What do I have?

[Darkblu]

Can someone help me with what I have got. I picked this truck up a week and a half ago. I drove her over 2 hours back home. Not a highway truck, ha. Here is what I know- Its a 1970 GMC Custom Camper C3500/2500? The truck came from Nevada, it has a SM465 4 speed, 350 motor(dipstick on passanger side) which makes me think post 1975, Edlebrock intake, but Qudrajet carb. It has a Dana/Spicer 60 rear (8 lug) w/ 4:10 gears. Reupholstered seat. Flowmaster mufflers. Her badges say C3500, which I thought was a 1 ton, but its no dually. I don't know if its a 2500 or a 3500. a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. I know nothing about the motor( what year, any mods) The glovebox ID is no help because the VIN doen't match the VIN inside the door. I come to the experts to see what you guys make of her, and to tell me what you think she might be worth, then I will tell you what I paid for her. Any help would be great. Thanks Frank

[LockDoc]

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Hi Frank,

No guesses on worth but there should be a VIN # stamped on top of the frame above the steering box. That would let you know if the cab matches the frame or not...

Looks like a pretty solid truck.

LockDoc

[nightmare]

Hi Frank, looks like a solid truck. The 3500's are 1-tons too, but they don't have to be dually's to be 1-tons. LockDoc is right, check the frame rail for the last 8 or 9 digits of the VIN.

I'm not sure on the price, but with the tach dash, an a/c cab, and a GMC to boot, that's gotta be worth something. I'd make a ventured guess of about $2500, give or take a few hundred.

Good luck with the truck.

[Longhorn Man]

I can't tell from the photo... does the bed look like it has an extention on the front?
If it is an 8 foot bed, then it can't be a 3500 (one ton). The smallest they came was 133 inch wheelbase.
If it does have the extention, then it can be a 2500, or 3500, either way, it would be the same as a longhorn.
That engine is not only later model, but more likely than not, it came from a van. (look at the dip stick)
I wonder if it is a 70 or not... it has a 71/72 grill... but then again, we already suspect it is a hodgepodge of parts with a mis match VIN on the SPID and the VIN plate.
If you are willing to post the VIN (minus the last 5 if you are paranoid like that) from the froma, cab and SPID... we can decode them, and tell you which it probably is.

[88JRFAN]

The motor is at least an early 80s 350. That's when they change the dipstick, in truck's also.

[MrGoodpliers]

By the grille and the doorpanels, it looks like a '71. Does it have the raised area in the roof under the rearview mirror? Disc brakes? Nice truck, I would agree with the $2000-$2500 range.

[Darkblu]

It does have 4 wheel disc brakes,PS,PB. I will check on the VIN on the frame and other things, maybe get more pics of it. I paid $1800 for it.

[sjarrett71]

I think you have a piece of crap there, probably won't be worth anything even with a full restoration. Just give it to me, find something else, and start over.

Seriously, nice truck. I'd be proud of it even if the VIN's don't match.

[Darkblu]

I live in the Cincinnati area and was looking around for a project car/truck. I came accross a 69 Ford F100 on E-bay in the Louisville area so I went for a test drive. The truck tuned out to all motor, no body. It had a 390 with no power steering or brakes and rusted cab mounts. While I was test driving it I notice this truck sitting at a body shop for sale, so I figured why not stop by this place. I was surprised at how solid this truck was, and how little rust. It was like like night and day driving this compared to the Ford. So i made the deal and drove her home the nest week. She needs a throw-out bearing, no biggie. and I have no turn signals, and when I hit the brakes the brake lights light up fine but so do the front marker lights. Whats up with that?

[nightmare]

Sounds like a short in the wiring someplace.

Anyhow, it is a solid piece to start with. What are your plans for it?

[Darkblu]

Dunno yet, I wanted something I could lower a few inches, put a clean paint job on, throw some wheels on and later on maybe do a wooden bed or something. Now with such a heavy duty truck I am not sure what to do. For sure paint though, ha. I'm open to suggestions. The previous owner didn't really tell me a whole lot about the truck, but when I got it home I found a list of what the truck had and where it was from under the seat for when the owner before him sold it.

[soba_03]

Darkblu, I live in Louisville and I didn't see that truck sitting anywhere...Oh wait, I left ti there with the keys in it... thanks for taking care of it... I'll be up to get it.

Seriously though, great truck and nice find.

AS for you light problem, I had same problems ok close. I would turn the l/h turn signal and it worked fine front and back. Turn on the r/h turn signal and back worked and so did both of the fronts... strangest this I ever saw. Here is what solved the problem for me. Go to the headlight switch. Pull it from the dash and take out the plug. You will find that it's got corosion on it clean it up and use a little dielectric grease on it, don't go over board with it. once it's cleaned up shouldn't be a problem any more. If that doesn't solve the problem check the colum plug, same as the headlight switch. It seems as these trucks get a little older some corosion grows and creates light problems. Mine has been fine for several months since I did mine. And trust me it will make you pull your hair out. Good luck and NICE TRUCK...

[Longhorn Man]

As for the front markers coming on when you hit the brakes, sounds to me like the 4 way flasher button is in the on position, but the flasher is missing from the fuse box... I can't remember if that would disable the turn signals or not though.

[Darkblu]

Cool, thanks for all the help, I will have more pics tomorrow and some VIN info to help solve the mystery.

[tim21391]

similar problem to me...turned out i had a bad ground in my left taillight assembly...put another bolt in the hole and it solved the problems...also made it a tad brighter too...no problems since....