HO455]

[/QUOTE]: forgot to ask, why swap a TH400 for a PG? Not understanding that logic. TH400 is about the best non-o/d you can put in these trucks.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=740119[/QUOTE]

Man I was thinking the same thing. In my world power glides are only good for two things and one of them involves a boat.

[Pvmt-Pndr]

Thanks guys for all the tips. I have looked far and wide for a bed that seems to be hiding. Search tempest, Craigslist, eBay all the usual places. I have found a few but not in the shape I'm looking for. I need one decent and defiantly not perfect. I'm going to cut the floor put of it. I'm in Michigan and can't see getting a bed more than a few hour drive. I'm more than willing to make a day trip out of it.

Why ditch the th400... simple it's not a daily driver. It's my wife's toy a mud bogger to be exact. Eventually the plan is to put a strong big block in there and a power glide is one of the most reliable transmissions at higher power levels. I'm not planning on 1600 horse power only around 800 or so. Currently it has a bone stock tall deck 366. The eventual build has no thought into it at this point.

I need a short bed. Thanks for all the replies too guys. I'll admit I've been out of the gasser world for awhile and I only know what I knew and I'm sure a lot has changed. My time and effort in the past 12 years has been all about diesel engines.

[Robznob11]

Short wide is a better key word....but with that said save yourself the trouble....find a long bed that is beat to pieces....as long as the front pannel and rear lower is good maybe even a good gate. Then just order repop sides and you have a short bed. If you can score a wood floor version its even easier because they mostly bolt together. Honestly though you will be hard pressed to even find a rough short wide bed for less than 6 bills. I bought mine for $450 15 years ago and it needed body work on rears both sides....you never can tell whats under the paint....even if it looks oem....these trucks just been around tooo long to find a virgin.

[68Gold/white]

A 366 in a 72 half ton pickup? Really?

It takes a bunch of work to put the tall deck engines in regular pickups.

There's quite a few people here that would like to see pictures of that setup.

Maybe being far from stock, is further than I can visualize.

[Pvmt-Pndr]

It has a fiberglass front clip too. I have no interest in sharing pictures to be honest. It's at someone else's level of satisfaction... not mine. Once I clean it up and I'm happy with the way everything is done I'll be more than happy to share.