I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the deferences were in the two styles of long beds I have seen. One seems to have higher wheel well arches and the other is lower with a body line running to the back of the bed. What trucks did they come on...

 

Two different types of fleetside beds, depending on the year. The earlier trucks (61-63, I think) used the blocky bed which originally came on the pre-61 trucks. 64-66 used the more stylish one with the smaller wheel opening.
It's kind of puzzling why the early trucks used the blocky, kinda ugly bed because it doesn't fit the body lines of the 60s trucks. Excess bed inventory? Hoped the unibody would sell better? Who knows.

 

The 'blocky' fleet side bed of the '57-'60 vintage was brought back in '62 and '63 for the 4x2 pickups for those that chose to get a separate bed. The Unibody just didn't sell to well and in '62 Ford made the seperate bed optional. In '64 the wheel base of the 4x2 pickups was changed to 128" and the newer bed debuted. Interestingly the '61-'65 F-100 and F-250 4x4 still kept the 115" and 120" wheel base for short and long beds respectivly. Also there never was a Factory Unibody 4x4, so the seperate beds of the '57/'60 style needed to be kept around. In '66 the F-100 4x4 changed to the 128" wheelbase so the newer style bed was used. But the '66 F-250 4x4 still used the 120" wheelbase so it used the old style slab side bed for one more year. Finaly by '67 Ford got all their light truck line onto the same page as far as wheelbase is concerned.




Eric

 

Thanks for the info. I'm looking for a bed for my 71 and was getting real confused... I'm on the lookout for a complete cab front clip and bed from a 65 or 66 to drop on my 71 F250 4x4. I can't deside on what bed to use. I need a long bed and as I understand it for 71 I have 3 options. The Fleet side Flareside or the Block style. Any thoughts on what would look better with the 66 style cab on a 4x4?...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-Dec-02 AT 10:07 PM (EST)]What is the wheelbase of the '71 F-250. My '73 is 133". You may have to go with a step-side and move the fenders to fit over the wheels. But even that isn't the best has there is a definate place for the wheels on the inside of the bed for the step-side. But a 128" step side is damn close to a 133" and you wouldn't have to move it much. The '57-'60 long bed was on the 120" wheelbase, so that is out of the question.



Eric

edit: Just go with the Step-side for a '71. the basic style of a step side did not change from '57 thru sometime in the '80s. just wheelbases.