How rare is the short stepside? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Terakilla · 09-02-2009, 01:54 AM

Well really the first and only thing I knew about this era truck was from the 72 stepside that was given to me years ago. Now that I'm actually working on it and researching these trucks I haven't seen many short stepsides out there. Don't hate but I think the short step is one of the best lookin trucks out there, even better than the fleetside. So how rare is my old truck.

arm51 · 09-02-2009, 02:05 AM

purewhitemp5 · 09-02-2009, 02:35 AM

Short step-sides are a dime a dozen around my way , don't see to many LWB fleet-sides , and see fewer SWB fleet-sides.

**El Jay** · 09-02-2009, 03:10 AM

And none of them are as neat as LWB steppers, IMHO!
But then, I may be a bit prejudiced.

**special-K** · 09-02-2009, 07:13 AM

In the`70s the Stepside was what it was all about with the trucker scene.It`s more about these trucks as muscle car replacements now,so the Fleetsides are more popular.It`s guys wanting a body to flow like a car front to back.Long Stepsides are the rarest.
I like`em all!

Shyguy · 09-02-2009, 08:46 AM

I live in farm country in Southeast Missouri and around this area the short step-sides are pretty rare.

I know of only one other than mine any where near.

Short fleets are also hard to find here.

Mostly what I can find are long bed fleets.

I have two projects, a short step-side and a long stepside.

Danny - Southeast Missouri

ChevLoRay · 09-02-2009, 10:56 AM

My resource shows just over 22K short steps vs. almost 40K short fleetsides in '72. Same year Long steps there were a tad over 7500 built vs. almost 273,249 long fleetsides.

68Stepbed · 09-02-2009, 11:18 AM

They're not really rare, but you don't tend to see too many fixed up because of lack of interest for most of the crowd. I personally like the steppers. Of course, I own one though.

Here's a pic for some inspiration on your project.

Hair · 09-02-2009, 11:41 AM

All 67-72's are cool, but Short Steppers are the Daddy! I like the more nostalgiac look that they have. I believe that the step side used to be a cheaper option when you bought the truck new. That may be a reason for more steps, but in my area (mid TN) I generally see more fleets. Maybe because the steps are worse about rusting away... lots of nooks and crannys in there... where the fenders bolt on the bedsides will rot through and the bottoms of the fender will hold moisture and rot through as well... they're still the Daddy though!

jbristo67 · 09-02-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyguy

I live in farm country in Southeast Missouri and around this area the short step-sides are pretty rare.

I know of only one other than mine any where near.

Short fleets are also hard to find here.

Mostly what I can find are long bed fleets.

I have two projects, a short step-side and a long stepside.

Danny - Southeast Missouri

Where do you live in MO

PanelDeland · 09-02-2009, 07:03 PM

I'm a short step fan too.I have never owned one but then I have never owned a 67-72 pick-up and I've owned 4 67-72's.

Skirkpat · 09-02-2009, 07:19 PM

Short steps, are great ( I just bought one!!), The rare birds are Panel Trucks(I regret selling mine)...I think the only model I have not owned yet is Long Step.

peterk · 09-02-2009, 08:03 PM

Heres a picture of my 72 stepside with stock 16in steelies(according to the po). I havnt seen many steppers around my area, mostly fleetsides. I like the look of the stepsides just as much if not more than fleets I think. From looking around the site it seems like the earlyer model stepsides are much more common than 70 -72 stepsides

tcb-1 · 09-02-2009, 08:11 PM

here's my thoughts....

the short step was a popluar choice for fleet services, i.e. utilities, highway departments, mom and pop's grocery stores. they were cheaper than fleetsides and were easier for the workers to to get to thier tools or items in the bed. in short, the stepside was made for work. so with that said, there were more stepsides built through 71. (I think I read that somewhere). so they were not that rare........ then. fleetside trucks were bought by Joe Q. Public for towing his boat or hauling his camper. they were in general taken better care of and kept as family.

fastforward to now. those same stepsides that were then used for utilities, highway departments, mom and pop's grocery stores, were used... and used hard. now finding a good solid stepside is getting more difficult to find. granted not as hard to find as swb fleets, long steppers, Cheyennes and Super Cheyennes, Sierras and Sierra Grandes, fully loaded Customs, and bigblocks. BUT they aren't exactly plentiful either. there was a thread not to long ago about a swb stepside Cheyenne. now that is rare!

my .02

rscam · 09-02-2009, 09:15 PM

Well you didn't mention if it were a Chevy or GMC. The short step in a GMC were not nearly as many sold as Chevy. Most GMC's were long step or Long fleet. Also if I heard correctly a GMC Canada kept records on build numbers. So if you have a Canadian built GMC you may research it that way. Someone correct me if I am in error. Mine is a 69 GMC short step paint code 517 which is a 69 only color. I didn't know this when I repainted it or I would have went back with the 517.

