Special order?

[RotaryRocketeer]

Just wondering if anyone here has any insight on what you could and couldn't special order when our trucks were new. I have a truck that VINs as a 3/4 ton and has 3/4 ton badges, but it has a one ton rear end. Checked the spec sheet in the glove box, and it seems it isn't original to the truck. It isn't a cab and chassis truck either. Just a good ol' single cab 3/4 ton with DRW and a nice old flatbed. Truck is the one in my profile pic and there are more photos in my Welcome Area thread. I don't really care either way, as I won't be putting a one ton to the test anyhow. The heaviest thing I'll ever haul is a tandem axle tilt back open car hauler + vehicle. Thanks in advance!

[Dead Parrot]

A former co-worker had a 75 3/4 ton that he ordered with a 1 ton rear end, 454, 4 sp manual. It was also a half crew cab. (Don't know the proper term. The back seats were more sideways jump seats.) He set it up as a 5th wheel and used it for years to tow their travel trailer. His twin kids rode in the jump seats. He sold it when the twins outgrew the jump seats.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by RotaryRocketeer

Just wondering if anyone here has any insight on what you could and couldn't special order when our trucks were new. I have a truck that VINs as a 3/4 ton and has 3/4 ton badges, but it has a one ton rear end. Checked the spec sheet in the glove box, and it seems it isn't original to the truck. It isn't a cab and chassis truck either. Just a good ol' single cab 3/4 ton with DRW and a nice old flatbed. Truck is the one in my profile pic and there are more photos in my Welcome Area thread. I don't really care either way, as I won't be putting a one ton to the test anyhow. The heaviest thing I'll ever haul is a tandem axle tilt back open car hauler + vehicle. Thanks in advance!

You could not order a 3/4 ton with dual rear wheels, if that is what you are asking.

K

[Tash4]

Keith is right no duels on 3/4. He would know . rear has been swapped would be my guess.

[RotaryRocketeer]

Originally Posted by Dead Parrot

A former co-worker had a 75 3/4 ton that he ordered with a 1 ton rear end, 454, 4 sp manual. It was also a half crew cab. (Don't know the proper term. The back seats were more sideways jump seats.) He set it up as a 5th wheel and used it for years to tow their travel trailer. His twin kids rode in the jump seats. He sold it when the twins outgrew the jump seats.

Interesting. I know it's a stretch, but did he have the spec sheet in the glove box listing the options the truck came with? All my searching turned up a bunch of literature that listed R05 option (Dual rear wheels) as being only for the one ton, but who knows what they would special order for the right amount of money?

[RotaryRocketeer]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

You could not order a 3/4 ton with dual rear wheels, if that is what you are asking.

K

That's what I'm asking. Good to know. The only real qualm I have with it, is that the seller marketed it to me as a one ton. Figured it just got the C25 badges at some point because the originals were lost and that's what was available.

Originally Posted by Tash4

Keith is right no duels on 3/4. He would know . rear has been swapped would be my guess.

Fair enough. If it's not factory, they did a pretty slick job swapping it in. No complaints about the quality of work at all. No love lost on my part. I just wanted a square dually because I think they're super trick lookin', and this one is definitely that!

[GM72K10]

Serial number will tell you what it REALLY is if it has the original cab. So if the vin says its a 3/4 ton, that's what it is OR some one swapped a cab from a 3/4 ton on to a 1 ton Chassis. Wouldn't be the first time.

[Dead Parrot]

Originally Posted by RotaryRocketeer

Interesting. I know it's a stretch, but did he have the spec sheet in the glove box listing the options the truck came with? All my searching turned up a bunch of literature that listed R05 option (Dual rear wheels) as being only for the one ton, but who knows what they would special order for the right amount of money?

It was a single wheel axle. What parts of that truck were factory options vs dealer installed options, I don't know. He sold it in the mid 90's to another friend of mine who parked it for several years before selling it.

[RotaryRocketeer]

Originally Posted by GM72K10

Serial number will tell you what it REALLY is if it has the original cab. So if the vin says its a 3/4 ton, that's what it is OR some one swapped a cab from a 3/4 ton on to a 1 ton Chassis. Wouldn't be the first time.

Yea, that's a very real possibility. I guess there's not much to swapping a cab.

Originally Posted by Dead Parrot

It was a single wheel axle. What parts of that truck were factory options vs dealer installed options, I don't know. He sold it in the mid 90's to another friend of mine who parked it for several years before selling it.

I see what you're saying. Got excited and took "one ton rear end" to mean DRW. My mistake. OKC though, huh? You may see me and the old truck hauling some toys around.

[Keith Seymore]

Depending on how desperate you are to find out how your truck was really built:

The GM Heritage Center archive has records back to 1977 for Chevy and GMC full size trucks.

http://www.gmmediaarchive.com/?page=1

That service costs $50, but will return to you the actual invoice with RPO content and pricing for your specific truck, per the VIN.

If your vehicle was built in Canada, or built in the US for Canadian use, then GM of Canada would have what you are looking for.

They can be reached at http://www.vintagevehicleservices.com/options.html

Originally Posted by RotaryRocketeer

... but who knows what they would special order for the right amount of money?

