The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun what running boards & brackets will work?

Hey all,

My '52 3800 was originally a pickup whose bed was heavily modified for fence repair. When I bought it, I replaced the ranch-built funky bed with a more useful stake bed. One of the last remnants of the pickup body are the long running boards, which I'd like to replace with the shorter versions appropriate for a stake bed 3800.

So here's my question: if I were to post an ad in the parts wanted section for brackets (front and back) to hang the shorter running boards, do the brackets need to be specifically from a certain set of years and/or a certain set of truck models? Thanks, Nick

not sure on your bracket question... I do know the front ones are left and right handed. For sure they need to be from another AD truck. look in the parts book to see if 1.5and 2 ton brackets are the same as the 1 ton and smaller.

Running boards should come from a 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton, the big truck running boards are different.

If I remember correctly, there are some differences between the brackets for the short and long running boards on the 1 Ton AD. You can probably verify this with one of the online parts books at "Old Chevy manuals Online".

I had to replace the running board brackets on the passenger side of mine (poorly repaired instead of replaced by PO), so I pulled the boards and brackets off of a 1 Ton Panel. They were left and right handed all the way back. You should be able to just remove the rear bracket and replace the running boards with shorter ones and be fine.

If you determine that the big bolt boards and brackets are the same, THIS TRUCK has a really nice set. Let me know and I will give you contact info for the yard they are located in.

Big Bolt running boards are NOT the same as boards for a flat bed little truck.

Hey guys,

Thank you for your help with this.

I confirmed that Grigg is right about the boards themselves are not the same for big AD trucks and 1-ton. The part numbers are here, I think, although digging through the master parts catalog if you haven't done so is a bit tricky to say the least. I think this is the appropriate page here (??). I couldn't find the numbers for the running board supports, but maybe somebody has a keener eye than I do.

I actually have a nice set of the big bolt running boards here and compared the two once I had them off the truck -- photo here -- for one, the vertical section of the running board, where it curves up from the horizontal step, is taller on the big bolt version than on the 1-ton version. And the mock-up looks tolerable (here and here), the fit is just way tighter than it should be, and the back end of the running board probably sticks out a little further than it should. It might work for my truck, which is a beater.

My 3800 was a ranch truck that is pretty beat up in places, including the running board supports -- I think only the front supports are salvageable. So I'll post an ad for short 1-ton running boards and rear supports (L and R) in the parts wanted section and see what happens.

short 3/4 and 1/2 ton boards should also work.

Starting with the big bolt boards can you trim the vertical portion and break the edge again to make them not so tall and fit a little better?

It does look like I could trim the vertical portion and make the big bolt boards work. It would be close though, and it looks like I'd probably have to drill new holes in the mounting boxes on the bottom of the boards where the brackets attach to bolt them on. I think that's plan B for me, though - the big bolt boards I have are in really nice condition and I'd rather they go to somebody who will use them on a big bolt, though I'm not sure how likely that is. We'll see - it just depends how much it's going to cost me to get the correct short boards (and brackets). I'll let you all know how it goes.

Short running boards from a 1/2 T. (3100) 3/4 T. 3600 or 1 T. (3800) will fit your rack body truck. The brackets I believe are of different length between the 1/2 T. and 1 T. because of differences in the frame width. PM sent