UY1 and Z81 RPOs - question (camper stuff)

[jocko]

Curious about these 2 codes -
UY1 is camper wiring, provides that funky little connection on driver side outer cab.
Z81 is Custom Camper equip.

While I can see how UY1 might be ordered separately (i.e. I have seen a truck with ONLY that option, no Z81), seems odd that one would want UY1 and not Z81. Most likely a slide-in camper vs. trailer wiring thing, etc. Dunno.

BUT, I alwasy thought Z81 included UY1. So, have also seen a truck with UY1 and Z81 on the SPID.

Wouldn't Z81 have included UY1? Or is it entirely separate wiring? I am assuming the latter - simply because have seen Custom Campers with NO external cab UY1 connection port.

Interested in your thoughts.

[SS Tim]

The UY1 was a slide in camper wire harness option. Most of us now agree that it was shipped as a loose if you will taped off harness. The connector appears to have be a dealer/user installed component of the option. There was also a dual battery and a left stepwell junction block option aimed directly at the camper market.
Z81 Custom Camper is a nameplate, No Charge option. It did not include anything but the nameplate. But to qualify for the Z81 option there were mandatory RPO options to be ordered as well.
See pages 12&24 of '72pdf. :-)

[MusicMan70]

My wiring runs from the firewall down through the frame, not up top. This wiring diagram came from our website...

[Pont406]

my c10 has UY1 option. I wish it didn't. Who ever did it hacked it bad. It didn't short out but you can see light under it and seat belt rubbing on wiring. Truck was built in Canada.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by MusicMan70

My wiring runs from the firewall down through the frame, not up top. This wiring diagram came from our website...

Musicman - isn't that the wiring that comes with the Custom Camper option, not the Camper Wiring option? I thought Camper Wiring was just to provide power to the lights etc in a slide-in camper, not to direct power to the turn sigs, etc. I thought THAT function was accomplished by the Z81.

I don't know, so that's why I'm asking. Thanks very much for posting the replies, very helpful. Homeboy learning "camper-speak"....

[SS Tim]

Again the Z81 option does not include anything but the emblem. In fact I have seen a number of SPIDs of trucks that qualified but were not equipped. The UY1 wire harness was a stand alone camper wiring option that you could get for any reason. It included a power feed, running lights and turn signals. These were included as most of the campers at the time 8'6" and above were squared out in the back and occluded the factory lights.
It seems that the connectors were shipped loose for dealer or ever owner installation. A hack job installation is often the result of a flat rate "we need it now to sell the truck" sales floor demand.

[jocko]

Hmmm. I NEVER knew that. So, Z81 was just the "Custom Camper" emblem and nothing else??? But weren't there some "pre-requsites" that the truck had to have to be eligible for ordering the nameplate? (i.e. this listing I found from Longhornman) When I read this, I see what you mean, it's just the nameplate - but seems it would be an indication that the truck had some specific options already selected. Would that be correct?

EDIT: regardless, I think the Custom Camper emblem is one of the coolest looking ones! I don't know why.

EDIT #2 - looks like it was called "Camper Nameplate" on 67-8. Now THAT makes more sense...

[SS Tim]

You got it, I think. Here are clips from pg 12 & 24 I mentioned in post#2. They are kind of cool arn't they. Key words here "Available only when"

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Again the Z81 option does not include anything but the emblem. In fact I have seen a number of SPIDs of trucks that qualified but were not equipped. The UY1 wire harness was a stand alone camper wiring option that you could get for any reason. It included a power feed, running lights and turn signals. These were included as most of the campers at the time 8'6" and above were squared out in the back and occluded the factory lights.
It seems that the connectors were shipped loose for dealer or ever owner installation. A hack job installation is often the result of a flat rate "we need it now to sell the truck" sales floor demand.

Tim is 100% correct! My 69 came with all the required options, but did not have the Custom Camper nameplate, perhaps it was because the truck is a CST (I think the 1969 C.C. emblem was normally in the location on the fender where my CST/20 emblem is). I used to think that the wiring came bundled under the cab attached to the frame as is the camper wiring that is optional on today's trucks. However, last week I saw in the assembly manual that it was to be bundled, run up between the bed and cab, and placed in the front left stake pocket. In addition to the clips on the frame to hold the wiring there was a loop screwed to the left rear of the cab about 8"-10" above the lower cab edge to hold the harness in place.

[FirstOwner69]

Here's my SPID with all the required options. Part of the deal with the dealer was to add power brakes, but they were not required for the C.C. option. As noted above, the wiring was not required either.

[special-K]

The factory referred to emblems as nameplates. I think it's odd that camper mirrors weren't required,more than anything. I have had quite a few Custom Campers,as those have always been my thing,from a K/10 to a C/30...mostly K-models. If a truck didn't have the nameplate it just wasn't ordered. A truck that wasn't a Custom Camper could have more camper equipment that one with the nameplate. I had a '72 Custom Camper Cheyenne Super K/20 that had the standard mirrors (guys here call them sport mirrors). You couldn't see anything behind you with nothing in the bed!

