Low miles????

[rwolf9653]

I have noticed a trend that very few of these 67-72 trucks have more than 100,000 miles on them. I have two, and both owners told that they were "original" miles. I don't beleive it. I see these trucks listed everyday with only 40,000-60,000 miles in them.

Does anyone else find this hard to believe? I have '03 with 83k and an '04 with 118k on them. You mean to tell me that most of these trucks didn't surpass the 100k mark in +-30 years?

I am 31 so I wasn't exactly around when these were being used more often. Did they just not drive that much back then?
What is your opinion? I approach it with great skepticism.

[Green Machine]

Well we have 3 of them, 1968 that my dad bought in 1972, it has around 210,000 miles miles on it, A 1970 that has about 110,000, and a 1971 that has about only 95,000 miles on it.

We can kind of tell by how many front end suspensions parts they need. The 1968 was in the family so we know mileage is right, it has had all new ball joints, upper A arm bushings, idler arm and a few tie rod ends replaced.

The 1970 we don't know for sure, but given the great condition that the body was in, given that we are in the rust belt, the fact that it sat in a barn for 12 years before we bought it, and the front end needed NO new parts at all, every single part is tight yet, leads me to believe that we got it right after it turned over the first time at 100,000 miles.

The 1971 was a 1 owner farmer truck that we bought from the original owner and had a chance to talk to him, it hardly ever went on long trips, just to town and back and around the farm. The body is in excellent shape, and we had the front end checked on it too. Everything was tight except one tie rod end which was replaced makes me certain that the 95,000 miles was correct and that the odometer has not turned over yet.

Now after restoring all 3 it would be hard to tell what the real miles would be, but if you find loose front end parts and check the overall condition it may tell a story.

[SpaceForRent]

The problem is that the odometers don't show the 1xxxxx mi, making it very easy for the owner to say it's only got 40xxxk on it.
I'd never trust someone saying it didn't have a hunderd thousand mi, not untill you took a good look over it anyways.

Just my thoughts

Originally Posted by rwolf9653

I have noticed a trend that very few of these 67-72 trucks have more than 100,000 miles on them. I have two, and both owners told that they were "original" miles. I don't beleive it. I see these trucks listed everyday with only 40,000-60,000 miles in them.

Does anyone else find this hard to believe? I have '03 with 83k and an '04 with 118k on them. You mean to tell me that most of these trucks didn't surpass the 100k mark in +-30 years?

I am 31 so I wasn't exactly around when these were being used more often. Did they just not drive that much back then?
What is your opinion? I approach it with great skepticism.

[mtdave2]

mine has 55k on here, but that was a bit of a rare deal. i am with you on this one, seems like every truck on ebay is low miles.. it could be true, many of these trucks were bought for camping and out door stuff, they got used in the summer a few times and parked.. finally winding up in the barn, or where ever.

its far to easy to change dashes, i would never take the reading for the actual miles. look at the truck, its not hard to tell.

[Ackattack]

I would assume that they have over 100k miles by default, and would need proof that it is less.

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I would assume that they have over 100k miles by default, and would need proof that it is less.

I agree, at least 100,000 miles plus. Unless very clear documentation can be given, never believe what you see. Heck, how many people here have swapped gauge clusters?

[68gmsee]

The best way to tell is to know what a high mileage vehicle looks lke to begin with. Do some studying, look at some trucks/cars with hi mileage, look at the brake and clutch pedals, etc. Also, as mentioned, the front end steering parts are the ones subjected to the most stresses so be aware of the conditon of those parts.

I don't get too hung up on mileage on these old trucks. I look at the body and externals more. These engines almost always could use an overhaul after 80K anyway.

[rwolf9653]

It is kind of a new obsession of mine. I cruise e-bay, craiglist, classifieds, etc and it is rare that one of these sellers admits that the odometer has rolled over.
It is good to know that the majority of us are not buying in to it.

[Boomerswany]

I cruise also - for more hours than I should - Hey.... look at me now! at work, checking this site ouch!

I agree, see the proof - The best 67-72 I've owned, (which was totaled by a drunk driver - not me) had been owned by only two fellas which lived down the street from one another and the documentation showed mileage and maintenance from the start... it was a 3/4 ton used sparingly to haul campers and trailers... it was freaking beautiful! I loved that truck! number three of six.