LiMiT44 · 09-02-2009, 09:15 PM

I have invoices for 67's that show stepside and fleetside suggested retail price to both be $2,270. What I cannot tell from the invoice if this is long bed or short bed.

NORMSCOLORADO · 09-02-2009, 09:24 PM

you guys are lucky too see them up here in ny my 67 LB stepper is the first i have seen ever! let alone it being and all ny truck including built here too.. most trucks of this era are rotted in half or already went to the crusher......

09-02-2009, 01:54 AM	#1
Terakilla Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ft Stockton Texas Posts: 90	How rare is the short stepside? Well really the first and only thing I knew about this era truck was from the 72 stepside that was given to me years ago. Now that I'm actually working on it and researching these trucks I haven't seen many short stepsides out there. Don't hate but I think the short step is one of the best lookin trucks out there, even better than the fleetside. So how rare is my old truck.

09-02-2009, 02:05 AM	#2
arm51 beer me Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: west frankfort illinois Posts: 129	Re: How rare is the short stepside? __________________ 1969 c10 currently on hold because of a darn f**d 1986 f150 1986 silverado-my dads truck that i'm fixin up ill keep my freedom my guns my money my religion and you can keep your CHANGE-hank williams jr

09-02-2009, 02:35 AM	#3
purewhitemp5 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bear Delaware Posts: 72	Re: How rare is the short stepside? Short step-sides are a dime a dozen around my way , don't see to many LWB fleet-sides , and see fewer SWB fleet-sides. Last edited by purewhitemp5; 09-02-2009 at 02:37 AM.

09-02-2009, 03:10 AM	#4
El Jay Gone to greener pastures Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gateway to the Delta Posts: 7,354	Re: How rare is the short stepside? And none of them are as neat as LWB steppers, IMHO! But then, I may be a bit prejudiced. __________________ '69 Chevy 1/2 T LWB Stepper: Daily Beater '72 GMC 3/4 T Fleet: Another Daily Beater '72 Plymouth Gran Coupe: ? "Ah women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent." Friedrich Nietzsche "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." Harry S. Truman GUN CONTROL: Never having to say, "I missed you." Always fire two warning shots into your attacker's chest area before putting a bullet between his eyes. Paraphrased from Louis Awerbuck

09-02-2009, 07:13 AM	#5
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,851	Re: How rare is the short stepside? In the`70s the Stepside was what it was all about with the trucker scene.It`s more about these trucks as muscle car replacements now,so the Fleetsides are more popular.It`s guys wanting a body to flow like a car front to back.Long Stepsides are the rarest. I like`em all! __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

09-02-2009, 08:46 AM	#6
Shyguy Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Southeast Missouri Posts: 2,436	Re: How rare is the short stepside? I live in farm country in Southeast Missouri and around this area the short step-sides are pretty rare. I know of only one other than mine any where near. Short fleets are also hard to find here. Mostly what I can find are long bed fleets. I have two projects, a short step-side and a long stepside. Danny - Southeast Missouri __________________ '67 Chevy C-20 short stepper - build complete, 454/SM-465. '75 C-30 Single Cab DRW-350 small block/NP-435. '77 GMC-6500 Dump Truck, 427 Tall Deck. '92 GMC K-3500 Duallie, 454/4L80E.

09-02-2009, 10:56 AM	#7
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: How rare is the short stepside? My resource shows just over 22K short steps vs. almost 40K short fleetsides in '72. Same year Long steps there were a tad over 7500 built vs. almost 273,249 long fleetsides. __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

09-02-2009, 11:18 AM	#8
68Stepbed Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 10-Uh-See Posts: 5,609	Re: How rare is the short stepside? They're not really rare, but you don't tend to see too many fixed up because of lack of interest for most of the crowd. I personally like the steppers. Of course, I own one though. Here's a pic for some inspiration on your project. __________________ Matt 68 C10 stepside, LS1/700R4, TCI Engineering suspension system

09-02-2009, 11:41 AM	#9
Hair Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tullahoma, TN Posts: 406	Re: How rare is the short stepside? All 67-72's are cool, but Short Steppers are the Daddy! I like the more nostalgiac look that they have. I believe that the step side used to be a cheaper option when you bought the truck new. That may be a reason for more steps, but in my area (mid TN) I generally see more fleets. Maybe because the steps are worse about rusting away... lots of nooks and crannys in there... where the fenders bolt on the bedsides will rot through and the bottoms of the fender will hold moisture and rot through as well... they're still the Daddy though!

