Bought C3500 basket case
 

I'm from the Heavy Haulers area('67 C50).

I recently bought a total basket case kinda running 1 ton C3500 truck. Has the 402ci, sm465, and can't figure out if it has an H052 or H072. I don't think I got a good deal but it is what it is(found lots of things once home). I bought this truck to work, not be restored pretty.

Cab is absolutely done, rusted to hell.

Was told truck came with flatbed, they took it off long ago. Many years later last owner found chevy longbed, cut my trucks frame, moved leaf springs, deleted Aux springs, and dropped the longbed on.

I'm kinda pissed that I somehow missed the suspension deletions, but that's my fault. Most of the parts are gone. I'd like to add them back but have no visuals on what the original setup looks like.

The GVWR on the plate says 9000 but I'm sure it ain't that anymore.

Any idea on if I can add aux springs back to a shortened frame? not sure how much was cut, probably 3-5"

Sorry the pics suck, I'll get better ones later.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

That's a pretty good start.

Here's a Thread about the H052/72.

Lots of info in this thread about parts and identification
Link: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=536119











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Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I've seen worse cabs, mine for example. I think first of all you need to see if the shortening was done well or not. If it were mine I'd look for a donor vehicle afterwards, you will have the benefit of sussing out how you want to add suspension parts.

I think its a nice truck, I don't think you did badly on it IMO.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Thank you guys for the input. I am mostly happy and need to attack the power brakes, get some new spring bolts, and figure out the old electricals. Then it should be mostly roadworthy.



What does it mean if the brake pedal goes down and feels solid and stops the truck, but then the pedal doesn't come back up? There is a small spring I can see under the dash, seems fine.
Is this a booster issue?

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Most likely explanation is you have a leak somewhere in the brake system. Replacing the master cylinder is a good idea in general, but especially if you don't have a lot of confidence in the previous owner's care of the truck.

You could also just bleed the lines and see if the problem goes away, first.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I guess living in California your idea of rust is different than here in NY . I've seen much worse and fixed much worse . Like been said make sure the fram is safe and if it were mine I would go threw the entire brake system . I may be on the extreme but I change all the wheel cylinders on drums and all rubber lines.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Just occurred to me that if they messed with the frame, then they messed with the brake lines, I would start there.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Wow this completely escaped me as well, great point. Let me see what I can do.


Apparently the front rubber brake lines for these trucks are no available. Ten years of threads with people trying to find them and not a lot of for sure answers.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Is the SPID label still on the glove box lid? Just wonder if it started as a 133" or 157" wheel base. If it started as a 133" I would not see a need to both cut the frame and move spring hangers....Im betting they moved the spring hangers and bobbed the rear of frame. Its to bad they didnt hold out for a Longhorn bed.

I just bought a 70 C/30 that still has the factory flatbed. It seems they usually get changed out to something else after a few different owners.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

If it's the rear that came under that truck then it is certainly and HO72. All C30/C3500s came with HO72s. While some HO52s may have come with the tension adjustment, the baking plates-out would be the difference

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

SPID shows it to be 133, I am not sure exactly how much he cut or why. He simply says it wasnt much......and that he moved the springs. What do you mean bobbed?

I roughly measured the brakes and they appear to be 13"

Do you have to remove the axles and hubs to see the brakes, like on a medium duty?

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Bobbed is a term used for shortening the tail end. He would have taken 6" off plus or minus. The axle would have been moved forward that much to give the 127" wheelbase needed to mount the bed

Yes, you pull the axle shafts to remove the drums. Full-floating rear. The drums are mounted on spindles like on front.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Looks like a neat truck with an interesting, if checkered, past. Seems like your plans for it are reasonable and only really require that you get the brakes sorted and check the rear spring installation. You can get heavier duty springs or helper bags and probably get all the capacity you need out of it. Maybe do a build thread?

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I can't read the model# on the SPID. Can't read the VIN either but that's a good thing. I can't tell if it's a '71 or '72. What it the digit after CE3, 4th digit? If it's a '72 then CCE3, 5th digit. That tells us if the truck was a cab & chassis (3) or a pickup (4). If it is a 4 then we need the model# to know if it was a Wideside or a Fenderside

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Tim I'll post a new pic in the morning, I'm sorry to make you struggle, that pic is almost useless.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

My eyes make me struggle a lot :lol:. I'm getting used to it. No worries and no struggling here. I just thought of that detail we do not know yet. You sparked my curiousity

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

special-K the doors look like it's a 72.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Its a '72

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I missed that door interior picture when I posted. Thanks for pointing that out. So the VIN has a "T" added to indicate GMC, Chevy got a "C". By the numbers the truck began life as a Fenderside. I bet the box was in bad shape and the reason for the alteration to accept the standard longbed. The 133" WB trucks got a 9' bed. Bedsides and steps are hard to find

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

G60 for leaf springs:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1345594906

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Thank you dave.

What's odd here is the supposed backstory of the truck.

The truck was bought new by a guy. That guy used it on some huge farm here in CA that they owned. Guy passes truck down to his son. Son sells it to longtime best friend #1. Friend #1 sells it to much later-in-life friend #2.

