I can't drive a pickup because of leg room, if I could, I would do scroll cut-outs of silhouettes of Model A pickups in the side boards. I like individuality in small details. Some of our guy have built sturdy wood seats that pop on their front bumpers for old man B.S. sessions. I'm going to do one from a wood toilet seat, both covers down, of course!! Stained & varnished to a high lustre. Bill W.
I got the "Tiger Maple" for our truck's sideboards on eBay. It is highly figured and finished beautifully. Obviously, the fancy wood is not typical of what might have been used in the day ... but I like to think of it as a legitimate wayofo "guilding the lily."
I made mine out of white Oak both posts and sideboards.
I drilled them and put in furniture tunnel bolts ( I used brass but they make stainless ) to fasten the boards to the posts. Looks very classy and is very practicle ! I also routered the outer edges round to stop the future slivers ! Regards, Wayne