09-02-2009, 07:03 PM	#11
PanelDeland I am a Referee of life. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro N.C. Posts: 13,992	Re: How rare is the short stepside? I'm a short step fan too.I have never owned one but then I have never owned a 67-72 pick-up and I've owned 4 67-72's. __________________ The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil"

09-02-2009, 07:19 PM	#12
Skirkpat Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: K.C. Missouri Posts: 1,024	Re: How rare is the short stepside? Short steps, are great ( I just bought one!!), The rare birds are Panel Trucks(I regret selling mine)...I think the only model I have not owned yet is Long Step. __________________ 1969 Short Stepside 1969 4 WD Suburban 1970 1 Ton Dually....Misfit oh, and a 2001 HD 2500, 8.1 Allison Shortbed 4 Door

09-02-2009, 08:03 PM	#13
peterk Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: victoria b.c. Posts: 11	Re: How rare is the short stepside? Heres a picture of my 72 stepside with stock 16in steelies(according to the po). I havnt seen many steppers around my area, mostly fleetsides. I like the look of the stepsides just as much if not more than fleets I think. From looking around the site it seems like the earlyer model stepsides are much more common than 70 -72 stepsides

09-02-2009, 08:11 PM	#14
tcb-1 Nothing to see here..... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 4,625	Re: How rare is the short stepside? here's my thoughts.... the short step was a popluar choice for fleet services, i.e. utilities, highway departments, mom and pop's grocery stores. they were cheaper than fleetsides and were easier for the workers to to get to thier tools or items in the bed. in short, the stepside was made for work. so with that said, there were more stepsides built through 71. (I think I read that somewhere). so they were not that rare........ then. fleetside trucks were bought by Joe Q. Public for towing his boat or hauling his camper. they were in general taken better care of and kept as family. fastforward to now. those same stepsides that were then used for utilities, highway departments, mom and pop's grocery stores, were used... and used hard. now finding a good solid stepside is getting more difficult to find. granted not as hard to find as swb fleets, long steppers, Cheyennes and Super Cheyennes, Sierras and Sierra Grandes, fully loaded Customs, and bigblocks. BUT they aren't exactly plentiful either. there was a thread not to long ago about a swb stepside Cheyenne. now that is rare! my .02 __________________ Doug THANK YOU to our American Soldiers & Veterans - POW MIA "You will NEVER be forgotten". The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson

09-02-2009, 09:15 PM	#15
rscam Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Monroe,Georgia Posts: 313	Re: How rare is the short stepside? Well you didn't mention if it were a Chevy or GMC. The short step in a GMC were not nearly as many sold as Chevy. Most GMC's were long step or Long fleet. Also if I heard correctly a GMC Canada kept records on build numbers. So if you have a Canadian built GMC you may research it that way. Someone correct me if I am in error. Mine is a 69 GMC short step paint code 517 which is a 69 only color. I didn't know this when I repainted it or I would have went back with the 517. Attached Images

09-02-2009, 09:15 PM	#16
LiMiT44 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 23	Re: How rare is the short stepside? I have invoices for 67's that show stepside and fleetside suggested retail price to both be $2,270. What I cannot tell from the invoice if this is long bed or short bed.



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09-02-2009, 09:24 PM	#17
NORMSCOLORADO Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: JAY, NY Posts: 176	Re: How rare is the short stepside? you guys are lucky too see them up here in ny my 67 LB stepper is the first i have seen ever! let alone it being and all ny truck including built here too.. most trucks of this era are rotted in half or already went to the crusher...... __________________ 04 Chevy Colorado Z71 4X4 76 Chevy C-10 Custom Deluxe (sold) 67 Chevy C-30 1 Ton 9' stepper 6.5 Turbo Diesel Last edited by NORMSCOLORADO; 09-02-2009 at 09:25 PM.

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