'68 GMC, Stepside or Fleetside? What do you guys think?

Hey the truck addict just did it again. Of course it's in the name of new tech for the pages of Custom Classic Trucks. I just picked up a '68 GMC longbed, and it's time for another Get Shorty type story. I'm not sure if I want a Stepside, or Fleetside, so I want to hear some feedback from you guys.

Any questions about how the "Jimmy" is equipped please feel free to ask.

Thanks!  

Big window Fleetside, small window go stepside.  Simple asthetics!!  Don't feel bad about being addicted, went to buy a Sun distributor machine came home with 2 more '47 Ford PU's plus parts to add to a stable of too many projects, but I have 7.5 acres to hide them.  

jalopy45,

I'm stuck with a big-window. This truck is right at the first year where they only came with a big-window. Funny how rarity effects what a guy wants, I'd love to have a small-window early '67.

That's cool about finding some more '47s to add to your collection, those make a great hot-rod truck.

7.5 acres, you're living the dream! Thanks a lot for taking the time to help me put this story together.  

John, what is the bed that is on it now? Maybe the bed can be modified if you were doing it under a budget.  

It's an 8-foot Fleetside with a wood bed floor.  

Well John here is some ideas to consider,mind you I'm just just bouncing things around.
  1. You could leave it a long bed since most people always do short and also that you have already done that. Make it a fat wheel duellie. I have a set of fibreglass rear fenders that are close to completion that bolt on to the side of the fleetside.
  2. Modify the bed by keeping the section below the inner bed height and shaving the upper section, kind of giving a look of a flatbed.
  3. Turn it into a custom flatbed.
  4. Convertible it
  5. Give it a Ratrod look, not as bad as the conventional ratrods. Primer it in a distinctive color, old style wheels,which gets us back to the budget look.
  6.............???????????????@@$&&^#^&**&*(>>>>>..............still thinking  

Right off the top, it is going to get shortend. I have way too many people writing the magazine asking how to do it, not to revisit this kind of tech.

Outside of a girl I met years ago in Winslow, AZ. driving a flatbed Ford, I hate flatbeds, so that ain't happening. Step or Fleet, that's the question.

Although I did think about turning it into a Good Humor truck, those are always good.  

Fleetside, always has a cleaner, finished look and you can have your way with paint. You also hit on a good idea revisiting bed shortening either most are shortening or want to shorten thier trucks. I don't recall seeing tech. info or how-to's on rear wheel traction issues and upgrades for the high powered motor gang, having a nasty sound is one thing, but I want my neck snapped too! Before I knew I was putting my motor & tranny from my Chevelle into my truck, I had the bed shortened and the guy who did the work removed the trailing arm setup & installed a 3/4 ton multi-leaf with flip kit and relocated mounting & shock brackets. He did a ton of extra reinforcing and strengthening to entire chassis while removing saddle tanks and swapping to a single driveline, I do recall him saying something about a sway bar setup he has used in several builds that will provide the traction needed to launch a truck respectfully, maybe you could touch on this type of tech. info. so as to help planning future builds and maybe put to rest some of the Pro's & Con's and options to take into account.

Thanks KKB