I've been searching for a long bed stepside forever, I have either found rusted out ones or insanely expensive ones. An idea ran through my mind today and I wanted to run it by people smarter then me to make sure its not crazy.

I can easily find shortboxes, do you guys think its feasible to just have new sides bent by a steel shop to be around the same contours and use the front and back from the shortbox? This truck is just for mud bogging so it doesn't have to be perfect but I want it to look somewhat real

Can't you buy new bed sides? You can make everything else.

R.

I've haven't been able to find reproduction 8' box sides anywhere. Just front panel, tailgate, fenders and crossmembers

Just buy 2 crappy short boxes and weld 2' onto one. Don't got to be pretty right?

I considered that but wasn't sure if there was enough meat ahead of the fender to make up the length due to the different stamping where the fender sits. I want my "big red express truck" to be kind of pretty the truck currently has a bullet hole in the hood and was creased the length of the truck with a post so I guess anything is an improvement.

Looking at my pictures, it almost looks like the distance behind the fender is the same between long/shortbed, so if you just add a couple feet to the front of the box, it should work alright? I would try to make the bed 8'4" if possible, just so it will actually fit a whole sheet of plywood with the tailgate up ( ).

The wider step plates in front of the fenders may be fun to fabricate, unless those are available aftermarket.



<-- has longbed stepside if you need detailed pictures of anything

I appreciate your input! I may be calling on you when I start building. From what I can tell the boxes are all the same from the fender to the rear, its the first part where 2' are added. I think extending a shortbox is my best bet instead of whole new sides. That is something I will price out.

I don't have to worry about hauling plywood, it's going on this truck the only thing it needs to haul is a 5 gallon fuel cell and a radiator in the future. I don't think I am going to put the front steps on but if I do I will probably extend some repro ones.

Personally, I think it's a waste of time. Your next obstacle is finding suitable fenders for what you're doing and not mind getting sucked into the wall which in 10 seconds after this pic happened.

I have one set of fenders already that were given to me, they have a drivers side dent for a spare tire but are good enough.

Luckily so far I haven't been sucked anywhere near a wall, the worst thing so far has been breaking a wheel off on the D44. I have been running the small 35" tire class with 4 truck mods allowed(lift,carb+intake,headers on my truck) and am stepping up to a stroker big block so things might get a bit crazier.

Wow, you actually compete. My trucks not legal for anything, just fun. What you have looks pretty good to me.