What would you do?

[64shortbed]

Ok so I was out at a friends shop tonight and was looking this truck over he just got in. It's a 64-66 Chevy but has a gmc short step side bed on it. I was giving him some hell about how good the bed is on that truck. This bed is damn nice no rust just a few dents in fenders and tailgate needs some tlc. But really nice and clean over all. Well he piped off and said he would trade me my short fleet side for the step side bed and a motor/transmission out of a 05 Chevy so a 5.3/4l60e with factory wiring harness.

So if it was you would you trade a factory short fleet side bed for a factory short step side and 5.3/4l60e?
He really gave me something to think about. I've been wanting to start finding a LS and transmission and doing that swap.
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[BigDan3131]

If you don't take any trips that you need the extra space from your bed, go for it if that's what you really want.

[1963c-10]

Stepside beds are readily available......I wouldn't do the swap.

For that matter you can purchase an entire stepside bed from Mar-K (made in the USA)if you choose to.

Short fleetside panels are being reproduced overseas and no word of fitment yet, but unless they make corrections we haven't seen in other panels, they'll probably fit just as bad which is a shame as we need panels that work and fit for what they cost. So I'd keep the short fleetside bed.

[TJ's Chevy]

Short steppers are dime a dozen.....long steppers are not.
Short fleets are rare...long fleets are not.
I'd keep the short fleet and buy the stepper and motor. The reason your probably getting a bed and motor in trade is because a short fleet in great condition is hard to find. Its your decision though. I'd ask if he would trade for a BBC.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

Short steppers are dime a dozen.....long steppers are not.
Short fleets are rare...long fleets are not.
I'd keep the short fleet and sell it. The reason your probably getting a bed and motor in trade is because a short fleet in great condition is hard to find. Its your decision though. I'd ask if he would trade for a BBC.

That's just it i didn't and don't want to sell my whole pickup. I know if i do then its maybe worth more with short fleet. But at same time it's worth just as much or more with the LS and trans. And that i'm judging by looking at what they seem to go for with LS in them.

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

That's just it i didn't and don't want to sell my whole pickup. I know if i do then its maybe worth more with short fleet. But at same time it's worth just as much or more with the LS and trans. And that i'm judging by looking at what they seem to go for with LS in them.

Sorry. Major typo on my end. haha I meant Keep the short fleet and buy the stepper and motor. My bad. lol

[siggyfreud]

I wouldn't do it, only because I really prefer the fleet side look over a step side. If you like either look and won't miss the fleet side, then go for it. Do you have the other items you'd need to implement the 5.3 and trans, or will they end up sitting for years until you end up regretting the trade?

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

I wouldn't do it, only because I really prefer the fleet side look over a step side. If you like either look and won't miss the fleet side, then go for it. Do you have the other items you'd need to implement the 5.3 and trans, or will they end up sitting for years until you end up regretting the trade?

I do like the looks of both step and fleet sides. I don't have everything to put ls in but I wont put it in right away. Need to get wife's car done first. but id say in the next year it would be in the truck and running down the highway. All i would need is fuel pump, computer, mounts, a better radiator. Fuel tank already has return lines. My same friend builds 55-59 chevys all the time and puts ls in them some he has wiring figured out and know what pump to use etc...

And last but not lease TIME!!

[joedoh]

long step<long fleet<short step<short fleet.

that said, if he is trading a short step and a 5.3/4L60E/harness, he isnt slapping your jumblies. I personally would be driving a short stepper with either a 5.3 swap or $6-700 in my pocket after I sold the swap on.

[Slow Build]

Ask him how much he wants for the 5.3/4l60e combo without trading beds. No reason to buy the step bed.

[trooper61]

Keep your bed, buy the motor and trans. My opinion.....

[dougf]

It would depend on how good your short fleet is. If it's in rough condition, do the trade, sell the step side, and put the money towards a fllet short in better condition, that is, if you can find one!

[64shortbed]

Well I ran out and looked the motor and trams over along with the wiring harness. Looks like I would get all the under hood harness. The computer is there along with the fuse box that was under the hood. Idk if I would need that or not but it is all the wires that were under the hood. Looked at the bed closer and it is a 60-63 bed. I'm guessing because the tailgate is the older style script gmc. I'm thinking for all that I would get its worth driving a step side shortbed. Like I said I like the looks of both fleet and step.

Now as far as my beds condition it's solid. It has a little more body filler then I'd like but side did have a big dent that I worked a long time trying to get out and not oil can the side. It's not and half inch thick or anything like that but does have filler over most of that side. But I think it's a damn good bed. Hate to say it but I think I might be driving a step side short bed. And with in a year have a LS and 4L60E in it.
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[1963c-10]

Better check to make sure its a 63-66 bed or you'll have issues mounting the bed as the mounting locations on the cross sills are different for the 60-62 frames. Tailgates can be swapped from the late 55-87 beds, so that's not the issue of concern.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Better check to make sure its a 63-66 bed or you'll have issues mounting the bed as the mounting locations on the cross sills are different for the 60-62 frames. Tailgates can be swapped from the late 55-87 beds, so that's not the issue of concern.

Yeah i've read that about the 60-62 beds. But ill have to put new wood in this one so i'm sure i can move them to the right location. if not o have a welder.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

Yeah i've read that about the 60-62 beds. But ill have to put new wood in this one so i'm sure i can move them to the right location. if not o have a welder.

The wood is the easy part....its the holes in the cross sills that won't match to the frame. What year truck is the bed currently on?

[64shortbed]

Hard to say but cab is a 64-66 cab. I'm guessing frame is same as it does have a arm and coil front end.