72 C30 9 ft stepside

[special-K]

Back before we were concerned about a truck lasting forever, the first thing we did was lay plywood over the steel floor. I used to cut pieces to fit around the wheel house to make it a complete floor.

The first beds were Stepside style because all cars and trucks were stepside/fendersides. The steps were running boards, the body was wide as the frame, and fenders were out covering the tires. Wood was used for structure, body mounting, and floorboards. Then bodies got wide with fenders incorporated in the first post-war design cars, but trucks were still somewhere in between. About 10 years later, just prior to the new incorporated body '60s, the first Fleetsides came out as an option and the floors continued to be made the same. It wasn't till '67 that a steel floor went in, along with double wall bedsides and tailgate latch mechanisms. Stepsides continued to be made as they always were till they were discontinued after '87. The woodfloor Fleetside became the option through '72, but due to low orders was discontinued in '73. I'm sure small livestock farmers were disappointed, along with many other trades. It's much like a trailer...steel deck vs wood. That steel is tough and great, but it sure is nice to run a screw into that wood to secure a load and a replaceable floor is nice further down the road after years of hard use.