1966-81 Chevy H/J Series

[greywuuf]

Ran the numbers on mine tonight and they are both 75's. Both of mine are 70' s series both are 6v53's both are manual clutches and both have the same dash ...two small on the left four small on the right... The yellow and black one on you tube is advertised as a 66 but seeing as it is a Chevy it must be mislabled. It appears to have 4 holes on each side ......And in onebrochure I have seen a 9500 with what spears to be three different size gauges.
Also the whole manual shutdown thing seems weird to me....my "J" has the manual shutdown but the H has it electric with the key switch.

[junkmandan3]

Woof----Where'd you find the data to cross reference the vin # to a year . I've seen a parts manual that had a little clue, but nothing regular year after year .

[greywuuf]

I dont know if it is GOOD info or not, but this page lead me to the conclusion that year was encoded in the VIN...http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/VIN.htm

[schwoch1]

I will add some pics of my truck that I aquired a year or so ago. This is my '70 GMC HI9500 truck with a 6-71 Detroit and a 13 speed. It originally had a 5 speed main trains and a 2 speed rearend but the truck had a top speed of 42 MPH with 6.77 gears so I changed out the rearend to one that has 3.73's and changed the trans to a 13 speed. Anyone that has ever driven a truck with a Detroit knows the more gears you have, the happier the engine is!!!! Now the truck has a top speed of 92 MPH at 2200 RPM, but more importantly it cruises at 60 MPH at an ear pleasing 1550 RPM!!! My plans for the truck are to install either a small dump bed or a flat bed, whatever I happen to come across first!!! I will post some pictures and a driving video I have. Hope you like!!!

[schwoch1]

Here is the youtube link for the video. For some reason I can't get it to post in the player thingy but click on it! Video of the 6-71 going through 2/3 of it's 13 gears!!!

Mike

https://youtu.be/f_CBTItxJRA

[Jim Timber]

That thing's sweet! How long has the speedo been broken?

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Looks and sounds good.

I believe I posted your video on here a while back.

I couldn't get it to post either this time for some reason. Some just won't post for some reason.

[schwoch1]

Originally Posted by Jim Timber

That thing's sweet! How long has the speedo been broken?

It actually worked when I got the truck, but it was a bazillion miles an hour off. Truck was originally equipped with 4.33 gears, but somewhere's along the line the ring and pinion were swapped out for some 6.77's, hence the speedo read 85+ mph most of the time!!! I have to get an adapter to hook the Roadranger 13 speed to the GM speedo cable, but before I do that I need to measure the rollout of the rear tires to make the speedo read somewhat correct!!!

Mike

[Gunslingertom]

Hello gentlemen, hopefully no one minds resurrecting this thread, not that it's really that old.
I have a 66 GMC 7500 and was wondering if any of you know of a source for a windshield. Or, do you know if the split windshield from the 9500 will work?

I would like to restore this body, but I need a windshield. If I can't find one, I'll probably put a 60 - 66, C60 cab on it. But I really like this body style.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

For a new one, I would start with your local Auto Glass Dealer. There are probably some new ones still out there and maybe they could track one down for you. For a used one, although a little rare, there should still be 100's out there. Try some big truck salvage yards. I would check on the interchange to be sure, but any 5500 to 7500 of your cab style should work.

[Gunslingertom]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

For a new one, I would start with your local Auto Glass Dealer. There are probably some new ones still out there and maybe they could track one down for you. For a used one, although a little rare, there should still be 100's out there. Try some big truck salvage yards. I would check on the interchange to be sure, but any 5500 to 7500 of your cab style should work.

Yeah, I've checked locally and hit dead ends. I really thought the 8500 and 9500 cabs were the same. But I will check on 5500 trucks as well. These cabs are hard to find here.
This is a good thread.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

The 8500 and 9500 Cabs are the same, but I don't believe the Split Glass Windshields they have will work in a 7500 that has the 1-Piece Windshield. Maybe Dan or Bob can jump in to let us know either way for sure.

I would also try the find the original GM part number for it. That should help in your search as well as the interchange.

[Gunslingertom]

So I found a windshield from a local guy who is supposed to specialize in hard to find windshields. He does all of our glass where I work. 185 bucks installed seems like a bargain.
I plan to restore this truck, but most here probably wouldn't appreciate the way I'm going to do it, so I'll keep quiet.

