Short Bed Vs Long

[WorkinLonghorn]

I have always wondered why these trucks (67-72) were sometimes ordered with the shorty in a time when these were used for work or for serious recreation.
Maybe a buyer had a specific (small) product to haul, or maybe they wanted a pickup but really didn't expect to need the extra space back there. Maybe they were cheaper (?) better gas mileage, easier to park, quicker off the line. Hmmm, I think I am answering my own question. Anyway, since I was a kid I remember seeing a shorty and thinking WT Heck, what WERE they thinking? And actually I still do to some extent, especially if they have a bed-extender on there.
If/when I get a truck to restore and drive daily I'm 50/50, OK maybe 40/60 about going to a short bed that I could park in my garage. And if I need any 10 foot pipe (which will fit inside my current work truck, I can just hang them out the back with a red flag. OK pointless ramble over. -BA

[FRCvette]

Short beds just look so darn cool. lol

[swb4me]

I'm sure 50 years ago people had various reasons for buying a short bed vs a long bed, but I'm extremely grateful that someone wanted a swb, straight 6, 4 speed, in 503 green, back in the day.

[Mollzyie]

W 2400 posts you should already know where this thread is gonna go

[leddzepp]

...

[Steeveedee]

Well, one takes "less filling"...

[franken]

Car makers are in business to make money. If a product is seen as a niche where GM can make money, they'll build it and see. Ford probably copied an Australian Ute to come up w/ the Ranchero; GM followed with the El Camino.
At some point someone had the idea to make an SWB (short wheelbase) and the rest is history. I think of them as more recreational than work, but able to work as well. Probably more for the younger buyer when new.
Just enjoy them all...

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

...

Definitely Fleetside, wait... wrong horse!


j

[darrellyates]

Well, as I look thru the American Light Duty Trucks book, I see short bed trucks going back to the first pickup trucks built. Only heavier duty trucks had longer beds, and this continued into the late 1950's. So, some of it may have to do with "history"...

[trac209]

I like both my only issue is when shortbed guys will say hey your truck is pretty nice,too bad it’s a longbed,my response is usually something like your shortbed is pretty nice too,too bad it’s not a camaro.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by trac209

I like both my only issue is when shortbed guys will say hey your truck is pretty nice,too bad it’s a longbed,my response is usually something like your shortbed is pretty nice too,too bad it’s not a camaro.

...lol, good one. I'll have to remember that.

Nothing at all wrong with long beds...very balanced looking trucks and I'm partial to them as well.


Coley

[71sierragrande]

Ya need the long to haul 16 foot lumber unless you install a rack. If its just a street toy, then yes a short is it. I want both

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by darrellyates

Well, as I look thru the American Light Duty Trucks book, I see short bed trucks going back to the first pickup trucks built. Only heavier duty trucks had longer beds, and this continued into the late 1950's. So, some of it may have to do with "history"...

I was thinking the same thing... I don't think a "longbed" (+/-8') bed was even offered in the 20s-early 40's light duty pickups. It seems that began with the post war trucks.

That's going completely off memory, but I can't recall seeing longbed trucks before the 1947 models.

[Greasey Harley]

Sometimes, I like to mess with people when they ask if I would consider selling my '68
I tell them something like "I can't. I got a friend that's gonna trade me for one just like it, except his has a proper 8 foot bed"

I don't know why I think it's funny, but I do

[mike16]

often in the 20's through the 40's trucks did not come with beds, they were custommade and installed or you removed the old bed/box from the old truck and installed it on the new one. quite common. Short beds probably got more use in conjested areas like the cities

[4carbcorvair]

My 97 is a SWB 4x4, 350, auto, plow prep package, tow package and camper package. My dad bought new and plowed with it since new. He loved the shorter wheel base plowing, much more maneuverable in tight spots. They have their place.

