1960 with a 348?

[markeb01]

The GMC almost looks like a diecast model. Way too perfect to be real! What a nice pair to have in the garage.

[amueller454]

hey k-ten what would the i.d. number on the front right frame rail tell me?
and the front motor mount is on the very front of the motor like the old v8s typically were.
Sweet truck by the way!!

[K-TEN]

The ID# would tell you if the frame is US built or Canadian, for example. It can help you match up the cab to frame numbers. See if you can take a shot in the engine bay, of the top of the frame rails by the exhaust manifold. It may have some slight cutback there depending on the manifold type.
Thanks for the complements guys. It runs as good as it looks! It is a fast SOB! it does need a sway bar though!

[jonzcustomshop]

that mention of the front motor mount is interesting, my 59 (car) 348 I am pretty sure has side mounts.

[Captainfab]

Very nice looking pair of trucks you have K-TEN!

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by amueller454

thanks guys i'll dig a little bit more. i was really hoping there was a chance it was a factory motor but either way i got a good deal on the pickups. i figured the motor was worth 600 atleast

Nice find! The original '60 is a rarer find than the much more common '66, and much more interesting to look at. I bet your truck is probably a COPO order, Central Office Production Order. It was special ordered by the original owner. It looks like it was used to pull a travel trailer or camper, note large mirrors and wide base rear probably 16.5" wheels. If someone requested this non standard engine option, the dealer would have the factory install a 348 engine. The 327 was also a special order engine starting in '62 till it became a regular option. It wasn't just camaro's that were ordered thru COPO, trucks were ordered thru COPO also.

[amueller454]

factorystock- thanks for the input. How would i be able to know if it was COPO ordered? and it seemed like the front wheels were actually different then the rear... the front had a split rim style with a solid ring around the bead where as the rear was a normal style rim, which caught my attention

[K-TEN]

You may never know if it's COPO or not. BUT>> maybe there is a build sheet in the seat. I've never found one, but maybe others can speak to that.
The wheel situation wouldn't mean much to me. Wheels are the most commonly changed thing about a vehicle. My Dad used to have a spare set of wheels with snow tires on them for winter. So when the next owner bought the truck, did he get the original wheels, or the other set? Who knows? My point is that the wheels on your truck don't say much to me regarding original or not original.

[factorystock]

Documenting a 60 thru 66 pickup is very difficult because the vin says nothing of powertrain. You would have to have the original build sheet or protecto plate for the vehicle. Many 66 don't even have the Parts Indentification decal in the glove box (first year for this). It would be also difficult to track down the original owners family to see if they special ordered the pickup and had to wait 3 months to take delivery.Your 60 is a very period piece with the split rims in front and wide base(aftermarket) 16.5" wheel in rear, this was a typical set up for hauling campers in the 1960's. I assume the serial # on the 348 dates back to 1960. I believe your truck is one of those special orders thru COPO, but agian, hard to prove.Sample letters to the editor from a 1963 magazine

[1985-GMC]

That is a very cool truck. I hope it turns out to be a factory 348, that would be awesome. Id start with seeing if it has a build sheet and see what the #s on the engine say.

[K-TEN]

Nice info, Factorystock.

[Northern lights]

Originally Posted by amueller454

and the front motor mount is on the very front of the motor like the old v8s typically were.

I don't think so. Here is a pic of a 348 cast in feb '58. You can see that it has the bosses for the front mounts but they are not drilled/taped. While it's possible that the very first 348 castings (the ones without the spark plug cooling jackets) used the front mounts, (which would perhaps explain the presence of the bosses in subsequent castings), it's doubtfull as the second design clearly doesn't and I doubt that GM would change the motor mounts locations on the cars partway through the production year. This thread is great to see as this 348 is destined to go in my '64 and, by looking at the clearance from the valve covers to firewall with the SBC and figuring the dimentional differences between the SBC and 348, it seemed to me that the 348 wouldn't fit without massaging the firewall. I would love to see a closeup pic showing the clearance between the valve covers and firewall.

[amueller454]

factorystock- i went back home this weekend and talked to the guy i bought it from and i got the title for it. he bought it from his uncle in 1974 and his uncle bought it brand new in 1960. I also asked if he knew if he special ordered it or what but he didn't know. And sure enough his uncle used it for his camper he had. It has 16.5's on the rear.

K-Ten- I got some pictures of the front frame rails on both sides and there doesnt seem to be any cutbacks

Northern Lights- i may be mistaken on how the motor is mounted, i forgot to look again. but i took some pictures while i was home also.... and the firewall has a different shape. in the picture i have i looks a little rough but from the driver side it appears as if it was stamped in the firewall, not beat in with a hammer.

thanks for all the help guys!

