Whats the Difference?

[JackalopeCheyenne]

Bedsides...

Having a shortbed 73 K10, the left side bed panel is requiring new. It is rusted and seperated at the wheel well and has a hole for an aftermarket auxiliary tank. I would like dual tanks, but have both sides match instad of one side looking like a hack job. The thing I am finding is one for a 73 with a fuel hole one the left side is hard to find.

I did find a set of both sides on LMC for $899 without stake holes (not a big deal to me whether they have them or not) but it says they're for 1976-80 trucks. Perusing through the forum, I found out about AMD and they have them for 73-76 at $599 each side which is fine, but the LMC sounds like a better deal if I am able to use use them.

So whats the difference? With the LMC one starting at 76 and the AMD one ending at 76, my guess would be no difference, but still have that little inkling there may be something.

Thanks.

 

[dvdswan]

I think the fuel filler was at different heights.

 

[Termite_Delight]

Earlier bedsides have a round fuel hole, later sides have a square fuel door.

 

[Swims350]

Earlier bedsides have a round fuel hole, later sides have a square fuel door.

^^^^^^^ that's the answer only thing I can think of as well round hole vs. square with a big door.

 

[75gmck25]

In the early trucks with a fuel filler hole in the bed side the main tank was on the passenger side, so all passenger side bed panels would have the fuel filler hole. The driver's side panel would have the same hole if the aux tank was a factory option, and it was also common to find dealer-added tanks where they cut a hole for the new filler.

My '75 had a dealer-added tank, and it also had a three port fuel pump with a fuel return line. However, the dealer-added tank only had a 3 port valve (switches only the fuel feed to the engine), so it could not switch the fuel return between tanks (that would require a six port valve). They left the fuel return connected to the main tank, so if I drew off the aux tank it would return excess fuel to the main tank. Very confusing when I first got the truck.

Bruce

 

[bucket]

The square fuel door started in '79.

I haven't shopped for them in a while, but listings used to be very specific. They simply said "round fuel hole", "square fuel hole" or "no fuel hole".

The tailgate latch hardware was a little different starting around '76-ish, maybe that's what the difference is in the listings.

 

[dvdswan]

I guess I'm thinking stepsides...

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[78C10BigTen]

I guess I'm thinking stepsides...

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Some good lookin round eye steppers!

 

[dvdswan]

Some good lookin round eye steppers!

I wish I had them all.

 

[JackalopeCheyenne]

In the early trucks with a fuel filler hole in the bed side the main tank was on the passenger side, so all passenger side bed panels would have the fuel filler hole. The driver's side panel would have the same hole if the aux tank was a factory option, and it was also common to find dealer-added tanks where they cut a hole for the new filler.

My '75 had a dealer-added tank, and it also had a three port fuel pump with a fuel return line. However, the dealer-added tank only had a 3 port valve (switches only the fuel feed to the engine), so it could not switch the fuel return between tanks (that would require a six port valve). They left the fuel return connected to the main tank, so if I drew off the aux tank it would return excess fuel to the main tank. Very confusing when I first got the truck.

Bruce

Yeah, I see what you mean. I have time to research, but I seen somewhere on this fan-dangled internet, that Chevy made less than 45,000 (if my memory serves me) 2wd fleetside shortbeds, so I gather that there may have been less 4wd models. Aside from that, I never really seen a picture or anything of a factory, dual tank 73 shortbed truck. Longbed, yes, shortbed, no. Do I need one, maybe not, but it'll be cool in my eyes.

 

[JackalopeCheyenne]

Figured it out...I think...It's the tailgate. Looking at AMD site, 73 to 76 have a "wedge" on the tailgate that goes into a "wedge hole" on the bedsides. Sometime in 76, the wedges were removed and the wedge holes were omitted. So really, in theory, I should be able to use the 76 style, just need a 76 tailgate, vice the 73. Not sure if there's a difference in the height of the the fuel holes, but that may be a factor as well. I tried finding dimensions but was unsuccessful.