[dmjlambert]

During my teen years when I first noticed what types of vehicles are driven around, I only remember single cab (not crew or extended size cabs) and standard 8 ft beds. I guess I'm not old enough to remember when an 8 ft bed was not the standard but instead was considered "long". And there were no rear chrome bumpers on a pickup, they were all dealer stamped bumpers. The first fancy and cute little short trucks with chrome rear bumpers that I remember were from the late 70's, and those were the first trucks whose owners didn't want to haul anything in them. I used to wonder about that. I noticed a significant boom of Silverado sales around 1978 or so. I wonder if there was a tipping point where high-trim-level trucks exceeded plain trucks for consumers.

I think it's interesting how our perceptions are different depending on when and where we grew up. These are my perceptions.

Looking at the late model trucks driving around now, I notice a single cab 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck with 8 ft bed is extremely rare and they seem to almost always be very plain and white. I imagine companies special order them and 0% of those are for consumers. So 8 ft bed is definitely not standard now, it is a freak. Somebody younger than me walked up to my truck in the Home Depot parking lot and looked in wonder at my truck, talking about how big the bed was and asked about it. I thought it was a little funny. "Standard" 8 ft bed....

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by WorkinLonghorn

I have always wondered why these trucks (67-72) were sometimes ordered with the shorty in a time when these were used for work or for serious recreation.
Maybe a buyer had a specific (small) product to haul, or maybe they wanted a pickup but really didn't expect to need the extra space back there.

You hit the nail on the head, that is exactly the reason, however, these buyers were the minority in this era, the majority( approx. 4 times more) bought pickups because they had a definite reason to haul more and longer stuff. I'm sticking to '67-'72, but the role of the pickup uses keeps changing for different generations.

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by trac209

I like both my only issue is when shortbed guys will say hey your truck is pretty nice,too bad it’s a longbed,my response is usually something like your shortbed is pretty nice too,too bad it’s not a camaro.

Originally Posted by Coley

...lol, good one. I'll have to remember that.

Nothing at all wrong with long beds...very balanced looking trucks and I'm partial to them as well.


Coley

HAHAHAHA! Long Beds For Life here...

Love the Camaro = shortbed!

Gary

[truckster]

I have a Camaro, and I also have a Blazer. Nope, neither one works very well for hauling (but you'd be surprised how many groceries you can get in a Camaro with the top down), but I bought a trailer so I can haul stuff behind the Blazer. I've owned all kinds of Chevy and GMC trucks, and the reason I have the Blazer now is because I like it. So maybe it had a lot to do with personal tastes (and still does).

[S_Gibson]

This is the 4th truck I've owned. The other 3 I used as daily drivers. The 2 short bed trucks I owned I wish had longer beds, but they all suited their purpose. I made everything I ever hauled fit no matter how far it hung over or high I had to stack it.

I would have bought the current old pickup whether it had a short or long bed, but I considered it having a long bed a bonus.

To each their own.

[bubbasimms]

I wonder why people today buy these diesel 1 tons with the shorter than short beds on them. Can't haul anything in the bed, can't comfortably put a fifth wheel or goosneck on them. Sooo many people using these big $70,000 diesel duallies as commuters.

[Already Gone]

I have to admit I like the look of the short bed including the step side 67-72's but for all around practicality I want an 8 foot box.

[72c20customcamper]

From my recollection pickup trucks were used for going to town to buy small items for the farm. Have to remember all farms had 1 ton deulies with flat bed and stakes. On my uncle's place we had 2 small pickups . And two work trucks. A 46gmc 1 ton duelie with a Holmes hand wrecker on it 6 cyl 4 spd with a two speed rear the next was a 47 Studebaker with a flatbed and stake sides. Pickups were used to pick up wire and wood boards for the chicken coop.

[72c20customcamper]

All my trucks are 8 ft beds except the wife's Tocoma but she has the 6 ft ,largest bed on a toy. My 07 Dodge CTD quad cab has an 8 ft bed. Looked for a long time for it wanted the 8 ft quad with the 5.9