Dating a stepside bed?

[ExpeditionXJ]

I tried searching but apparently i'm not using the right terms..

I have what i think is an early bed, and the opportunity to get a set of bedsides locally. Can someone point me in the right direction as far as compatibility?

This lil project of mine is actually a trailer, i'm looking to get it usable as a camping tag along behind the Jeep for an upcoming trip a few months from now. I pulled off the outer fenders and the plywood bed floor, found my bedsides are bowed heavily and the strip at bottoms rotted away. I'd like to swap in these newer bedsides, is it a bolt in affair?

Appreciate and help Gents..

[1963c-10]

The stepside bed was the same from Late 1955-1966. There were variations of different tail lights and bumpers, but the boxes and fenders were the same. Chevy used the same box from late 1955-1987. There were some minor variations of the bed sides. The tailgates are the same from late 1955-1987.

The bedsides are bolt in. Most of the reproductions have the angle strips prewelded in. The other strips and any floor bracing are still being reproduced.

[ExpeditionXJ]

Thank You Sir..

Picking up bedsides today that were advertised as 73-87. I'm sure these will work just fine for me..

Wonder if y'all can date the trailer? It has trailing arm and coils, with the axle having both the diff cover and removable third.

[BR3W CITY]

pics might help, if its a home built trailor it could be a combination of anything.

[ExpeditionXJ]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

pics might help, if its a home built trailor it could be a combination of anything.

Good point..

Now that the old bed is off i can see that the OEM upper shock mounts werent used, one still remains on the frame. They opted to throughbolt the frame.. i'll be redoing that.

It appears the rear axle has a different panhard bar mount as it looks different from pics i saw elsewhere.

Where would i go to order new trailing arm bushings? It also appears the coilspring retaining bolts are seized inside the trailing arms.. guess i'll try drilling them out? I'm looking to get this up and usable soon, fall camping will be here before i know it.

Anyone local who can use this rear axle?

[BR3W CITY]

I'd say frame is def late 60's, although the rear axle might be earlier 70's... I have a similar panhard bar on my rear, which is an early 70's truck 12bolt.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Bed Side Interchangeability - GM Short Stepside Beds
http://www.mar-k.com/bed_side_interchange_gm.aspx

1954 - 1955 (first series) Short Bed
An embossed pattern stamped in the bed side sheet metal follows the shape of the fender outline where the fender attaches to the bed sides.
Fenders have a rounded shape and are the same as those used in the 47-53 model years.
Rear sill mounting brackets are about 4" long and 2 1/8" tall, 44 1/4" apart.
There are three cross sills and they are about 2 1/8 tall, a little taller than previous years. Also, beginning with the 54 year GM no longer used the wooden bed-to-frame bed mounting blocks.
Seven bed strips and eight boards, the same board widths as previous 51-53 model GM beds. Board length and bed strip length is 77 1/8", slightly longer than previous models.
GMC and Chevrolet both had new design tailgates for this year. Tailgate is embossed with large rectangular pattern similar to the front bed panel and "Chevrolet" or GMC is embossed in the center area.

1955 (second series) - 1959 Short Bed
Bed side sheet metal is the same dimension as previous series, but the embossed pattern is changed to three ribs about 1" wide instead of the previous pattern following the shape of the fenders. This pattern of three ribs remained unchanged through the 1987 model.
The fender design changed to the more squared design that was unchanged from 1955 through 1966.
Rear sill mounting brackets are about 3" long and 2 1/8 tall, 31 3/4" apart.
There are three cross sills, and the third from the front is different than the other two. The third cross sill has its lower edges formed upward at the outer ends of the cross sill.
Seven bed strips and eight boards, the same dimensions as the 1954-1955 first series. The bed-to-frame hole locations however are changed, making the bed wood not interchangeable with the 1954-1955 first series.
Bed strips and angle strips have the same bolt pattern as 1954-1955 first series so they are interchangeable.
Chevrolet tailgate remained unchanged, The GMC tailgate logo is characterized by the large center 'M" which extends laterally under both the "G" and the "C"

