Long beds vs short beds

[Magnetic]

Seems to me short beds are more desirable than long beds. what makes a short bed better than a long bed i personally like the long beds better. I be leave you can do more stuff on a long bed than a short bed but that's just my opinion

[jzjames]

The short bed is nice when you've got to parallel park it in town.

[NM5K]

I prefer a short bed for a street truck. Seems sportier.. And the last one I had, "1972 Chevy Stepside", I
had Blazer buckets and console, which made it feel even sportier.. ..
For a work truck, a long bed is going to be a bit more useful being as it can haul up to 8 ft sheets of
whatever..
I've never had a Ford shortbed/stepside. All my shorts have been Chevy's. 66 and the 72..
My 68 F-250 is a bit of an odd length bed as it has a utility bed, and the frame has been shortened
about a foot at the rear.

[Magnetic]

Jzjames good point I might just have to get me a short bed just for the parallel parking. Nice truck as well

[Calfdemon]

Basically, the short beds are desired as hot rods or street trucks. Smaller, lighter, and look sportier. The long beds are better if you are going to use the truck as a truck. The short beds are "more desirable" in today's market because there were less of them made and most people that are going to fix up a classic, are not doing it for utility purposes. The long beds are a dime a dozen and can be picked up on the cheap because they are so plentiful. The short beds are harder to find because back when these trucks were new, people bought them to use as trucks and to do truck work.

I had a 72 long bed, but now have a crew cab which is the other unicorn of our trucks. I wouldn't mind someday picking up a short bed as well and turning it into a little speed demon street truck (see BobbyFord).

[sargentrs]

It all boils down to a matter of personal preference. As noted above, most people like the short beds for street/show trucks because they think they look cooler. Most people who intend to use their truck to haul stuff or as a work truck like the long bed. Personally, I think the long bed rides better and I like being able to shove a full sheet of plywood (or 20) in the back and still shut the gate. Mine's a long bed and while I'm redoing it to almost new condition, + mods, I still intend to actually use it like a truck. While the extra length of the bed might, to some, look kinda out of place, with a chromed, full width, toolbox back there, it more than breaks up the long span.

[Bill Ramsey]

to me, a truck isnt a truck unless its at least 3/4 ton and long bed.heck, if they made a 10' bed, i would have that.

[elgemcdlf]

I retired my bump from service as a truck the day I bought it. I have been driving SWB trucks for so long I would probably be backing into things with a LWB. For the most part I think private usage trucks are fine as SWB. What you use it for is usually no more than a SWB. Commercial usage with exception of something like plowing snow (SWB is more maneuverable but a LWB usually maintains better traction) a LWB is a better choice. The word sportier has been used and I think that fits.

[Magnetic]

I wonder if I lowered my long bed if that would look good I see your points on the swbs they do look nice specially street rods but I have always preferred long beds don't know why I might see more of them but none are restored or fixed going to the junk yard today getting my self some discussion assembly from a 78 f100 to put on my 72 drum brakes are coming out hehe

[motzingg]

got a shortbed by accident, didn't really want it. someday i want a 'big' crew cab, but for now the shortbed makes a nice car.

its nice to think that its worth a buttload more money if i ever have to sell it, and anything i do to make it nicer improves its value, whereas you'll never get the money back out of a long bed you spend fixing it up, you might actually have some chance of getting the money back out of the short bed. Thinking about it strategically, if you are trying to decide between buying a $1200 long bed, or a $1500 short bed, that you want to put $3000 worth of 'restoration' into, you might actually get $6000 out of the shortbed to recoup your investment if you ever want to get rid of it, whereas the longbed probably won't ever be worth much more than $4k.

its easier to park and back up, which is cool. It still gets the job done but 8' wood sticks out the back, which sucks.

mine has super wimpy rear springs that are tweaked... thats a real bummer. but its easy to swap over all the better big truck parts from the junkyard. it rides really nice with mushy springs and ok-ish shocks, but it sags with a load. I'm thinking going to the 'slapper style' longbed springs and adding air lift will make it a really useful little truck.

[jzjames]

I would never shortchange the longbeds (especially "bumpsides"). I've seen many super nice ones. They're really nice as 4X4's.
I think with the long-beds youve got to slick them out as nice as possible, then youve got something!
Im driving a shortbed mainly because I wanted a stepside. Nice and light, you can manage the rust, wood bed!
Coupla pictures of my favorite long bed Fords! from the galleries.

[Magnetic]

Nice trucks I like that flat bed how does the wood beds work I have been wondering about them

[SevNT2Bump]

I do understand the desire for the short bed for street performance, but for me, the ratio between the cab and front section looks out of balance with the short bed.

Are they long beds or standard beds?

[jzjames]

Nice trucks I like that flat bed how does the wood beds work I have been wondering about them

Take a look at his build thread;
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =7&t=56816

[TNIceWolf]

If I remember correctly the most rare unicorn of the trucks is the long bed flare side.......or the napco conversions
.