Re: NAPCO Thread
 

Here's my 57 3/4 ton NAPCO, we had it for about 6 years. sold it a few months back.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7...D720/ry%3D480/

you can see it in action here...

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That`s a beautiful Chevy.i`m sorry to hear you sold it.Did you have that on the Napco website?I think I`ve seen it there,unless there`s one about identical.

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Yes, same truck. It went to a NAPCO collector. My whole family got to enjoy it for years, it was a pleasure to own.....a very rare NAPCO truck

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Just came across a 58 chevy one ton napco truck thisevening . Gonna go look at it in the barn this week , hopefully tomorow.

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Sounds good.I hope it works out.

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Another rare brochure...

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Cab over...and a 65' K30

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Thanks Bruce,now I`m really sick over these things.

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One of those cabover 4x4s would be a rare conversation piece.

Two questions: did the napcos ever come with a v8? if yes what year did they start?

And secondly: Where are the rivets that tell if its a line built or factory built truck? (my 1957 in question)


NOT MY TRUCk


NOT MY TRUCk. just found it on youtube and it looked cool.

Re: NAPCO Thread
 

Walt
I am far from expert on Napco's but my understanding is that the support plates on the crossmember were the transfer case was/is mounted would have been riveted to the crossmember. The transfer case shifter bracket would have been riveted to the frame as well. The rivets would indicate it was a factory build verses an "upfit" done at the dealer.

V-8's were avalible on the upfits as the buyer would order the motor and trans he wanted in a 2wd truck and then they dealer would install the Napco gear once the truck came in.

I think the GMC's were first "factory" builds with Chevy building them at the factory the following year. V-8's were an option from the factory.

The guy I am working with to assist me with my build is Omar Lugo at lugoparts.com

He just hooked me up with the correct transfer case linkage so I can mount up my shifter bracket.

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A fully restored stock NAPCO blows away any hacked up modified truck with cheesy imitation imported parts made in China....

just my 2 cents. :flag:

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That is interesting, my impression was all NAPCO conversions were a dealer installation only. The customer ordered his 2wd truck and had the dealer upfit it to 4wd with the NAPCO kit. That is why to my understanding NAPCO 4wd trucks do not have K letter vin numbers, they all started out as 2wd trucks. See if you can find more information about this issue, it is the first I've ever heard of it.

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They were conversions.But,in`57 GM started offering them as factory trucks as well.I forget what year GM started making non-Napco 4wds.(Dana front axles).I had a`71 C/30 SRW Napco 4wd.

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OK, but the cabs were not K coded on the vin I guess. 1960 was the first Dana 44 closed knuckle drum brake front end on a factory 4x4 (1/2 and 3/4 ton). Napco built the one ton and above trucks from 1960 until I don't know when. Late 70's maybe?

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Justcuz
Check posts 4 & 5 in this thred for more information and links to even more information. I am not sure about the vin's or the K codes. There was something about the gvw on factory Napco's being higher than "upfitted" trucks??? Not sure on the gvw numbers.

Mine was just a plain ol 1/2 ton, long bed 56, 2wd. I found a complete set of Napco running gear and thought it would be cool to have an ol skool 4wd, something different than slapping late model axles under her.

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Yes,the Napcos were C-series converted.I`m not sure if GM started calling the factory Napcos Ks or not.

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It will be cool, thats for sure! Are those an old set of Warn hubs? I bet those are 50 years old. Factory posi traction was available in those axles from 60 to 64 but they are rare. They are a 9.375 ring gear with no carrier breaks. Maximum tire size recommended is 31/32 inches. When you start the conversion you need to start a build thread...with pictures so we can all share your pride in the job.

I'm still working on the guy for the 58 fleetside.

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OMG!



Sexy as hell!

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Hmmm...not exactly what I`d want a nice restored Napco for.All I could think watching that first one on that lot was,"Nice way to wreck a sweet truck".

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Here is a new truck that I found yesterday. It is a 1956 gmc 150. It is a factory napco conversion, the first year you could get an assembly line 4wd from GM. It is a deluxe cab with chrome bumpers and hubcaps. I think it would have been an expensive truck when it was new. It even has 19.5 rims, the only ones I have ever seen. What do you all think?
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...eepman/050.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...eepman/051.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...eepman/060.jpg

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sure they arent 17.5? thats 6 lug correct?

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I don't think I made a mistake. I looked at one of the tires today. It is a Firestone 8-19.5.
They are 8 lug. It is a 3/4 ton truck.