[K-TEN]

Nice. This keeps getting better and better. I see your door panel inserts are painted charcoal. That's a high level trim package kind of thing. Is that the build sheet behind your seat back?

[amueller454]

im not sure yet. i saw that piece of material was there and i wasnt sure if thats something they do from the factory but i havent looked behind it yet. Ive got my fingers crossed though! so does the 348 seem to be original?

and here is another picture of my door panel

[aerotruk63]

Your VIN# should have the plant where it was built, though even if it was built in Oshowa Ontario, it could have been for export. Usually trucks built in Canada for the Canadian market clearly state Built in Canada. If it is a Canadian built truck, you can contact Restoration Services in Oshowa and for a fee they will send you information on the truck. U.S. files were apparently destroyed in a fire years ago.
I contacted Detroit when I bought my truck out of Vermont that was originally from Penn Valley California back in 86 but that is when I was told no info was available. They did transfer my call to the Chevrolet Hobby Shop. Now this was a secret department apparently that GM executives used for restorations. The guy was surprised that my call had been transfered there, but he sent me an envelope which today matches my 1963 Chevrolet Truck Data Book listings of models and options. Never got a extension number or business card, sure would be fun to have a contact there now! Still have the mailing envelope but it's a generic address no other info on it.

Not a great picture but you get the drift! 1964 Chevrolet K10

[aerotruk63]

I installed a 409 from a boat in my 63 when I first bought it. It had the side mounts like the 74 350 that was in the truck. I used a jaws of life type body working hydraulic system between the cylinder head and firewall to give it a little more clearance. It ran like a boat steady but nothing special. Had a guy who wanted it bad so I sold it to him for his Impala convertible he was working on. I bought a carburetor from NAPA at the time for it.

[aerotruk63]

The seat material I would say is 90's.
There should be a molding that runs across the back of the cab connecting the two Custom " sails ". One year only I think, but really finishes off the back split of the two tone paint.
Note your door handle facing down, factory photo's show it this way as many of our truck's have it mounted horizontally. Having it mounted vertically lessens the chances of the door locking itself upon closing, especially when the return spring is weak.
Your interior is silver instead of fawn. Is there any white paint peeking out from beneath the black painted insert of the door?
Chevrolet crest on the glove compartment door. Deluxe!
Odd, standard steering wheel no horn ring?
Doesn't look like a cigarette lighter housing. Throttle cable perhaps?

[jonzcustomshop]

^60/61 had the silver interior, with the charcoal dash, 63 had the fawn interior, and I am not sure on 62's, I haven't seen many of those un touched, so I am not sure if they are silver, or the first year for fawn.

[aerotruk63]

My 62 was fawn.

[aerotruk63]

150157713962 1960 Chevrolet Truck Data Book's
370269257688
370258066353
350216723415 1960 Chevrolet Custom Features Album's
380199697710

[amueller454]

aerotruck63 what are these numbers? so the charcoal was only on the deluxe models?

[K-TEN]

"so the charcoal was only on the deluxe models?"
In the door panel inset--yes.
__________________

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by K-TEN

[IMG][/IMG]
There's no hackery involved in getting a W motor to fit. A little trimming of the frame rails is all that's necessary for the block huggers to fit. There was no hammering necessary for the distributor either. That's a dual quad 409 in my '60 GMC, and that has been a dream of mine as well. It finally got on the road 2 weeks ago.
I the think the chrome window trim is more rare than even the SS side moldings. A small red triangular decal goes at the end of those mouldings at the back of the truck. It's still available. If those moldings need to go onto a shortbed truck, a good old school Tig welder can perform the surgery as was done on my moldings.
A close look at the frame rails and the motor mounts should give some hints. RF frame rail should have the ID number on top. I can't believe that it is Factory. But as was stated earlier, at that time anything goes when the cash is on the barrelhead. MAYBE it's Canadian!?! Maybe it it's US Factory , but whatever it is, it's quite a nice score. Congrats.

That is almost the exact truck I want to build "someday". Dual quad 409, big back window, 60-63. Both are nice trucks. Can you maybe start a thread with a lot of pics. Yeah, that would be great. Thanks.

[aerotruk63]

Sorry Ebay auction numbers. These books are a nice start to finding information. It was early when I posted that, sorry. If anything like my Data books they will show colored pictures of the inside of the cab, color chart for the exterior, Deluxe seat material and how the vinyl went onto the cloth. Custom Features will show you all the dealer installed accessories that were available.Literature and books really help deciding which way you want to go with things. 348 in your truck will be unique and different. I sold parts to a guy here who built a 61 BBW SWB Fleetside with a 409 car engine. 348 & 409 truck motors have a taller deck I'm told.