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by special-K

The factory referred to emblems as nameplates. I think it's odd that camper mirrors weren't required,more than anything. I have had quite a few Custom Campers,as those have always been my thing,from a K/10 to a C/30...mostly K-models. If a truck didn't have the nameplate it just wasn't ordered. A truck that wasn't a Custom Camper could have more camper equipment that one with the nameplate. I had a '72 Custom Camper Cheyenne Super K/20 that had the standard mirrors (guys here call them sport mirrors). You couldn't see anything behind you with nothing in the bed!

Ditto on the mirrors. GM actually sold 6" extensions for the DG4 mirrors my truck came with. Ran them that way for years so I could carry my cab-over camper safely.

[SS Tim]

Mirrors are an intresting aspect in that they were not a required option. But then marketing people for both the truck and the camper (RV) industry were pushing the dual use concept. Work/family truck during the week and a camper on the weekends. The truth is by the time you set up a bigger rig the last thing you wanted to do was strip it down Sunday night to work on Monday morning. Most of the big campers lived on their trucks for an owner or two.
One factor that many people seem to have forgotten is that the larger campers of this time period often were equipped with their own overhead mounted mirrors. Thus negating the need for large truck mirrors that wouldn't fit in the garage.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by special-K

I had a '72 Custom Camper Cheyenne Super K/20 that had the standard mirrors (guys here call them sport mirrors). You couldn't see anything behind you with nothing in the bed!

Yeah, but I bet it sure looked sweet!! While I know they are functional, I'm am NOT a huge fan of the gigantoid camper mirrors. Don't mind the smaller ones (not sure their reference name) that have the tripod all above the upper belt line, but stuff that extends into the mid-door gives me the willys. But they are very functional, and definitely a must have if you have a camper on there.

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

My 69 came with all the required options, but did not have the Custom Camper nameplate, perhaps it was because the truck is a CST (I think the 1969 C.C. emblem was normally in the location on the fender where my CST/20 emblem is).

My truck has UY1, Z81, and Z84. So it's a CST with a Custom Camper emblem.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

My truck has UY1, Z81, and Z84. So it's a CST with a Custom Camper emblem.

That's what I thought. Perhaps the ordering dealer for mine wanted to promote the CST option rather than the Custom Camper aspect and let the camper wiring and 7500# GVWR speak for themselves.

[med.bronze]

Then could someone explain this to me? I got this out of a '71 K20 that came with the nameplate, aux. battery, and camper wiring on the SPID. This was coming out of the firewall where the rear lighting wiring would normally come out of.

[jocko]

dunno, but I will add to the mix - here's a pic of a Custom Camper engine compartment and it has a little pigtail going to the master cylinder? Is THIS part of the camper wiring or trailer wiring stuff?

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by jocko

dunno, but I will add to the mix - here's a pic of a Custom Camper engine compartment and it has a little pigtail going to the master cylinder? Is THIS part of the camper wiring or trailer wiring stuff?

Certainly not factory. And, I have no idea what it is. I think most trailer brakes back then tapped into the brake system hydraulics.

I don't believe the battery isolator shown in your picture mounted on the inner fender for the optional auxillary battery was factory either. Good idea though since most campers at the time did not have on-board batteries and received their power from the battery (or batteries) under the hood.

[SS Tim]

The camper harness, as I'm understanding, ran down under the cab and was taped off between the bed and the cab. Many trucks have a conncetor in the B pillar that seems to have been a dealer installed component of the option. Has anyone looked in the assembly manual for the UY1 option? I cannot find mine and a replacement is enroute.
Jocko, Your picture is kind of small but it seems that the "harness" is in fact a couple of wires running nearby. The green actually looks like a ground from the aux battery to the alternator bracket or to the engine harness. In the foreground is an old solid state battery isolator. Not a stock setup.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

The camper harness, as I'm understanding, ran down under the cab and was taped off between the bed and the cab. Many trucks have a conncetor in the B pillar that seems to have been a dealer installed component of the option. Has anyone looked in the assembly manual for the UY1 option? I cannot find mine and a replacement is enroute.
Jocko, Your picture is kind of small but it seems that the "harness" is in fact a couple of wires running nearby. The green actually looks like a ground from the aux battery to the alternator bracket or to the engine harness. In the foreground is an old solid state battery isolator. Not a stock setup.

Yup, it's in the Assembly Manual as I noted in post 9 above. The wires were to be bundled, run between the cab and bed, then put in the left front stake pocket.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by med.bronze

Then could someone explain this to me? I got this out of a '71 K20 that came with the nameplate, aux. battery, and camper wiring on the SPID. This was coming out of the firewall where the rear lighting wiring would normally come out of.

Is that shown in the picture in MusicMan70's post 3? My cab is at the body shop so I can't look at mine.

[med.bronze]

in the '71 where I got the pigtail it went into the firewall like in MusicMan70's picture but it doesn't have the same rubber connector end like his picture, mine has a rectangular plastic end. That's why it has always been a mystery to me because every camper harness I have seen is like the one in MusicMan70's picture