hey guys sorry to bother yall on a stupid topic but ive been doing some ressearch to find out the deal with the step side f100s like a 68 an up. Ive got one an cant seem like find too many other people or count on one hand pics of one. Its almost like a 50s bed an a 68 front. Do i have something rare possibly unique? if you know anything any information would be awesome guys thanks

Rustranger
Steve Martin

 

Hardly unique. A little less common. BTW, GM used "Step Side", Ford referred to these as "Flare Side".

The came in short (6ft) and long (8ft) boxes. I have a long box one, see below.


Looks to be a nice truck you found.

 

These flareside (stepside) boxes were used from 53-79. They were 6 1/2 and 8 ft in length with, I believe, some 9 footers made also. Bill can confirm or deny that. You can buy new ones from the 53-56 parts vendors. There were alot of 78-79 red F-150's made to compete with the Dodge Little Red Trucks.

 

Wow, your truck is clean, one of the squeakiest I have ever seen.

 

There are actually two (slightly) different flareside boxes for this 67-79 time frame. The first style was the '53-'72 style. From '73-'75, Ford didn't offer the short version but still sold the 8' box. The 6.5' flareside box reintroduced in '76 used shortened (lengthwise) sides from the 8' box. It was wider than the early box to match the wider rear axle introduced in '73 and had inner wheel bulges on the sides. In '77, Ford flattened the top of the box sides and this box was used with the round fenders til '79 and then with the squared off fenders until
'86.


mike

 

Confirmed: 1957/66 F350 Flaresides have a 9' Express Bed.

Mar-K (mar-k.com) has reproduced the short Flareside beds, but I didn't want to download their online catalog to see what years the beds fit.

Flaresides have been around since the 1920's, so there are myriad different types. Actually...the 1953/56 beds were different than 1957/72's originally.

When the 1957's were introduced, Ford replaced all the part numbers used 1953/56 with 1957 part numbers.

1953/56 rear fenders and the bed sides were slightly different than 1957/72's as was the tailgate. I think but I'm not sure that the 1957's are slightly taller.

 

Good points, Bill.
Last I heard, Northern Classics was also reproducing these flareside beds and tailgates, both Ford and Mercury.


mike

 

I know this is an old post but I was looking for info on the flareside bed and looks like I found it here. I understand from Bill's post the 57/66 F350 had a 9' bed option and was wondering if that included a longer wheel base or frame. I'm looking for bolt on correct bed options for my 65 F100 4x4. Would the info above also apply to the 4x4 trucks?

 

9 foot flareside had a 4" longer wheelbase.
6'.....115"
8'.....131"
9'......135".


I believe 57-79 flareside beds will fit your 1965. 4X4 wouldn't make a difference.

 

9' Flareside Express bed used exclusively by 1953/72 F350. However, all the 1953/56 Flareside bed parts were replaced by FoMoCo in 1957 with 1957 parts.

For example: B7C-16312-A .. 1957 (1957/79) R/Rear Fender replaced 1953/56 BAAA-16312-A .. R/Rear Fender.

 

The fenders on the 57 and up beds are mounted higher on the bed sides then the 53-56 beds. The difference is about two inches.

 

As I said in the previous post the fenders on the 57 and up beds are mounted higher on the bedsides. When I got my 54 F-100 fixed up and painted my research showed that the 53-72 beds and fenders were identical. And they are... except as I said the fenders are mounted higher on the 57 and up beds. I bought a used bed from 71 F-100. My body man said he had a hard time getting the running boards to meet the rear fenders.
When I got the truck home and in my driveway i noticed that i saw more wheel well than previously. I then measured the space between the top of the fender to the flare on my original bed and the same on the 71 bed. I forget the exact difference but it is about 1 3/4 to 2".

In the spring of 2015 I bought a reproduction bed from Mid West Early Ford built for 53-56 trucks. And it looks a lot better than the 71 bed on my 54.

Here is a picture from 1997 with the original bed:


This was taken January of 2015 before I put the new correct bed on my truck. Notice the area above the wheel you see and the difference in the space between the fender and the flare. Also notice how the runnng board does not meet the bottom of the bed properly.

 

Abe, is that green a factory color? Can you provide information on it?

Also, I believe the 1976 reintroduction of the Flareside bed brought the flattened top rails with stake pockets. This is my 76...

 

Yes it is factory. It is called Meadow Green. Very popular color from 48 to 56. Do you want a paint code? I will have to look on my paint can. Or you can search for it online......

 

No paint code necessary, but thank you. I've been wanting to use that color (or something similar) on a project for a long time but the lines of my previous boxy Dodges wouldn't have looked right. For my 76 it's pretty much down to Meadow Green or a non-metallic single stage maroon in the same chroma-range. I like the looks of your 54. I see you've got the same rust-prone spots as I do...front of the fender where it bolts to the box and running board. Paint will have to wait until I get that sorted.