The fleetside style of truck bed is most common on Ford pickup trucks. The bed is flat on the outside, but has arches in the rear, making it a great choice for hauling cargo. These trucks are available in short-box and long-box versions. The long-box style offers more cargo space than the short-box style.
The first Chevrolet Fleetside truck was the 3124 Series Cameo Carrier in 1955. This design was a result of Ford’s Pickup Truck Styleside Box. The step side box is a variant of the straight fender box, and the Chevy stepside truck was discontinued in 2005.
Today, Fleetside trucks outnumber stepsides by twenty-to-one on the road. Fleetsides are easy to switch out and many owners do so based on style preferences. Likewise, a Sportside box is a cross between a Stepside and a Fleetside truck. It has a half-step to access the bed.
What is Fleetside Vs Stepside?
When deciding between a fleetside and stepside truck, make sure to consider the type of bed you need. Both styles will fit on a frame, but they won’t have the same tailgate. In addition, Chevy trucks from 2007 to 2014 don’t share the same bed configuration. Therefore, it’s important to know what type of bed you need before ordering replacement panels. If you’re not sure what bed configuration you need, consult your owner’s manual.
Both Ford and Chevy started offering stepside models decades ago. A Chevy stepside truck bed has a box-like shape with wheelwell arches outside. Its step is often integrated into the fender flare. Meanwhile, a Ford stepside bed has a step near the bumper.
Stepside trucks are not as common as fleetside trucks. Most modern manufacturers have moved away from offering them, but there are still some that pay homage to their stepside aesthetic. One example of this is the faux stepside S10 Chevy truck.
How is Fleetside Measured on a Truck?
There are several factors that affect the length of the bed of a truck. A truck’s bed size varies depending on the model and makes. The smallest fleetside trucks have beds that are only 4.3 feet long, while larger trucks have beds that are more than 8 feet long. To determine the bed length, measure from the inside edge of the sidewall to the inside edge of the wheel wells. Then, write down the measurement.
One of the most popular types of truck beds is called fleetside, and it is most common in pickup trucks from Ford and Chevrolet. Other manufacturers have names for the beds of their pickup trucks, such as sweptline, wideside, and styleside. Despite the differences in names, most manufacturers still use the term fleetside.
Another term for fleetside trucks is stepside. Stepside trucks have wheel wells that protrude outward from the truck bed, adding width to the truck bed. Ford calls stepside trucks fleetside trucks, while GMC uses fleetside.
Was There a Fleetside Chevy Truck Made?
In the mid-1960s, Chevrolet introduced the first wide-bed pickup truck. The truck had flat sides and arched wheel openings, and was one of the most attractive pickups. The wide bed allowed the driver to load more cargo and it was also more appealing than the standard truck. In addition, it had a step that made it more convenient to get into and out of the bed.
The Fleetside was the first pickup truck to offer a flat cargo bed. This design element was used to modernize the truck and give it extra cargo space. Ford and Dodge introduced similar designs a year later. While the stepside pickup truck was considered a stepchild in the automotive industry, it was a huge success. It was popular with customers, and the companies boosted its popularity by adding more features and options.
As the 1950s progressed, Chevrolet began to focus less on function and more on style. The Cameo Carrier merged the Chevy Bel Air design with the style of the Chevrolet Fleetside. It also featured a new small-block V8 engine. In 1957, Chevrolet introduced the Cameo truck, which had factory-installed four-wheel-drive. In 1958, the first full-width rear body styling appeared on a mid-priced truck. The full-width rear body sculptural taillamps were positioned roundly and finished off the truck’s sleek profile. The truck had a double-wall steel cargo box and ultra-wide tailgate.
What Does Flareside Mean on a Truck?
When you’re thinking about purchasing a truck, you might be wondering “What Does Fleetside Mean on a Truck?” This term refers to the type of bed. There are two types of beds, fender-flare and styleside. A fender-flare bed is wider and has more space than a styleside bed. A styleside bed is narrower and is primarily used for carrying cargo.
A flare-side bed has a high-set rear wheel arches. It is similar to a stepside bed but takes up more cargo space. This style is common on Ford trucks, especially the F-250 and F-350 models. Chevrolet, meanwhile, produces stepside and fleetside models. Stepside beds are similar to flare-side beds, but are more luxurious and typically have a seat for six people.
The style of flare-sided trucks was first introduced by Ford in the 1950s. Other automakers soon followed. In the 1990s, Ford marketed special edition sport-F150s with ‘Flareside’ nameplates. This style was meant to bring the truck to the mainstream. Ford used the tradename until 2009, when they switched over to the Stepside segment.
What is F150 Fleetside?
A fleetside truck was first made by Chevrolet in 1958. These trucks have flat bedsides and rear quarter panels that run lengthways along the wheel-well openings. They are different from styleside and stepside trucks. They were designed for practicality and appearance. If you’re looking for a new truck, a fleetside truck is one option worth considering.
A fleetside bed is standard on GM, Ford, and Dodge trucks. It features wheel arches in the bed, making it easier to manufacture. They come in short-box and long-box configurations. In addition to Ford and Chevy, many other manufacturers also offer fleetside pickup beds.
Fleetside pickups differ from stepside pickups, but they share common characteristics. For example, a fleetside truck is flatter than a stepside truck. It also features a rounded rear bumper and tailgate. Its box shape is different than a flareside pickup, so replacement panels for one model may not fit another. Therefore, you should know what kind of bed you want before placing an order. It is best to consult the owner’s manual to find out which option is best for your needs.
What is Ford Fleetside?
A fleetside truck has been around for more than 50 years. It was developed to utilize the space left after removing the fenders and steps of a truck. This design also allows the truck to accommodate more cargo than a standard box truck. It was also designed to improve the styling of the truck while extending the truck’s life by as much as 20 years.
The first fleetside truck was introduced in 1958. It is similar to the stepside pickup truck. Both feature a smooth-sided bed and wheel arches built into the bed. They come in long-box and short-box versions. The Ford version has a different name for its pickup bed, the styleside.
Ford’s fleetside truck is similar to the Chevy pickup truck. Both feature flat bed sides and a rear quarter panel that runs lengthwise along the wheel-well openings. The bed style is the most common among pickup truck bed styles.
Is Chevy Bringing Back the Stepside?
The fleetside pickup truck is a style of truck that had a stepside bed. The term is also used by Dodge and Toyota. However, not many manufacturers offer true stepside pickups. If you are looking for a stepside truck, you should consider the Ford F-Series pickup truck. This style started in 1948, when Ford developed the F-Series truck. It was easier to manufacture a rectangular bed and add rounded fenders after the wheels. Several years later, the rounded fenders were replaced with fully integrated fenders and the “styleside box” design.
Fleetside trucks have a distinctive shape. The original Chevrolet C/K series came with two body styles, the Stepside and Fleetside. The Fleetside has a streamlined loading area and internal wheel arches. It can be equipped with either a steel or wood bed liner. It also had a wide bed with integrated bedsides.
In the early 1960s, pickup truck buyers demanded more out of their trucks. These vehicles became more than just commercial vehicles, with their use in small businesses. Today, you can still find these trucks in many small towns. And they make great sleeper projects. They are low, sleek, and surprisingly powerful.
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