In the April, 2008 Issue of 4WOR, one vehicle caught my eye over all others. No, it wasn't the latest car-like truck out of Detroit. No, it wasn't the latest project the staff had been working on. It wasn't even one of the often-times very impressive rides of "Readers Rides". No, the one truck that stood out above all others was a mid-90's Dodge Ram Step-side stuck in a mudhole in Whoops. If you didn't catch that, I'll repeat it again, A MID-90's DODGE RAM STEP-SIDE. I know that Dodge hasn't built a step side pickup in over 20 years. I am curious as to what's the deal with this truck. Was is some kind of Dodge Ram prototype that never was? (I doubt that!) Or was it some very creative bodywork. Or do I need to have my eyes checked. Anyone have any input on the matter?  

i just looked at the pic and it is a stepside box...now weather or not he made it w/dually fenders and narrowed the box, he could have otherwise he probably got it from a diff country like mexico or brazil cause they get diff design of our trucks like the 90s chevy w/gmc grille w/ the bowtie in the center. and to my knowledge dodge didnt make a stepside for the states except for the little red wagon.  

I have seen some 60s and 70s Dodge pickups with stepside beds- but they are not very common. The Little Red Wagon was the most popular Dodge stepside, bu there were others.

Here are a few links:

http://www.alpinemotorswyoming.com/car/1971_Dodge_Power_Wagon_Stepside.html

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2194405

http://www.monteshelton.com/images/59dodge/1959_dodge_d100_step_side_picku.htm


Here's a very impressive custom rig from sister mag, Diesel Power Magazine:

http://www.monteshelton.com/images/59dodge/1959_dodge_d100_step_side_picku.htm  

right...but ive never seen a stepside on the mid to late 90s models, older yes.  

I just looked again at the photo here on the site. I am 99 percent sure that it is a Chevy stepside bed with Dodge Dually fenders on it. Good job to whoever did it. It looks awesome! Shame Dodge didn't do it- it looks good with their bodylines.  

People dont understand how easy it is to put any ford or chevy box onto a dodge or vice versa, it is also fairly easy to install a stepside bed from one of dodges late models such as the the little red EXPRESS, not wagon as some people who like to pretend to know what they are talking about may say, or the Warlock, which came standard lifted with oversize offroad tires.  I own a 1993 dodge ram with a 1977 warlock stepside bed, all work done myself. I have also seen a 1996 dodge at an offroad challenge with a ford stepside bed.  As for cutting down the bed on a dually it just seems to make shift an illogical.  The mexican truck story is also a joke, their has not been a dodge stepside anywhere in the world since the seventies  

well you cleared up the dodge part of the "joke"...no step sides for dodge anywhere in the world since the '70s,thats fine,but its no joke about the chevies and gmc grille w/bowtie,ive seen plenty of them livin in san diego 10+ yrs ago w/all the mexicans coming over the border to shop...and my bad about the little red wagon, i know its little red express got them mixxed up,my bad and no need to be an assss!.  

Go down to laredo they-r a dime a dozen.HO MADE.chevy stepside dodge body,yea it does look factory and cool!the ones ive seen on the carlots were using the stock chevy beds,didnt see no dually fenders though,just because some havent seen it,doesnt mean it doesnt exist.  

I have seen one before on the highway. It was a 2wd standard cab stepside. But it was a southern comfort custom. I don't think I have the picture, but there are more out there. Why not ask the guy who owns the truck?  

http://kenskarsfl.com/images/upload/1355I-1.JPG?1210936669  

www.kenskarsfl.com/images/upload/1355I-1.JPG?1210936669  

If you also notice, the bed uses standard Dodge tail lights. If this is a Chevy box, it seems like it would be harder to incorporate them into this bed where the narrower and longer Chevy tail lights were (but not impossible). Another interesting thing I noticed about the truck is the "fender-extenders"     that come all the way out to the door. I have never seen that before either.

Not to toot my own horn, but I was very pleased and honored (and surprised!) to see 4 Wheel and Off Road use this topic in the "In Box" for the Sept 2008 issue. Thanks 4WOR for your reply!  

PS: I am a sucker for older, unique or customized trucks. Anyone can go buy a new Z-71 or Jeep Wrangler off the showroom floor and put in into the woods, but it take patience and good-ole fashion know-how to take an older truck and turn it into an amazing machine. And it takes a miracle to find a classic ride that isn't a complete basket-case or a rust-bucket. My ultimate goal is to own an older (60's or 70's) four door 4x4 and restore it. Four door and extended cab trucks are commonplace now, but not then. They were typically government issued or occasionally special ordered by construction companies or utility companies. And now they are even more rare. The best one I ever saw was a 60's model Dodge four door 4x4 stepside that looked almost pristine with its faded, original paint and otherwise clean body.

My favorite "Readers Ride" of all time is titled "Red Scott" in the May 2008 issue. A 1959 Chevy Apache on a 99 half ton frame, solid front axle, chrome Ford mirrors, digital dash, and a 90's Chevy stepside box that blends in so well that if you didn't know better, you'd swear it was factory. It is shiny and chromed just enough to look good without looking gaudy. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something.. um- red. This marriage works for me!