[Bob B.]

Glad you found one! All I know is the 9500's have the two-piece, but not sure how easy it is to install a two-piece in a one-piece cab.

[Gunslingertom]

figured i'd post some pics of my ugly duckling. 1966 GMC 7500 with 6V53 Detroit.
I feel like I saved this truck. The guy I bought it from was going to use the engine in a 57 GMC pickup, but realized he'd have to cut into the firewall, which he was unwilling to do. He'd already taken the hood, fenders and grill off. instead of nicely unbolting things, he cut a lot of it with a torch. He cut the fenders from the running boards. I wish he would have at least taken the bolts out there.
Anyway, I have a windshield found, and plan on doing a LOT of body work. But it's going to remain patina'ed. Rat rod semi truck, if you will. The engine runs great. Electrical is a mess, so I don't know about the rear end. I'm probably going to graft in a rear section from a twin screw truck with s cam brakes and air ride anyway. Sad when you've been driving big trucks for so long, when you vision a hot rod, it has a fifth wheel.

[BlueDiver]

I'd watch that build! I like the rat rod look, but I also like the classic restoration look. I think it all comes down the the vehicle and what can be made of it. Sometimes its just too costly or the owner doesn't have the skill (like me) to bring one back but rat rodding it is a very viable option. Better than being crushed to make razor blades!

Yours has a good patina for it as well.

Enjoy!

[Gunslingertom]

Originally Posted by BlueDiver

I'd watch that build! I like the rat rod look, but I also like the classic restoration look. I think it all comes down the the vehicle and what can be made of it. Sometimes its just too costly or the owner doesn't have the skill (like me) to bring one back but rat rodding it is a very viable option. Better than being crushed to make razor blades!

Yours has a good patina for it as well.

Enjoy!

For this, it a question of skill or expense, it's parts availability. No bone yards near here. If anyone know of any in the Missouri and bordering states, let me know. I have no problem driving. I would love to restore this, but I can't find parts.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Glad to see that you are saving it. I had one pretty much like it, only it was a '67.

They are still around, if not in regular Big Truck yards, they will be in private yards, as well as on farms, in back of garages, etc. I would most likely run a parts wanted ad in your local trading publication. Also when you call a Big Truck yard and get an answer "no", ask them for any other possibilities. You need to be like a detective on a hunt, lol.

Keep us posted on it.

[Gunslingertom]

What years did GMC run this can?

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Originally Posted by Gunslingertom

What years did GMC run this can?

1966-1988.

~Ben

[Gunslingertom]

88? You sure about that? Talking the same cab and front clip options.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

With the 9500, '66 to '77 (Including the High Hoods).

The 7500 went longer but not sure when it stopped.

[Gunslingertom]

I'm amazed that it's been so hard to nail down any real dependable information on this model.
The other day I contact a commercial truck salvage yard in Batesville Arkansas to see what they had laying around. I told them that I needed parts for a 66 to late 70's GMC 7500. Specifically, body parts. So they send me pics of a 67-72 Chevy C60 truck cab. Now you'd think that a commercial truck salvage yard would know the difference between a GMC and a Chevrolet.
I'm getting my windshield installed this week. I said from the beginning that the availability of a windshield will make my decision as to rather I restore this truck or get another model cab. Since I found a windshield, I decided that this was the cab for me. I wish I would have tried to find the hood parts before ordering the windshield, because it's too late to cancel that deal. So I'm kinda stuck with it now.
Nevertheless, it's looking like a rat rod project is eminent.

[greywuuf]

"real" information is there and fairly easily available (several board members here have manuals and have been quite helpful to me ) the problem to me seem to be , being able to convey to "non aficianados" what we have....I was guilty myself having owned (and still have ) a C60 I assumed that all the trucks were "C's". People don't seem to bring this "odd ball" imeadiately to mind when we discuss them or look for parts. I never know how to describe them to people at yards when I am looking for parts.......to get them in the correct "mindset". Simply saying I have a JV 70 does not help much ...unless they happen to be looking in a good parts book.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

And technically a J is a Tandem and H is a Single Axle. Therefore when calling for Cab parts, you could say either, which will really get them confused, lol.

Then there are people out there that actually use "C" 90 in their site name...