The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed long bed or short bed?

I've asked mar-k and they refered me back to the bolters for this information.I've had this 1938 3/4 ton truck since 1983.I did not have room for whole truck in the shop so I dismanteled the truck to keep the cab and sheetmetal in the shop.The homemade flatbed is long gone,I want a stepside anyway.The frame is sandblasted and hopefully I will paint it tomorrow afternoon.My question is do I need a long bed or short bed?My frame lenght is 176-1/2" not including the bumper horns,180-1/4" including the horns.I guess the bed is coming soon since the rear end that I got with the truck was not the original,it was welded just wherever the mounts touched the frame and it seemed to be junk anyway.I will use the bed/fenders to help place a new rear end in the proper place.Any info would be very appreciated.

need the year to be exact, but most series short beds had a 112-115" wheel base, the 3/4T long box and 1T extra-long box had about a 122-135" WB - you might even have a 1.5T, which they didn't make a bed for .... the number on the vin tag should tell what model you have, although if it's a '38 as your handle suggests that may be long gone .... lots of factory info here, including the GM resto-packs

Bill

Sorry Bill I forgot that small piece of info I edited my original post and put in it that it is a 3/4 ton 1938.The tags on the cab had 3HD05. So if I read that right it is a 3/4 ton built in St.Louis in May 1938

Little, I suggest you check this out these two links,

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1938/index.html

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/38index.htm

it may not give you the exact info you're looking for, but I guarentee it has info that you will want to know somewhere along the line.

Hmm... I should have probably read Squeeze's post. He beat me to it. Although... I posted the direct link to your model year, so I guess between his and my links, you should be able to find all the info you need.

And as far as your decoding of your serial number, I did some checking and it seems right to me! lol

Btw, here is the frame specs.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/3826.htm

GREAT Links guys,one link I had already found the other two I had not been to yet.So that brings me to new Questions.If only one frame lenght is listed how do I have a Choice of long bed or short bed?

you don't have a choice, the 3/4T would be a long bed .... your biggest problem [depending on how 'original' you're going] will be finding any '38 bed, long or short, but you could adapt a later bed to the existing frame or shorten the frame to use a short bed

Bill

You may like to give Mack Hils a call they have been making bedsides for old trucks here in the USA since the 70s. They dont list a long bed but the do have the means to make them correct.

Phone: (660) 263-7444 | Moberly, MO 65270
mack hils website

You could do something like this... http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/images/_WED6302_lg.jpg

That is one good looking piece of machinery

Someone did a first class job on that bed. Check out the curved ends! Wish I could see the rear view. Wonder if they made a tailgate or adapted a steel one???