GMC - Chevy what's the real difference?

[LT102]

At a parts shop the other day and listened to two guys talk about it being more difficult to restore a GMC than a Chevy 67-72 pickup. I have restored a 71' Chevy and just started on a 71' GMC and am at a loss as to what I am missing as to such a difference. I kept my mouth shut as not to expose my ignorance knowing that I was going to post this question and find out from those who really know. Other than the grille and some emblems what's the difference, if any.

[Scott>72-GMC]

Fenders from 69-72 are different from chevy. They stay the 68 style but as many people turn the gmcs into Chevys really parts could be easier to come across. I can't see any huge difficulty over restoring a chevy they tend to sell for less than Chevys

I love the look of the gmc I have a 72
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[AMERICAN PICK-UP]

GMC is a Grown Mans Chevy.

[nate_g_2003]

It is mostly cosmetic differences. Front fenders, grille, front bumper, and core support are different.

[LT102]

I've been thinking about turning this GMC into a Chevy. I wanted a Chevy but came across a good deal on this GMC. The grill and tailgate appear to be the only quickly identity differences. Would'nt Chevy parts bolt right into the same place?

[CC69Rat]

No, all the babies in the world will begin to cry if you convert it! Nooo..

I'm going to disagree on the GMC being worth less than the Chevys, but .. just my .02. I like to be different, but I couldn't decide. So I got one of each.

GMC = more of a rich man's truck back then. More chrome, interior trim / painted dash bezel, etc. but they're pretty much the same truck. A lot like today's trucks really. Not as many were used on the farms. If I were buying back then I'm not sure I'd pay the extra for things I didn't need to haul hay, cattle, etc. There are just more Chevy's out there for this reason IMO. they didn't make as many GMCs simply because they didn't sell as many. (or vise versa)

I like 'em BOTH !

[Lattimer]

GMC is just a Chevy with the all the bolts tightened.


Had too!

[LT102]

Did they both come off the same assembly line?

[Mister-B]

Our era GMC trucks were a way for Oldsmobile and Pontiac dealerships to sell trucks along with their car lines without confusing people that they would be selling "competing" Chevrolet trucks. Period.

They have some slight cosmetic differences here and there, but yeah- they would be a bit harder to restore, since there don't appear to be as many of them around
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[CC69Rat]

pretty much the same trucks really but my black GMC has REALLY grown on me.. Never thought about the Olds / Buick concept though. .. but I do agree.

I would leave it GMC though. All the women will go crazy.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by LT102

Did they both come off the same assembly line?

Yes.

Chevy = RPO X88 "Conversion, Name Plate - Chevrolet"
GMC = RPO Z88 "Conversion, Name Plate - GMC"

K

[Scott>72-GMC]

I should rephrase. Gmcs aren't worthless just seems u can buy them for less mainly because so many chevy people out there
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[RenoKeene]

When I was a kid I always thought that "If I ever get a truck it'll have to be a GMC cause they only make trucks!"

Good quality OEM grills and eyebrows can be hard to find sometimes...

I love the big wall of chrome face on mine.

[ultrahd4me]

I'm a little partial to a GMC myself. I love the front end, but I prefer the chevy coil spring rear to the leaf springs found on most GMC trucks.

[CC69Rat]

luckily mine has coils .. But most GMCs do have leafs. Good point.

[AirSpeed]

I've got one of each and I can't see how restoring them would be harder than the other, all the parts I ordered for my GMC were Chevy parts, except the new badges.
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[hjewell2]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Yes.

Chevy = RPO X88 "Conversion, Name Plate - Chevrolet"
GMC = RPO Z88 "Conversion, Name Plate - GMC"

K

I was just getting ready to say that..flint truck and bus rat for years.

Many times we would run out of bowtie horn buttons and install GMC just to get the count. They would send some guys out to the dealership and replace with the correct ones later.

[RenoKeene]

My four-eyed unit was a factory coil piece too.

[Hubscrub]

I love the looks of a gmc, would love to have one maybe convert my chevy
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[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by hjewell2

I was just getting ready to say that..flint truck and bus rat for years.

We might be related...

Originally Posted by hjewell2

Many times we would run out of bowtie horn buttons and install GMC just to get the count. They would send some guys out to the dealership and replace with the correct ones later.

Yer bad. Very bad.

Not to mention the trucks that were Chevy on one side and GMC on the other.

K

[kcsa75]

Originally Posted by hjewell2

I was just getting ready to say that..flint truck and bus rat for years.

Many times we would run out of bowtie horn buttons and install GMC just to get the count. They would send some guys out to the dealership and replace with the correct ones later.

I was told once that they built Chevy's four days a week and GMC the fifth day. Is there any truth to that?
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[hjewell2]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

We might be related...



Yer bad. Very bad.

Not to mention the trucks that were Chevy on one side and GMC on the other.

K

Yes you know as well as I do that happened. I like the times when the orders would get messed up at line change over and you would see a external antenna with one in the windshield.

[Madtat]

Back in the day here the GMC truck dealer was a Peterbuilt and GMC commercial truck division dealer. Later they moved/sold the GMC pick up truck line to the Buick Pontiac dealership where it's at today.
A friend who owned a '77 lwb GMC 4x4 always swore that GMC's frames were stronger and better built.

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by Madtat

Back in the day here the GMC truck dealer was a Peterbuilt and GMC commercial truck division dealer. Later they moved/sold the GMC pick up truck line to the Buick Pontiac dealership where it's at today.
A friend who owned a '77 lwb GMC 4x4 always swore that GMC's frames were stronger and better built.

I had someone try to convince me of that a couple weeks ago, he was sure GMC frames were different and much stronger than a Chevy frame.
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[LEllyson]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

luckily mine has coils .. But most GMCs do have leafs. Good point.

I thought that the GMC's in that day were considerted the "city truck" or a "rich mans truck" and were the first to have air conditioning, powere brakes, and rear leaf springs? I thought they were only about a year ahead of chevy though? I could be wrong....

If I am not mistaken half ton GMC and rear leafs in 71 and chevy started to introduce rear leafs in 72 or 73? GMC had AC around 69 or 70 and chevrolet followed a little later? I think that the "longhorn" edition was first available around 71 but only in a 3/4 ton chevrolet with all options plus an extended bed and extra fuel tanks so that throws me off a little.

I am not sure if chevy's and GMC's came from the same assembly line but other than chevrolets just being more popular I dont know why a GMC would be any more difficult to restore than a chevrolet. Unless you are a complete geek about these trucks "like some of us are" you would never know the difference of the 2 other than just the obvious front clip, tailgate, and badging differences.