Let's get creative... Stepside bed ideas...

[jorgensensc]

Well since I already have a stepside and budgets are slim.. I would like for y'all to help me get creative with the bed. I want to do the obvious things like shave the stakes, and fill the cap ends, but I'm stuck on the taillights right now. I don't want to put the caddy lights in the pillats where the tailgate attaches, it seems a little dated. I would like to keep the rear chrome bumper, but I willl ditch the chains and find a better way to keep the tailgate up. So I attached a pic of the rear of my old truck, lets get a little creative. All ideas are welcomed!!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I got the latches from ECE... I think? I made the hinges by copying Putters Idea (he actaully sent the me hinges off his truck!)

[special-K]

I like the fleetside straps idea.There`s also late-model cables.I wouldn`t do any tailights but ones that are off the body,just cleaner/tighter.I built a pro-street stepside with model A tailights against the uprights and down close to the bumper.After I did it,I wished I had used 47-53 Chevy truck lights.They have little bowties and are upright rectangles with rounded edges.

[Longhorn Man]

I hope someone has a photo of that white stepside with the smaller lights in chrome housings... it looks bad ass IMO

[krue]

You talking about Subtle71's (Dean's)?

[Longhorn Man]

I have no idea. I remember pics of it from last summer at the TN meet, on a trailer.

[jorgensensc]

I went outside and looked at my bed a little. What if I boxed the end of the bed where the pillars are and made them go to the end of the flange that hides the side of the tailgate. THen maybe I could use an electric hatch release of a newer vehicle with a rear hatch (say a trailblazer) and put the push release thing in the middle on the slope of the top of the tailgate. The main problem I see is how would I get to the bolts that attach the tailgate if I boxed the whole end. Maybe I could use the cups off of a newer truck tailgate that attaches at the bottom (that makes the tailgate removable) and find a way to put those on. I like the cable idea. What does the 47-53 taillights look like? I thought of I boxed the neds, maybe I could put some of those cool teardrop style tailights (I think old ford). HMMMM! Keep the ideas coming.

[jorgensensc]

Maybe like this:



Or this:


Remember the truck will be satin black with red steelies and spider caps, and wide whites.

[jorgensensc]

Didn't somebody do an El Camino rear bumper? I thought I heard it looked nice? Wasn't there a taillight that looked like a V8 emblem or something? I don't want it to stand out too much, just subtly blend.

[krue]

Andy that's dean's truck, I don't know if I have any pics or not.

[krue]

This is Dean's truck.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

67ChevyRedneck - sweet gate

that white step looks pretty nice

the v8 looking taillights were ford i believe and the ideas you mentioned all sound cool to me, i think the top light would be my choice over the bottom one since ive seen them around more

[special-K]

I like to keep it simple,like Dean`s truck.Too me,Stepsides are about simple.You can clean things up,but wanting to sleek one out too much means time for a Fleetside,IMHO.If you do get to alot of custom work,there should be mods to the rest of the truck to follow through.Otherwise,it looks like you really didn`t like the bed in the first place...time for a Fleetside.
Here are the early lights.They`d look better w/o the blue dots:

[GREASEMONKEY72]

they look better WITH the blue dots................ imo

[special-K]

What...EVER!!!............
Dean`s truck may have the Chevy lights that came between the ones I showed and the bigger round ones that are on your truck now.The ones I showed don`t run up to as new as I said.I think they started earlier and stopped in the middle of the 47-53s,like when wing vents started.

[67sss]

KISS- keep it simply stock.

[Longhorn Man]

Yep, that's the one.
The only thing I woulda done a liuttle different, is mounting them a tad bit higher.

[OlChev67]

I thought about putting maybe 3" or 4" round LEDs in the fender, so they sit flush in the back of the fender. Seen it once before and it looks cool

[Hart_Rod]

I think Dean used the 54-59 tail lights (they're similar to the ones I put on my 48). I built a reverse handle for mine that uses the stealth latches.

R

[jamis]

In my opinion the winners if the Very Best Step Side Mod of the Year goes to these two gentlemen......drum roll please........ Frizzle Fry and XXL

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...2&postcount=78

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=205628

If I where keeping my step side.....I would have been following their examples.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I think Dean used the 54-59 tail lights (they're similar to the ones I put on my 48). I built a reverse handle for mine that uses the stealth latches.

R

Ok,so those small round didn`t start until`54.BTW,Don`t cut your fenders to mount flush lights,please!!!If you have to get away from the traditional bedside mounting location and want to clean it up,how about some slim lights that fill in between the bumper and tailgate?They would practically be hidden and your fenders won`t get hacked.Maybe l.e.d. lights.

[sodak69c10]

what about the LED strips that sit under th tail gates and have the tail lights/blinkers/brake light built in then you could remove the tailights entirely

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/LED..._light_bar.htm

[Mudder]

I could never mess with my "stock" round tail lights. I wouldn't be stock anymore.

[Boog]

Originally Posted by krue

You talking about Subtle71's (Dean's)?

I believe Tim Christians' GMC has these small chrome lamps too though I don't have a pic of it handy.

[magsnubby]

Originally Posted by special-K

...how about some slim lights that fill in between the bumper and tailgate?They would practically be hidden and your fenders won`t get hacked.Maybe l.e.d. lights.

That's what i'm thinking. I see alot of the late model guys doing this on their trucks. The things are almost invisible untill they hit the brakes or turn signals. Those little L.E.D.'s put out an amazing amount of light. Clean and simple.