New Member and New '69 GMC - Seeking Advice and Info

[Claidig]

Hi all..I have been reading this forum for a few days now and wish I could have a better introduction then...

Hi everyone...I know you don't know me and I have not contributed a thing here but can I please have some of your valuable time and experience to help me possibly make a few bucks (or not lose a few at least)...lol

But unfortunately that's the realism of it..I am new to this world and only bought this truck becuase
a) I have always loved the looks and
b) I really wanted a fun project that I could be proud of and possibly make a few bucks to put into the next project etc..
Also I had at least a little working capital at the time I found it.
Well how a couple of weeks change things...sigh.

Now I am in a worse financial situation then I have been in a long time and need to figure out what to do with "Oscar".

I am still in the figuring out what I have phase to be honest...what I know is:
- it's a 1969 3/4 ton GMC
- it has a replaced 350 motor that was new in 1981 and has 84k on it
- it has a 4 speed tranny
- it has dual exhaust
- previous owners had it for just over 30 years
- the bed is really solid with only surface rust
- the rocker panels both have the rust issues
- it drives nice down the road with no smoke etc.
- E rated Firestone tires from '03 on 16 in. wheels are in good shape
- seat is trashed but rest of interior is decent I guess (not sure what to expect really)
- it has a Chevy Grille (year?) and tailgate trim

I do not know the trim level of this since it came with no emblems.

I have three possible plans that I am thinking of and would like some advice from those of you in the know

Plan 1.
Sell it as is if I can get enough to re-coop what I have into it I have no idea what it's worth so please give me your 2 cents...or even a penny

Plan 2.
Part it out and try to make more money then selling it as a whole but it will take longer and neither my wife or I like to see perfectly good trucks get parted out...we actually like to rescue vehicles when we can...lol

Plan 3. Quick fix and flip (the original plan but not saying it was or is a good one)
I created a list of items the truck needs, located and priced them..mirrors, seat, door handle, emblems, grille etc. Looked up cost of paint etc. and for around $600 I could have this thing looking quite a bit better. I would not be able to do the sheet metal work so it would have fiberglass filler in the rust areas and I would show all that when it's time to sell it. It would be a decent looking (from a distance), nice driving old classic.
This project would include cleaning up the interior...sanding, priming and spraying the truck in a two tone...replacing the seat and any other BAD uunrepairable parts.

I can really see the finished truck and it looks great in my head.
But...would it be worth the time and effort to do this kind of work on a very small budget? I wouldn't be doing it to fool anyone but it would be hiding the rust etc.
I would enjoy it (so I think) but I am worried it may turn some buyers away but it may bring other buyers who don't care about bondomobiles.

If this was just a regular car or later model truck I would just bondo it without batting an eye...but for some reason I feel it would be a hsame to do this to a classic.

Wow that was a lot for me to type...thank you for staying with me (if you are still here) and I appreciate any and all feedback.

So I guess to sum this up I would like to know your "guesses" on values if I do one of the 3 projects along with advice etc.. And if you know anything else about this truck I am all ears...I am trying to search and read up as often as possible in the meantime.

Thanks again.

[400smallblock]

not trying to be smart.the grill on that truck is a 71 or 72. if its titled as a 69 the front end was probably replaced.

[Claidig]

Originally Posted by 400smallblock

not trying to be smart.the grill on that truck is a 71 or 72. if its titled as a 69 the front end was probably replaced.

It's also a Chevy grill on a GMC truck
Thanks for the year of the grill though..that was one of my questions.

I am going to be looking for a GMC grill / tailgate trim while deciding what to do with the truck.
Do the GMC and chevy grills interchange as easy as I would think they would?
I see I have the two extra bulb sockets for the missing headlights dangling in the engine area.

[71gmcburb]

no the GMCs ran a 68 Chevy fender till 72 while Chevy fenders changed in 69. those are the later fenders and would need to be changed along with the rad support if you wanted to dress it as a GMC

[SS Tim]

Does the truck still have a SPID on the inside of the glove box door? Give us some pictures of that and we can likely sort out pedigree questions. Also pictures of the door sill data plates are a good cross check.

If you go over to this link you can see what I was able to do for FLchevygrl.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=520033

[Claidig]

Just went out and crawled around with a flashlight..couldn't see anything but a small painted over corner of the old glovebox tag.
Only other thing is the VIN number which is...
CE20DZA26239

I have found a couple of trucks for sale with VINs close to this and they both say they are super rare...my guess is either they are saying it's super rare because of the nice condition they are in or they have some special option package that mine doesn't have. There is another one of these not too far away for $1k in quite a bit worse shape (if you can believe that) so I am guessing this is not a rare year / model.

I originally named this truck Oscar (as in Oscar the grouch being green and all) but I may need to change it to Franko..as in Frankenstien now that I am learning it may be half Chevy and Half GMC...still working on that though

Thanks for the replies and help so far...I am thinking I am going to be stuck with this GMChevy now...I can't afford to change out all that

Really what is left of this being a GMC besdies the steering wheel then?...lol

[Claidig]

So is this thing worth anything at all? Can I get my money back from it as is or do I need to go spend a little more and sell it as a regular old work truck?
I can get good mirrors, nice green seat and fix the antenna and still be in it $1200.

I was really looking forward to fixing this thing up but not if it's a half breed...now I really need to re-think what to do and may just try to sell it as is and as a work truck.

Or I can spend another $3-$500 on prep and paint and be in it $1500-$1700 and it would look like a decent truck and drive pretty good. Although it would take me a long time I would enjoy painting it...just don't like hiding the rust etc I can only patch with kitty hair, that should be left for someone who knows what they are doing and has the tools.

I think at this point I would rather sell it as is though..or at least do the mirrors and seat so it's fully functional and not uncomfortable to drive (seat really sucks right now).

Oh and the Neighbors just love the LOUD La Cucaracha horn it has..they will miss it I am sure...lol

p.s. You all should take a poll on how many times I will change my mind on what to do...lol I think I have changed my mind 4 or 5 times today alone.

[SS Tim]

C(conventional) E(V8 gas) 2(3/4 ton) 0D(Wideside/Fleetside) Z(Freemont, CA plant) A(1969) 26239(serial number)
Well I just had to jump on this. Never had anyone go out in the middle of the night to look up a number! Hope this helps confirm some of what you knew or suspected.

Not too sure what else to tell you at this point. Actually I'd not worry too much about emblems. Just clean it up and dont worry. Often emblems were removed in the past.