68 c20 cst?

[bowcoffin]

Trying to figure out what I am working with... Been doing some research and I am stuck... The only thing I can think of is that I have a CST?

The truck has a 350w/ TH400 trans and has power breaks and steering...

I have not found any info that the 68 was made with a 350 although it looks like it is all stock... the title says 68 so that rules out the possibility of a year lost?

Help me out here..

THANKS GUYS!

[kcsa75]

The front end of that truck is 69 or 70, so if it's really a 68 the front end has been swapped. It would stand to reason then that the motor and transmission could have been swapped out as well.

[bowcoffin]

What makes it a 69-70 front end? Trying to tell the difference...

[Bears63]

The whole grille and hood. That style was only in '69 and '70. The grille style on the '68 was used in '67 and '68. So, if the VIN translates to '68 then that front has been swapped. As far as I know, a '68 pickup did not have a 350 option, so that engine is out of something else.

[71tahoe]

The grill has a bar with CHEVROLET lettering between the headlights on the 69-70.

It looks like all the other trim was from 69-up too so my guess is the DMV processed the title in 1968 on a 69 model year truck.

[bruceman1968]

Your truck appears to be a 1969. Probably a early build that got titled as a 68. You can check your vin number to determine for sure.

[hugger6933]

67-68 moulding were also different than the 69-72 so if the truck did happen to be a 68 witch is looking doubtful at this moment all of the other sheet metal has been changed as well. Jim

[bowcoffin]

Yeah the VIN reads as CE248Z171828 So per the decryptor it should be a 68? So is it just the grill or do the fenders and hood need to be reconverted for restore? And what engine was stock in the 50th anniversary truck? It has been repainted and I have noticed that it was registered to the Forrest service if that helps anything? Is the TH400 anything special? Thanks again for all the input!

[69GMCLonghorn]

That upper fender molding doesn't even look like something off of any vehicle of that vintage. You sir, have bought a Canardly... You canardly tell what the heck it is!! I'd say forget the resto, do what you want with it. You have a great engine combo. Just make it nice.

[bowcoffin]

Here is another look at that front end

[john]

Which emergency brake do you have? The 67-68 has a hand pull and the 69-70 has a foot pedal.

[bowcoffin]

It is a hand pull brake..

[john]

Here is a pic of a 67-68 grill. To change you will need the fenders, hood, grill and radiator support. Your bumper is the same. The custom badge on the door looks correct for a 68. A CST would have a CST badge on the door.The 350 eng. was from 69 and later in trucks. The TH400 was available in 68.

[bowcoffin]

Thanks John, Appreciate it! Looks like this is going to get spendy!

[bruceman1968]

Bowcoffin, Can you check your frame VIN, It's a partial.

[bowcoffin]

I can check it Monday and let you know.. what are you thinking with that?

[bruceman1968]

To see if the cab is original to the frame.

[bowcoffin]

Oh I see... Last weekend I was doing some work with the frame (Scraping it down for paint) and noticed that the rear bumper was "Jimmy Rigged' on with a weld job. Looking at the actual frame, it looks really short to be a C20, was thinking it looked more like a C10, rigged for a C20? Ill post more pics

[john]

Your partial frame number should have a 8Z for fremont plant and yr. model and the last no's of your VIN.

[bowcoffin]

Check these out.. the black frame obviously is after all of the bumper and excess has been taken off.. like I said before it was registered to the forest service so I'm not sure if they had it altered... it was a pain to cut the weld though...

[bruceman1968]

EDIT: John got it, Z8xxxxxx

[bowcoffin]

Sounds good.. I'll check and let you know... If it's not matching- I'm pretty much screwed as far as saving any sort of a restore goes huh?

[hugger6933]

Here is my bet. It is a rebuilt wreck from back in the day, I know I have been doing it thirty years and was not the one that came up with the idea fresh by any means. I still say it has had a sheet metal change, that is how the upper and lower moulding are off the later model than the 68 mouldings. It makes perfect sense to me, but maybe just me. Jim

[bowcoffin]

Thanks Jim. By sheet metal change you mean fenders, doors, hood, etc.? Thanks again for all of the input! Any thoughts then on the 350/th400? New to all of this so I am sponging all of the info!

Thanks again guys

[bowcoffin]

Also, if this is not going to be a restore... Let's talk power.. I just bought a new 1405 Edelbrock carb as well as the matching manifold. Anything else that I can do to get this thing running at peak performance?