I do, and the the answer is "whatever has already been previously built and validated".

GM will not build onsie-twosie combinations without already knowing that they can go down the line without causing problems and without knowing that combination will meet the life expectancy of the vehicle without causing legal repercussions or regulatory issues. That development/validation cost would run multiple millions of dollars, which is (normally) prohibitive for an individual or a single vehicle. It would not be a good business case to build two or three dev/val engineering vehicles in order to sell one or two saleable production vehicles in that configuration.*

You can also tell (sometimes) by the assembly information. For example, if you told me your vehicle was built in Flint then I could tell you that the rear axle was not factory because Flint Assembly could not accommodate the build of dual rear wheel vehicles through their process.


K

*although I do recall that one model year we built a quantity of "one" production vehicle of a particular V6 combination - and it was the EPA test certification vehicle.

[RotaryRocketeer]

Heritage Center Archive won't do me much good. This truck is a '76 model. I do appreciate the information though. Checked the number on the frame last night, and looks like the cab and frame match up. So it must be a rear end swap, and not a cab swap onto a one ton frame.

In regards to where it was built, the truck was put together in Janesville, WI.

[aharper33]

I do, and the the answer is "whatever has already been previously built and validated".

GM will not build onsie-twosie combinations without already knowing that they can go down the line without causing problems and without knowing that combination will meet the life expectancy of the vehicle without causing legal repercussions or regulatory issues. That development/validation cost would run multiple millions of dollars, which is (normally) prohibitive for an individual or a single vehicle. It would not be a good business case to build two or three dev/val engineering vehicles in order to sell one or two saleable production vehicles in that configuration.*

You can also tell (sometimes) by the assembly information. For example, if you told me your vehicle was built in Flint then I could tell you that the rear axle was not factory because Flint Assembly could not accommodate the build of dual rear wheel vehicles through their process.


K

*although I do recall that one model year we built a quantity of "one" production vehicle of a particular V6 combination - and it was the EPA test certification vehicle.[/QUOTE]

Along those lines, was there a minimum number that was required to make these " one off" vehicles? It seems like there are alot of cars you see on the Mecum Auctions, and Barrett Jackson that are one off combinations. Not saying this is one of them but more of a question.

[RotaryRocketeer]

Originally Posted by aharper33

Along those lines, was there a minimum number that was required to make these " one off" vehicles? It seems like there are alot of cars you see on the Mecum Auctions, and Barrett Jackson that are one off combinations. Not saying this is one of them but more of a question.

I think he's talking about one specific mean turbo model, that just needed a single "tweaked" example produced in order to gain EPA certification.... Correct me if I'm wrong.

[aharper33]

Originally Posted by RotaryRocketeer

I think he's talking about one specific mean turbo model, that just needed a single "tweaked" example produced in order to gain EPA certification.... Correct me if I'm wrong.

I understand that, I was wondering if say a company wanted to order 50 trucks a certain way like your truck for example would the factory build them or did it have to be like in the thousands of trucks for them to be built.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by aharper33

I understand that, I was wondering if say a company wanted to order 50 trucks a certain way like your truck for example would the factory build them or did it have to be like in the thousands of trucks for them to be built.

No - we can do fleet and special orders for as few as 50 trucks. Typically those are utility trucks in non production colors and that kind of thing.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by aharper33

Along those lines, was there a minimum number that was required to make these " one off" vehicles? It seems like there are alot of cars you see on the Mecum Auctions, and Barrett Jackson that are one off combinations. Not saying this is one of them but more of a question.

Also - typically those auction vehicles are fully developed and validated regular production vehicles that just weren't very popular at the time.

A 69 Trans Am convertible (qty 8 produced) or a '69 ZL1 Corvette (2 produced) were regular production options that anyone could have checked the box to buy but chose not to, either because of styling or marketing or sticker price.

For Design Studio vehicles or GM prototypes - usually there is a specific story for each one that gets out.

K

[aharper33]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Also - typically those auction vehicles are fully developed and validated regular production vehicles that just weren't very popular at the time.

A 69 Trans Am convertible (qty 8 produced) or a '69 ZL1 Corvette (2 produced) were regular production options that anyone could have checked the box to buy but chose not to, either because of styling or marketing or sticker price.

For Design Studio vehicles or GM prototypes - usually there is a specific story for each one that gets out.

K

Thanks for the responses. That a good point I guess I didnt think of it that way.

[D13]

You could, if you knew the right way, order some screwy stuff.
Best example ever was a Mary Kay Pink Cadillac with a green interior and a blue vinyl top. Normally the top and interior would be coordinated, but since it was a MK Special, the codes were over ridden. We at the plant thought it was wrong, the repair guys had the top stripped off before someone in Quality thought to call the dealer and customer who confirmed that the car had indeed been ordered that way.

Our 81 is a 3/4 ton with a 250, 3 on the column, 3.43 posi, HD cooling and shocks, sliding rear window (dad had a fantasy about a camper) and no other options. It has power brakes only because the bigger brakes were never validated without a booster. It did have 'sport' mirrors which were actually cheaper than painted dumbos. No spare, no rear bumper, had a chrome front bumper because it was a GMC.