Nice solid looking truck. Good find. Shouldn't take more than general service, new tires and some soap and water. Congrats,enjoy
Brings back memories of my old 60 GMC fleetside shortbed.Had the 305 V6 in it..Ran amazing.I shouldnt have taken it all apart to make a Kustom out of it..I never did finish it after that.
Update: Just had my truck towed to my house! First on the list is to rebuild the carb, change the oil and do what it takes to get the engine fired up! Can't wait to get started! But first the wife is making me install a new microwave/vent hood...
Yeah, the paint on that truck is a helluva opportunity. I wish my stock paint were that nice. It's pretty good, but, not THAT good.
I agree the color is really growing on me! And I promise you all, no flat black! I'm thinking in the WAY future when it's paint time I'll go with the same color scheme using Hot Rod Flatz paint. In the meantime I'm going to buff that sucker out with a new Porter-Cable buffer I bought. I also convinced my old man to not swap beds with his '57 Chev. He said he found repop beds for pretty cheap, so yay... no bed swap!
Swap beds BETWEEN a '57 and this one? That's all kinds of wrong. They're completely different body styles...
According to Mar-K, a manufacturer of replacement sheetmetal, bed floors, and other related parts, there are quite a number of differences between the 1960-1962 bed and the 1955 (second series)-1959 bed. Edit: I tried to post a PDF document from them that details the many (sometimes subtle) differences between beds from 1954-1987, bit it wouldn't attach for some reason. Take a look at Mar-K's site if you want to read it in detail.
I think that color is killer! There ain't gonna be anyone at the show with that color, and it is an original truck in great shape. At all costs avoid swapping the bed. Find your Pop another if need be. The truck is too cool IMO to mess with.
They changed some minor interior pieces like the the angle support rods, and a few of the "ribs" have different holes for the bed bolt strips. They also changed the number of boards. However, the sheetmetal is all the same from the first second series through the last 1966 model. I don't need a PDF to know what I have sitting in my driveway. You said that the body styles aren't even the same. As far as body lines go, the beds are identical. Set a 1956, and a 1966 short stepside side by side, and very few people could tell them apart, and certainly not by their "completely different body styles".
Sweeeet truck! I'd also keep the paint like it is! And lower it a bit! But that is a nice looking truck!
Thanks again for the comments! My goal is to be driving it around town by late summer/early fall. My wife says that she'll take a few trial runs around town before she decides to truck it all the way to Vegas next year for Viva. Bad thing is she'll be preggos by then, so it's a crapshoot! haha but I'm driving it there come hell or highwater!
God that truck is fr##$ perfect!!!!! You Cali guys dont know how good you have it. That color combo is killer. Get it running, lower it, turn the key, and get ready for perma grin!!!
just picked up a 66 gmc suburban in canoga park the other day. that 351 v6 runs soo smooth. you should go on 67-72chevytrucks.com for lots of great info on these trucks. theres a 60-66 section. im "hopped up" on that site
I had one of these trucks very briefly. Yours looks awesome, I would just buff it our, lower it and cruise it. It's only original once!!!!!!!!!!!!
**Project update as of New Year's Eve 2012** So far, as of my last post in this thread, I've done the following: Rebuilt the dizzy and installed a Pertronix kit & Flamethrower coil. R&R'd the master & slave cylinders and fuel pump. Plumbed the fuel system from the fuel pump - carb and added a glass bowl fuel filter. Rebuilt the Stromberg carb (and topped it off with a Cal Custom air cleaner ) Installed a new set of plugs. Installed a fresh set of plug wires. Fixed and plumbed the MC - SC clutch line. Next on the list is to wire up the Pertronix/dizzy, flush & fill the cooling system, new rad hoses, oil change and then I can fire her up! Poor old girl hasn't run in 20 years... Looking forward to the new year and more work to come. Happy New Year's to all Hambers and may you all have a safe and fun-filled night! Pertronix kit installed. A shot of the engine...
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html Do this and you will remove the least amount of paint, and maximize the shine. It is not easy. Do you want to stand out away from the literal 'sea of flat black/red wheeled' crowd? When you go to VVL or any show of size, note how many times that theme is used. The soft earth tones like this truck has is unique. And used by the custom crowd back when because it works. Bravo on focusing on the mechanicals 1st!
Yes I don't want to do the flat black/red rim thing... guess I grew up! Cool dude thanks for the link! Will definitely be doing this right before Viva 2013, my very first car show that I'll be in!
I really like your truck. It sure looks good in front of your house. I owned a factory 4X4 '64 gmc some years ago and really liked it.
Nice looking Jimmy. I don't want to rain on your parade, But those trucks were built as work trucks. Everything about them is heavy duty. Not built to cruise. Don't know how your's is geared, but the 1960 GMC I had got about 7-8 mpg. And if you change motors to a 350, you'll have to change the front springs as those v6;s weigh a ton.
That's a great looking truck your Dad gave you. I wouldn't touch the body other then buffing it out. I know for a fact though those V-6s will drain your wallet at the gas pump. A 283 or 327 with a 4 spd would be a great combo. Im glad to hear that a flat black paint job is now out of your plans.
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