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Okay, i thought she was a 6 lugger :lol:


Dad has a set of those on a 57 3/4, really neat wheels :metal:

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NAPCO reached an agreement with both GMC and Chevrolet to supply them with the Powr-Pak conversion kits, and GMC began to produce 4x4 trucks on the factory assembly line (using NAPCO components) starting in 1956, with Chevrolet following suite in 1957. By the end of 1957 both GMC and Chevrolet trucks could be ordered from the factory with the NAPCO Powr-Pak conversion. The first 'All GM' factory 4x4's were introduced in 1960 when both Chevrolet and GMC went to a totally new chassis. NAPCO and its Powr-Pak conversion were left out of the equation due to the introduction of GM's completely redesigned truck line featuring independent front suspension on the two wheel drive trucks and a 4-wheel drive specific chassis on the 4-wheel drive trucks.

Re: NAPCO Thread
 

thirdstreettito
I had not seen that video but I had heard about it. I saw that truck at last summers "Brother's" truck show south of Los Angeles. The truck was over the top in detail. Incredible work on the body and suspension as well. The guy appearantly likes to build trucks and then goes out and drives the wheels off of them (snaping axles is not a big deal to him??) he uses the bigger 3/4 ton axles so that he can get the "posi" unit inside it.

I am not sure who he is or what he does but I liked his work !!!!

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57napco
If that was your truck in the Pikes Peak video, I am way jealous. I was going to install late model running gear in my 56 until I saw that video.... then I had to watch it about a dozen times. I have been to the top of Pikes Peak (the easy way) and that was pretty cool the way they did it back then... your truck is/was a cool piece of history. :metal:
thanks

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That video is amazing, I love watching it, those trucks were pretty darn rugged.

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75GMC454,

That's a nice 56, a keeper for sure.

Bob

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just needs a little air in the tires and shes good to go:lol:

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Yeah,afterall,it`s got hubcaps.

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I know it is ugly, and it needs alot more than air in the tires. I am going to start on it very quickly. I am going to have the cab stripped and edp coated. I have already found some excellent doors off of an old gmc fire truck. I have also found a bed for it. I am going to have the grille and bumper and all chrome pieces stripped and rechromed.

SpecialK mentioned the hubcaps, I don't know how they survived on the truck. I figure that chrome 3/4 ton hubcaps would be hard to find. Should I have these rechromed or does anyone have some they don't need?:)

Is there any way to tell if this truck had a bed or was just a cab and chassis from the factory? Either way it is getting a proper truck bed.

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I can`t knock that truck.You are right,it was a fine example (still is) rom the factory.I fliped to find the highly optioned`72 K/20s I had.This is the vintage equivelent...only way cooooler.I commented on the caps because it speaks for it`s care while in service.It may have sat and declined some,it`s very restorable.About the bed...not sure to be honest.I`d imagine it was a pickup.That`s just me.I kinda doubt it would be a fancy truck as a cab`n`chassis.I`ve been wrong before.I see this truck as the same one shown in that video.

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Nice thing about the old GMC's is the V8 was a Pontiac engine. Can you say 389,421 or 455? Now that would be a torque monster tow machine!

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Great start!

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Going for a NAPCO look on my 49 sitting on a 2000 ZR2

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Very cool truck 49ZR2! Do you have a thread about the build?

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A few Pictures of my 58 3/4 ton project

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Heres my '56 3/4ton. It was a county/township plow truck in Michigan's U.P. The 235 runs like a champ still. Currently in hibernation in northern Minnesota, still gets used time to time around the cabin in summer. Had 15" 8 lug tube type split rims when I bought it. I'm thinking the Napco setup was swapped from an older truck into this one since the front axle pumpkin is on the drivers side and not the passenger side. Maybe the county or township saved a few bucks buying a 2wd and had the part swapped over from their old truck.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5b&oe=58EE2D23
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ad&oe=58DFC010

Re: NAPCO Thread
 

Here is a NAPCO my dad restored back in the early 80's. He had alot of machine work done to the transfer case and axles to run non-caged bearings. The picture on the ball field is Odgen Utah in 1983, it was the Chevy/GMC truck nationals. We drove from California and back to the show all the way. Other pictures are at Magic Mountain in Valencia California, 1984. The one with the stand and the chopped car next to it was in Oakhurst California in 1985. The truck was all original appearing. Except under the hood was a 327 tunnel ram with two 465cfm Holleys, m-22 4-speed transmission (car) with the stock transfer case and axles with 3.90 gears. It had 33" tires on it then. It got traded off, I heard it went to Iowa somewhere........anyone seen it?