[jorgensensc]

The '68 anniversary we got for a friend of mine that was on here was thought to have 147k. However, after looking it over, finding the original owners manual, and finding insurance paperwork from 1980, we determined that it really has 47k on it. The spark plug wires had never been changed, the undercarriage was completely original, no belts or hoses had ever been changed, the original buddy buckets only had a slight rip in one spot, and the big find so to speak, was the insurance paperwork from 1980 that listed the truck as a second recreational vehicle and as having 45k miles on it. Then it had the insurance for the jamboree trailer with it, and while looking at the back tailgate, I noticed there was weatherstripping along the gate, so we think it had a slide in camper in it, (maybe that was the jamboree). Any way. It could be 147k, but it sure seems more like 47k.
Shawn

[Longhorn Man]

i've never had one with less than 100K on it.
My old GMC was reported to have 450xxx miles on it and looking it over, I pretty much believe it... NOTHING was original except the front springs... and they needed replaced.

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

i've never had one with less than 100K on it.
My old GMC was reported to have 450xxx miles on it and looking it over, I pretty much believe it... NOTHING was original except the front springs... and they needed replaced.

[fixit-p]

Whooo Who!!! Mine only has 15K on it...I swear.


Ok, maybe it's 115K and I believe that to be acurate because it had a cab over camper on it (avatar) you don't see many of those as D.D. the bed and tailgate are both showroom straight, good suspension all original as far as I can tell. I would say 100K at a minimum on most.

[MXmaniac]

Mine has less than 100k. I'm at about 90,000 right now, and 7,000 of those were by me. I bought it from the son of the original owner(original owner had passed away) about a 1/4 mile from my house. Everything was original on the truck, right down to the split rims.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Andy what ever happened to that gmc? Ohh and the dope smokin old man?

[unclewatts]

When I bought my 70 in 1984 it had 69K on it. Now I got 162K on it. Considering the condition the truck was in when I bought it: brake and clutch pedals well worn, front end all worn out and engine and radiator shot it probably had at least 169K if not more on it. BTW, the guy who sold it to me swore the mileage was 69K. Sure must'a drove it hard.

[Green Machine]

As far as engine miles, our 68 with 307 2bbl made it to about 175,000 before needing rebuilt. Only thing ever replaced was intake was pulled, carbon cleaned out, replaced 1 sticky lifter and put in a timing chain (preventive maintenance) at about 120,000. It had quite a ridge on the cylinder walls upon tear down, required .060 overbore to clean up.

The 6 banger in the 70 ran at 110,000 but it was shot, all lifters stuck, and likely some bad valves.

The 1971 had only 95,000 miles but had 2 spun rod bearings, oil pump pickup was full of timing gear chunks from a timing chain failure some time in the past, and the fuel pump was putting gas in the oil. Had a cracked head and bad valve there on one side too.

I guess some engines were good, but most did not make it much past 125,000 without an overhaul.

[special-K]

There are some rare low mile trucks still.It`s just as rare to find a 100% honest seller.
Trucks weren`t as common as daily drivers back then.The economy had more balance and many were bought for occasional chore work.The norm was also single income families and living in the suburbs.The norm was also 1 car per household.so,a truck made a practical second vehicle.Then,there`s the love of these trucks.It`s been there from day #1.Many were bought by adults that got just what they wanted.These trucks came with features never offered before.These adults hung on to their trucks into their retirement where the truck`s life became easier with alot of garage time.We are seeing these trucks go up for sale as these original owners stop driving or go into nursing homes.I mean I see a whole lot of this scenario.I can`t tell you how many old man original-owned Cheyenne Supers with under 100,000 on them I`ve seen like this,as well as other models.
There were alot of RV use sales,too.Even back east you can find Custom Campers with low miles and little to no rust.Maybe not so much today,but I have had many Custom Campers that were acceptional condition for my area.They usually only went out in the good weather.

You just really have to know what you`re looking at as well as listen to the seller for other sings of exaggerated claims.

[WorkinLonghorn]

I got mine from the original owner's "estate" and it had the original camper on it that he went fishing in. Odo shower 32,000 but a ball joint was way shot so I'm sure it was 132,000. Still,when you think about it,132,000 miles in 30 years is only 4400 per year so that's still very low miles.
IMO a true 32,000 or so truck would be VERY VERY scarce and I would have to see documentation,logs,repair bills etc.
At 150,000 the timing chain broke and when I got in there to look,I found the original nylon and alumuinum chain.The thing that puzzled me though was the fact that all the pushrods got bent. These are interferrance engines? Or the old fart put a cam in it at some point I guess.

[BB72CHEVKT]

I have the original engine in the 69 and just hit 160k. It is not the best running engine but it gets me back and forth to work 40 miles round trip everyday.