SO...
Local yard comes through again. For $200 I scored the front panel, sides and fenders. plus the hood (either for my 58 or to recoup the 200). As I said I felt the bed was a bit to big proportionally so we've cut 4" out of the side, 4" chop out of the fender and about a 2 1/2" channel as well.
Of course that meant the step got quartered, chopped and channeled as well.
Here's a couple shots shhowing the size difference in the steps now.



And here's one showing the trial fit using the original mounting flange in the new 8 3/4" wide fender

Rose sandblasted the flange and half the chopped side today and I'm going to epoxy primer it for protection and then panel bond it in place for a cleaner finish. I'll be able to reuse some of the original holes and then drill the rest as needed.
So far most of the holes I need for mounting the step to the fender and to the side are all fitting and they tie the whole thing together well. So a real functional step is on it's way.

In the back I'm leaning hard towards a swing out door cut into the back, corner and side of the fender with a storage space or something built in there It would stiffen up the fender structurally and provide a cleaner inner fender well as far as mud and dirt.
I may get that started tomorrow...

 

Well we got her finished finally. Have a few odds and ends to tidy up still but it's on the road.
It's needs a set of rear rims with an 1.75 in back spacing to move the rims out from under the edge of the bed and I haven't found them yet so have blocked the springs in the mean time. Gas gauge doesn't work either... but at least when the alt/H2O pump belt broke yesterday the temp gauge showed it actually works past the edge of the bottom mark.
First time I've been happy about a broken fan belt. Happy to not have to check under the dash that is.
Still need to take photo's of it completed but it's either been raining or the bed was full of scrap metal for the recyclers. Now today it's beautiful out but the truck is off to work with the wife so maybe this evening if I'm lucky...

 

Headed out to work...
still needs the 'proper' wheels out but it drives....

 

The other side...