Any Fellow Pro-Tec ers on here?

[bubbatrucklover]

Just like the title says.

I am a member of several forums and have only"met" a few people who know what they are. Out of those 1 or 2 actually has seen one.

So far I haven't found anyone else with one on the net or in real life.

Having to do the research myself I have only gathered some loose information on them.(Some details are from forums dating back to 2001 discussing they're release in '02)

The cons they discussed where: Raised letters on tail gate(retro look), can't mount a camper top, only available for Chevy(not even GMC) 1500 exteneded cab short bed and $850 add on to sticker price.

The pros: 50-200 lbs lighter on overall curb weight by having one(this number varies from various sources),

"Permenant" bedliner(the box is basically the bedliner hard to explain in words) so you actually are only paying $200 ish extra for this option(at the time people could only by trucks then get a spray in at an average cost of $650)

If you got into a side impact collison that was severe enough to damage the side(s) you could get a skin,have it painted to color and in less than an hour have it swapped out. Virtually no down time without your ride.

So far the only downsides I have found are:

Can't get a factory looking(with the black bezel) locking codeable handle(without cutting up the tailgate for it),

Might not be able to Line-X it (have to contact a manufacturer for more info) it is "worn". (No biggie but, I would like to make it look new.) and because it has no inner rail a Roll 'N' Lock might be a challenge to mount.

"IF" I can do a Roll 'N' Lock I might not be able to have a below the top tool box(Dawson/Betterbuilt might have the solution though)

The pros are: Raised Letters(I've gotten compliments and people wanting to duplicate it) I find it funny people didn't initially like it.

I can make the top rail and sides look "new(ish)" with high shine Armor-All or Mcguires.(OBVIOUSLY I can't do the floor or my head would be )

I was able to remove the sides and mount my truck box with carriage bolts.

I CAN find replacment skins (form LMC only so far) in either fleetside or sport/stepside (I like the looks of OBS step sides better but. it is an option)

Prior to modifying it you could remove the tailgate in under 20 seconds(NOT a plus for me and I don't know if that can be done with a regular bed) although the gates can only be used with the Pro-tec box I don't trust that a thief won't steal it "just because".(PLUS I can't find a replacement "if need be")

So far a some other random info I found was only 1 out of ? dealers would carry one on a lot in one area or special order only. GM spent around $64 million to ad on to the Fort Wayne plant for this. Saturn had this in some models doors.(I did ear someone say maybe Avalanche too)

Only 5,000 were ordered out of the "expected" 50,000 for the first year(GM hasn't said how many sold "new" for that year) it was only offere in '02 and '03 and scrapped.

So if any of you have one or knows someone feel free to add some pros or cons you have with them.

 

[Zembonez]

Plastic truck beds FTL.

GM had to give away the trucks they produced with them. Toyota has plastic beds in their Tacoma but nobody uses them as a truck anyway. Tacoma is a fashionable car to most buyers. Not knocking the Tacoma though. It's a good product.

 

[Draenor]

Pro-Tec

 

[daddy]

Here is an example of a Pro-Tec bed for anyone who is unfamiliar.

 

[Zembonez]

Nice Camaro!

 

[Draenor]

Thanks Daddy...

I never knew GM made these. I knew the trucks with the DRW had fiberglass sides.


If I wanted anything plastic for weight reduction(engineering standpoint), the front fenders and hood would of been a better choice. I need the weight on the back.

 

[Zembonez]

I really doubt weight was GM's point here. I think they were floating a trial balloon to see how people liked the product. Molding up truck beds was probably a lot cheaper to produce. Most things they "try" like that are actually about the money. That was a product of them forever creating the perfect plastic car. Saturns, Firebird fenders, and Dustbuster Vans were all plastic panels. Yeah... I know they didn't CALL it plastic.

I'm not offering up judgment on it but I think John's point was a good one. Less weight needs to be up front.

 

[ScottyBoy]

I remember hearing people talking about this option a lot shortly after the new body style came out in 99. My boss at the time was talking about getting an 01 3500 dually with composite bed, but they weren't making them yet. I never heard anything since so as far as I knew this option never made it to production. Now I know it did. Every time someone mentions having a composite bed, I assumed they were talking about the stepside bed.

 

[Zembonez]

Hey Motorhead. You own one? How is it?

 

[ScottyBoy]

I really doubt weight was GM's point here. I think they were floating a trial balloon to see how people liked the product. Molding up truck beds was probably a lot cheaper to produce. Most things they "try" like that are actually about the money. That was a product of them forever creating the perfect plastic car. Saturns, Firebird fenders, and Dustbuster Vans were all plastic panels. Yeah... I know they didn't CALL it plastic.

I'm not offering up judgment on it but I think John's point was a good one. Less weight needs to be up front.

Yeah, Jim, I remeber my lil brother had an 89 or 90 Caddillac DeVille and it had plastic front fenders. He had a blowout on the highway going about 70mph. That fender was cracked to tiny peices from the tire tread thrashing around. It looked like potato chips scatted all over the highway. (even more so since it was white)