The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed picking a stepside bed

I'm looking to buy new sheet metal for my bed. I have a 55 2nd series chevy short stepside. Does anyone have any perference on manufactures? I need bedsides, front panel and tailgate. I would love to get rid of the taligate chains. I see the Mar-K adds on the site. I've talk to Pro-picks of course they tell me there product is better then Mar-k. I've talk to Mar-k and they say about the same thing.

red55:
You are doing this the right way, by checking this board to find someone that has experience with the product. I won't bore you with a sales pitch on bedsides. Pro-Pick makes a quality part as does Mar-K. They are different.

As you look for a design that eliminates the tailgate chains, have you seen the Mar-K tailgate with hidden latches and center handle for your stepside? http://www.mar-k.com/54-87TAILGATEWHANDLEORIGBS.pdf Look at the second page of the PDF for a picture. Installation instructions http://www.mar-k.com/54-87TAILGATEWHANDLEORIGBS.pdf also have pictures. If you buy Mar-K bedsides, be sure to order them custom built with the latch for the Mar-K tailgate latch system. It will be hard to beat our tailgate with the central inside handle, rotary latches, heavy gage folding straps that fold up inside the tailgate end when closed, and the ease of installation of the whole system.

Let me know if you have specific questions about our product.

Mar-Ktech

Mar-Ktech,

Thanks for the information. You say they are different. Could you elaborate? Also are there any other manufactures I should be looking at?

red55: Mar-K beds are made to directly replace the original bed parts, and are designed to have the same appearance and bolt together the same as stock. When you buy a Mar-K bed, the parts fit together without drilling, cutting, welding or repositioning on your chasis. We use spot welds like original, exposed bolts as original, and bed to frame attachment is the same as original. Many custom options are available, such as hidden bolts, stainless angles, delete stake holes, tailgate without chain latches, etc as outlined in the catalog.

Hopefully someone on the board that has personal experience with the Pros-Pick and other manufacturers beds will describe the differences. Pros-Pick beds are generally meant for custom or street rod type applications where stock appearing bed is not desired.

We suggest that you obtain catalog information and installation instructions from suppliers that you are considering. Carefully study them to be sure the results are what you are looking for. This is a major investment and you want to do it right. View the Mar-K catalog page for your bed kit at http://www.mar-k.com/lateGMbed_kits.pdf or order a catalog free on line.

Mar-Ktech