My 71 just became a 70

[Sinisterspeed]

I added this stuff to the end of my build thread for record cause someday this will be done and I think this step might be an important one to keep a record of but I thought I would put it out here to get some opinions and maybe some info on the SPID since the vin does not decode the same way as others that are posted here. "CE234" 2wd,ve,3/4 ton, 34? what does that mean?" anyway here goes the old cab issues and the new cab pics.::

Today is another wonderful day building my dream truck. As you could see earlier in this thread I took the truck to the paint shop on 7-10 I got a call today they did some work on it on Thursday and finally got the cab blasted. My sister was at a BBQ where one of the guys from the shop was at. He was talking about (*****ing really) about how much work the truck needed kinda ticked me off be I let it go.

Now for the update. I had stopped by once a week since 7-20 checking for any progress when I got a call Thursday (9-11) that they got the cab blasted. Here are the pics.











Looks like it took what looked pretty bad to it looked even worse. He was spraying it with epoxy here.

After seeing my cab on Friday. I decided to actually look for another cab. Prior to this He was asking me if I was sure I couldn't find a better one. Since I have already bought 4 trucks to make this one and they were all supposed to be solid to start with I was frustrated. I told him I was tired of buying more and more just to find out it needed as much or more work and I just wasted time, money, space, & hassle to get nowhere but the same place so what ever it needs just order it pieces and fix this one.

[Sinisterspeed]

So I went shopping today (Sat. 9-13) found a cab on CL. They guy was actually building a longhorn as well.

He had bought this cab out of southern Oregon a couple months ago it was delivered to him in a longhorn bed that was made into a trailer. He ended up buying it as well. This truck is a 1970 GMC longhorn. He wanted the 850.oo he paid for it since his neighbors had turned him into the city he had to put everything in his garage. The longhorn he was working on, this cab, the 2nd longhorn bed and 2 motorcycles. He didn't have room to work on it now with the new room situation and thus was selling them both on CL. I could have had the entire other truck for 600.00 or this cab for 850.00. I tried to talk him down for over an hour and wouldn't come down less then 750.00. He had someone trying to buy the doors from him earlier in the week so he sold me the cab without the doors for 500.00 so I brought it home. Here are some pics before I drop it off at the body shop on Monday.



















Tell me what you think.... 500 to much?

[Sinisterspeed]

A couple things that do bug me about this new cab that I liked better about my other cab is this one has a headliner and a solid tunnel. The cab I was using had no headliner and a bolt in tunnel thus easier to bolt in the 4x4 tunnel for my 4x4 longhorn.
But hey, at least its still an AC cab and I was missing all the interior ac parts from mine.

[special-K]

That blasting can open up a new can o`worms alright.This one looks darn solid.But,ask them to go easy with the blasting.

[see ten]

You can swap that trans hump in to the new cab. You'll probably have to have it for the 4x4 anyway. Looks like you came out WAY ahead with the new cab!

[Sinisterspeed]

Thanks guys, I don't have to have a 4x4 hump since the truck actually has 3" body lift it will clear. But should I plasma cut out the solid tunnel and install the bolt in tunnel anyway? Or just cut the hole for the transfer case shifter to come through the solid hump?

[see ten]

If I was going to install the bolt in tunnel I would lay it in your new cab and shoot some spray paint around the edges so that you know where to drill the holes. After that I'd cut the opening out with your prefered weapon of destruction. Of course the high hump combined with a body lift might make things a bit hokey with the shifter. I guess I'd try it without the hump first and see how it goes. Just be sure and unbolt the high hump and save it. If you don't use it someone else will want it.

[Longhorn Man]

as far as your VIN question, that's a GMC vin, not a chevy VIN. They don't decode the same.

[72BlckButy]

Wow.... looks like you came out ahead, nice score!!!

[Sinisterspeed]

Originally Posted by see ten

Of course the high hump combined with a body lift might make things a bit hokey with the shifter. I guess I'd try it without the hump first and see how it goes. Just be sure and unbolt the high hump and save it. If you don't use it someone else will want it.

I agree, I think I will just leave it. No question about what carpet kit to order now. Luckily I had not ordered it already. Looks like I will have both of the high humps I have out in the shop FS later on. 1 is already cut for a 4sp the other only has the transfer case shifter hole in it.

I had decided to just go ahead and shave the entire firewall while it was at the paint shop since I did not have any of the inside AC parts anyway. Now time to rethink that again. I have all the parts for the engine bay from the last one I bought. Another firewall mounted ac box that came with this one as well as the inside parts. I guess I have a couple days to decide if I am still going that route and installing some VA later on. Then of course I would be selling all the factory AC stuff to someone that needed it once that final dicision has been made.

As far as the Tunnel, Its now or never. Once it comes back from paint I won't be cutting up the freshly painted body with a plasma cutter for sure. I guess I could still do it with a body saw but ehh. Won't really matter anyway.


Andy, I realize this VIN decodes different, but how much different? do you have a link saved to where the GMC vin stuff is (since I know you always save the links) I did a search for it a few times last night and basically I am stuck on the 34 part. Other then that its obvious that its a 70 2wd v8 built in freemont. I got that much from the chevy decoding.

I was hopeing you would chime in on this one since if anyone knew how to actually decode this "custom camper" vin, it would be you.

Another bonus of using this cab it that my truck will now be titled as a 70 GMC custom camper custom. LOL before I was going to use a 72 2wd 3/4 ton Chev title and vin I have laying around.

Thanks again guys.

[special-K]

I`d put the hump in for the same reason GM did.If it was just for clearance GM would have just stamped a taller hump.It`s a different body panel already.It is removable for access to things not found on a 2wd that would be a bear to service from underneath.You`ll thank yourself for installing it,believe me.