1960-1962 Short Bed
Bed side sheet metal is the same as the previous series but the angle strip has a different bolt hole pattern. Therefore the bed sides of 1955-1959 may be interchanged with 1960-1962 if the angle strip is changed to the desired year series.
The fender design is unchanged from the 1955-1959 model.
Rear sill mounting brackets are about 4" long and 3" tall, 39 3/4" apart. This rear sill will not fit the frame of another year series trucks without replacing the mounting brackets.
There are three cross sills and one reinforcing strip supporting the wood. The cross sills have a 1" tall spacer welded at each bed-to-frame bolt location.
Seven bed strips and eight boards. The board length is unchanged but the widths are different than 1955-1959 models. This affects bed strip bolt locations in rear sill, cross sills, reinforcing strip and front bed panel.
Bed strip and angle strip bolt locations are different than 1955-1959 models, making them not interchangeable.
Bed-to-frame bolt locations are unique for the 60-62 years. This affects bed wood, rear sill, and cross sills. These parts should not be interchanged to any other years because of the major modifications required.

1963-1966 Short Bed
Bed side sheet metal is the same as the 55-59 and 62-66 but the 55-59 angle strip has a different bolt hole pattern. Therefore the bed sides of 1955 -1959 may be interchanged with 1960-1966 if the angle strip is changed to the correct year series.
The fender design is unchanged from the 55-59 and 60-62 model.
Rear sill mounting brackets are about 4" long and 3" tall, 31 3/4" apart.
There are three cross sills and one reinforcing strip supporting the wood. The cross sills have a 1" tall spacer welded at each bed-to-frame bolt location. Because of this welded spacer, the cross sills should not be interchanged with any other year series due to the significant modifications required.
Seven bed strips and eight boards. The board length is unchanged from 60-62 models but the widths are different than 1955-1959 models. This affects bed strip bolt locations in rear sill, cross sills, reinforcing strip and front bed panel.
Bed strip and angle strip bolt locations are the same as 60-62 but different than 1955-1959 models, making them not interchangeable with 55-59.
Chevrolet tailgate remained unchanged. GMC tailgates changed to a block style lettering beginning in 1963.

1967-1972 Short Bed
Bed side sheet metal is similar to previous years but the fender and step are changed as well as the angle strip bolt pattern. Other minor changes include the slightly larger bed side curl diameter and tail light mounting holes on the rear stake pockets.
The fender design changed for 1967 which changed the fender bolt pattern in the bed sides. 1968 and later fenders have side marker lights
The rear sill mounting brackets are about 4" long and 2 1/8" tall, 31 3/4" apart.
There are three cross sills and one reinforcing strip supporting the bed wood. The cross sills have a similar hole pattern as the 63-66 series but do not have the 1" spacer welded on the mounting hole locations. These cross sills could be used for the 63-66 application but would need to have the spacers welded to fit properly.
There are 7 bed strips and 8 boards. The bed wood boards have the same length and widths as the 63-66 series. The bed to frame bolt locations is different than the 63-66 trucks and the angle strip bolt pattern is also changed.
Bed strip and angle strip hole locations are different than the 63-66 series so these are not interchangeable.

1973-1987 Short Bed
Bed side sheet metal is similar to previous years but the fender and step are changed as well as the angle strip bolt pattern. The bed side is shaped different than previous years in the area where the step attaches. Other minor changes include wiring loom holes in the bed sides below the wood in the rear area. Bed sides from this series will not work with previous years parts.
The fender design changed for 1973 which changed the fender bolt pattern in the bed sides. There are several minor fender design changes from year to year in the 73-87 series regarding the gas filler door. Be aware of these differences when attempting to interchange beds within this year series.
The rear sill mounting brackets are about 3" long and 2 1/8" tall, 31 1/4" apart.
There are three cross sills and two reinforcing strips supporting the bed wood. The cross sill and reinforcing strip patterns are different from all others so they are not interchangeable with other year series.
There are 6 bed strips and 7 boards. The bed wood boards have the same length as the previous years but the widths and mounting bolt patterns are different making them difficult to interchange.
Bed strip and angle strip hole locations are different than all previous years so these are not interchangeable. 73 -87 angle strips have their bolts welded into the angle strips holes. Replacement of the bolts is difficult. Removing the boards from under the angle strip is not possible without ruining the board or totally separating the bedside, front bed panel, and rear sill.

[mike14_07]

definetly a 60-62 frame and rear axle. not sure what axle were available those years

[BR3W CITY]

I didn't see the top frame rails from the cross in the frame vs the later year.
Or are you going off a different visual clue?