I buy it from Friend #2.

All stories are from friend #2, who said the truck came from the factory with a flatbed. The farm family decided they could use the flatbed for storage racks better than on the truck and therefore remove original flatbed from truck.
Friend#2 locates the bed currently on the truck and alters the truck accordingly to install this bed.



There is almost no way I can verify any of this to be true other than it is a CA truck and didn't have this bed. From all the grind marks I'd also say all the fram mods are for sure, but I haven't actually measured the wheelbase.


Thanks for the info on what this truck actually was. A bit of a surprise though. I really didn't like these trucks as fendersides. Not a good look.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I looked a little further and found specific 70/71 GMC VIN breakdown that says the 42 after TCE3 denotes model and 42 is chassis only, not cab & chassis. Those have 03 in the VIN. I am assuming '72 use the same system but could be wrong. I wish I could find a breakdown specific to '72 trucks

http://outintheshop.com/images/static/70_71GMC.JPG

That's the VIN. He only has one model# chart for all 67-72s and says the same system was used throughout. I don't get where your model# fits in after the CE3, the 6004. I went with the 04 for body. By that chart your model# should be CE31009, for a factory flatbed

http://outintheshop.com/images/static/model_decode.GIF

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I find that confusing. Why would you need a Vin at all for a chassis?

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

jumpsoffrock

This thread reminds me of;

Link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...sions+of+frame








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Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Many guys dont like the long stepside or fenderside trucks. There is a small cult like following out there that loves them, and the 1 ton 9 footer is the Holly Grail of these trucks.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Longsteps Forever!

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I prefer longsteppers mine is 8 ft

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

That's a great lookin truck, Mark.


Whats funny is I daily drive a stock I6, 1956 Ford F100 with the only bed available in those days(fenderside style). I absolutey fell in love with the 1956 F350 "Express bed", which was a 1 ton optional truck where it too came with a 9' bed. Kinda rare, typically in poor shape.

Nonetheless I am used to "fendersides"....my daily driver is one. I don't hate them, but prefer "fleetside" for usable worktruck status.

I also have a bone to pick with wood bed trucks, drives me nuts having to be careful. I'm really happy my new 8½" foot bed is old beat up steel bottom. Gonna use this truck till it bleeds
:waah: :lol:

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

We got a little side tracked on the beds. I wish someone who knows more about breaking down the model# out of the VIN and/or knows what's up with this truck's model # could shed some light. If what I found is correct, then this wasn't a pickup at all to begin with. It wasn't a cab and chassis either. It shows as a frame-only order, which would have had a commercial body built on it. It's confusing because obviously this truck came with a cab, since we are going by the VIN on the SPID on the glovebox door of the cab

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

based on what I found on this forum (link below) the 1972 decoder was a little different than 71. judging by the doors with the screw hole at the wing window I am pinning this as a 1972.

looks to me like its: TCE342Z5......

T: GMC
C: 2WD
E:V-8
3:1-Ton
4:Pickup
2:1972
Z: Freemont

I read that as a single rear wheel 133" wheelbase pickup. That doesn't mean the dealer didn't do any mods.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=570059

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...6&d=1362971883


If I had to guess I would say it was a fleetside truck that had a 6" extension at the front like the ones in the linked thread below:

(here is one posted by jessemasterblaster in 2011:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1294631286
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=439761

Either way, very cool truck. I just recently picked up a 1-ton my self, in the 157" variety.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Great, thanks for that link. That model# makes sense now, too. You are correct in what the truck started as. The 6004 in the model# stands for 60 = 133" and 04 = Wideside. The previous owner altered the truck to fit the much easier to locate bed for a 127" truck when it needed a replacement. You have a rare truck, something people will tell you doesn't exist. It's what GM did beginning with 1973, 1/2, 3/4, and 1t pickups all using same wheelbase... and bed. Your truck is ahead of it's time! :cool:

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

I really like this truck and I haven't even driven it more than 400'. My problem is seeing how many of these trucks don't have nearly the amount of rust I have. I guess it could be worse...

Thanks you guys for all the homework decoding my old beater rustbucket.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

If it makes you feel better, mine has far more . . . .

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Just posting a few updated pics for fun.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

couple more.

Gonna rebuild this Qjet and slap it on. Get rid of the Edelbrock

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

You got my Vote:metal:

A Good Quadra-jet is hard to beat.:ito:


Let me open the can of Worms for you:lol:





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Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

Looks good along that road. How many feet have you driven it now?

I'll avoid a debate by saying "GM designed and built one of the best running and reliable trucks in 67-72. Treat them right and they will treat you right" :cool:

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

That's not a Chevy carb (Chevy inlet points left, not the front), but that isn't really important, in the long run. Get one of the Q-Jet rebuilding books. They are a great help in guiding a person through the process. I sure don't regret buying mine.

Re: Bought C3500 basket case
 

That's a Buick-Olds-Pontiac (maybe Cadillac) Q-jet with the fuel line straight out the front. I would look for a Chevrolet version (fuel line enters from passenger side) so you can run all steel replacement fuel lines.