71 BB swb GMC questions

[Bald Menace]

Hey guys
I am looking at a 71 GMC swb 2wd with a 402 and have a few questions about the GMC's .

i had a 71 chevy swb a few years ago and it had the trailing arm rear suspension. this gmc has leaf springs. just wondering if leaf springs are more desireable and are they easier to lower than the other style? seems to me leaf springs would be heavier which isnt necessarily better. can the truck be converted to trailing arms and coil springs very easily?

truck appears to have an early grill assy with the single headlights. didn't the GMC's have dual headlights?

The guy is asking 6K for the truck and a boatload of extra parts including new bumpers,all new trim still in packages. extra sheet metal. truck has a healthy 402, th400 and a 12 bolt rear. has those funky bucket seats with built in center console. aftermarket wheels. so far i dont find any rust.. any opinions?

[Longhorn Man]

Let me be the first to welcome to the board.
First Q, the rear suspention.
The general rule of thumb, is the GMCs came base equipment with leafs, and chevy with coils. That is mostly acurate, and either could be optioned the other way. The leafs would probably be lighter than the long heavy trailing arms. The ride on the coils is better, but lowering a leaf spring is probably easier if going more than 4 inches or so... mild drops, coil would be easier. Exhaust is easier to run on leaf, but that's not a huge concern most of the time. Stock for stock, they are rated the same.
All the 67 - 72 GMC trucks had 4 smaller headlamps. Only Chevy had the 2 light set up. Sounds like you may have swapped sheet metal on there. The "funky buckets with built in console" sounds like the 67 and 68 buddy buckets. Is the console the kind that flips into a seat?
Lotsa new parts included sweetens the pot.... knowing how clean trucks generally are from your neck of the woods, and the fact that it is a big block SWB truck... 6 doesn't seem too high. I would ask a lot of questions as to why the front end has been swapped to a chevy grill, and how much of a mutt it is.
And of course... we LOVE photos... any pics you may have would help a lot.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Bald Menace

Hey guys
I am looking at a 71 GMC swb 2wd with a 402 and have a few questions about the GMC's .

i had a 71 chevy swb a few years ago and it had the trailing arm rear suspension. this gmc has leaf springs. just wondering if leaf springs are more desireable and are they easier to lower than the other style? seems to me leaf springs would be heavier which isnt necessarily better. can the truck be converted to trailing arms and coil springs very easily?

truck appears to have an early grill assy with the single headlights. didn't the GMC's have dual headlights?

The guy is asking 6K for the truck and a boatload of extra parts including new bumpers,all new trim still in packages. extra sheet metal. truck has a healthy 402, th400 and a 12 bolt rear. has those funky bucket seats with built in center console. aftermarket wheels. so far i dont find any rust.. any opinions?

I have a 71 Chevy that came with leaf springs form factory,, and I replaced them with new because of sagging .
I bought a brand new set with a 2 inch drop and put them in and only took it down a inch .. I think you have to get 4inch to get the 2 you wanted .. so I then bought lowering some 2 inch lowering shackles and now it sets pretty level like I like it ..
It handles pretty good ,,but if I had it to do over I would of just bought the 4 inch drop leafs.. papa

[Bald Menace]

Thanks for the welcome and the information. I'm looking forward to this project and the tremendous aftermarket support for parts sure makes it much more appealing. I have been playing with Buick gran Sports for the last 20 years and the lack of reproduction parts has made it "less than fun" I'll post some pictures this weekend. Bob

[Longhorn Man]

Who woulda guessed that "old trucks" would have better reproduction support than a kick @ss muscle car based on a chevelle?
Go figure huh?

[special-K]

WELCOME!!!!

Alot of people swap chevy front ends onto GMCs.The seat would have been swapped-in,too.If it`s the factory 67/68,that is also a popular swap.The seat is worth alot.
GMC:Leaf/Col optional.Chevy:Coil/Leaf optional.
Swapping to coil rear will be a job.You`d need to aquire trailing arms and rea housing as well as install a trailing arm crossmember.
There are axle over spring kits to give the most drop with leafs.There are lower spring perches and lower shackles.Lowering 2" at one end of a leaf will yield 1" total because one end is just pivoting.
I think the weight is about the same on leaf vs coil.The leafs are alot heavier than the trailing arms.But,add the coils,panhard bar,and crossmember and I think the difference is insignificant.
The coil rears "hook-up" better.
Got any pictures?

[Bald Menace]

went back and looked the truck over today.
The good
the entire front clip is 67 chevy and is in good shape. originally a small block truck. guy has all new chrome for the truck including bumpers. 402/th400 and 12 bolt. comes with new dash bezel and weather strip for doors and cab glass. new window run channels too. new marker lights and tail lights and chrome. new park lights and bezels. bucket seat console assy. extra doors and fenders. very very little rust if any at all.

The bad
originally an A/C truck and still has A/C heater box and related parts (i hate A/C on my hotrods) Truck needs to be blown apart and stripped down. most body parts only loosely bolted on. stake pockets in bed filled.no real exhaust system. hood just sitting on truck. all mounting hardware loose in cab. hood is a bit wavy.


I'd be trading him my 66 buick special which is worth 6-8K for his truck and all the parts..he was asking 8K for the truck originally which i thought excessive and i wouldnt pay 8k in cash even if i had it. gonna have to think about this...