'60-'66 & '55-'59 GM Fender Side Bed Similarities & Differences?

[Casey]

I wasn't able to find anything on the web regarding any specific differences between the '55-'59 and '60-'66 Chevy/GMC Fender Side beds, but are they the same basic beds? 

How about the rear bumper on both year ranges? I'm guessing bumpers were optional, and chrome plated bumpers would only be available on Custom level trucks (I did look at the 6066gmcguy 'site http://6066gmcguy.com/gmcid1.html )? The attached mage of the red/white truck shows what appears to be a chrome plated bumper from a '55-'59 (same as what would be found in the AMT Fender Side '55 k, I think), but is that "correct" for a '60-'66?

Also, was the fender mounted spare tire an option for Fender Side trucks? I don't think I've ever seen the specific fender for that option offered as an aftermarket resin part, but if the AMT '55 Fender Side bed is a near direct swap onto the AMT '60...

[mikemodeler]

According to LMC, they are the same fenders for the stepside bed from 55 (second design) to 66. There was a different fender for the exterior spare option.

Rear bumpers are different for 55-59 vs. 60-66.

Edited February 11, 2018 by mikemodeler

[Aaronw]

This would be a good question for Bill "Longbox55".

 

I was wanting to put a step side on the AMT '60 Chevy and I think I was told the '55 was an acceptable swap for that, although there might have been some minor adjustments needed. It was about the time that Revell reissued the '65 Stepside so I went that way instead.

[mikemodeler]

On 2/14/2018 at 3:12 PM, Aaronw said:

This would be a good question for Bill "Longbox55".

 

I was wanting to put a step side on the AMT '60 Chevy and I think I was told the '55 was an acceptable swap for that, although there might have been some minor adjustments needed. It was about the time that Revell reissued the '65 Stepside so I went that way instead.

I am not the expert Bill is, but using a company like LMC who offers OEM style replacement parts for these vintage trucks, would lead me to believe they are accurate. The Ford pickups used the same step side bed from the mid 50's up through 1979, with some slight differences IIRC.

That said, I have seen some custom trucks using newer style beds on older trucks, most notably the step side from a 90's vintage GM truck on a 67-72 GM truck.

[Aaronw]

3 hours ago, mikemodeler said:

I am not the expert Bill is, but using a company like LMC who offers OEM style replacement parts for these vintage trucks, would lead me to believe they are accurate. The Ford pickups used the same step side bed from the mid 50's up through 1979, with some slight differences IIRC.

That said, I have seen some custom trucks using newer style beds on older trucks, most notably the step side from a 90's vintage GM truck on a 67-72 GM truck.

 

Sorry wasn't dismissing your answer, I think you are correct that they are at least mostly the same, if not the same. Bill just tends to know the minor details that often get overlooked.

 

The Ford pickup bed is a good example of the small things. We frequently see people say that Ford used the same stepside bed for more that 20 years. However a few have pointed out they are only mostly identical.

If you look at an older truck the top rail of the bed was bent at a 45 degree (ish) angle. At some point in the 70s Ford changed this to a 90 degree bend. It is a small thing that most wouldn't even notice, I never did until it was pointed out to me. Many aftermarket manufacturers probably don't bother to offer both, and I'm sure there are more than a few late 70s trucks with the earlier style bed due to replacement from an older truck at some point.

 

 

 I've also seen people putting modern step sides on older trucks. Personally not a fan, but then I think most of the modern step side beds are unattractive. 

[37 caddy]

the model companies parts are also all a bit different,revell is not the same scale as amt and etc.The boxes are the same from 55-66,but a revell box will not be exactly the same as a AMT box,myself i wouldnt worry about the minute differences,when they are that small no one is going to be able to tell anyway? Harvey