New guy here with a 65 GMC 3/4 ton

[Captainfab]

To use the '78 brake booster you will have to drill some holes to bolt it up. Be aware that is doing so, you will not have as good of a connection between your booster/master and the pedal bracket as it is designed to be. Plus I do not know where those holes will come out in the inside in relation to the stiffening ribs and such. Those boosters are not compatible with my booster bracket.

[65 GMC]

Thanks Capt. That's the information I was looking for. Sounds like a booster will be on my list of things to buy.

[65 GMC]

I found time this morning to remove the front end sheet metal, I got up early to do this trying to beat the Kansas heat. I still need to lift the engine out and remove the bed. This week I will be clearing a spot out in the shop so that I can bring it home to work on it.

[65 GMC]

Here are a few pictures of the 65 as it looks now.

[Daze57]

65 GMC --
a good pressure wash or steam cleanin;as it sits will make it look really good + gettin all that gunk off will really help ya see what ya got !
good lookin truck !

[65 GMC]

It will get a good washing before it goes in my shop along with the donor chassis before it is pulled apart.

[55dude]

great thread! i'm picking up a 64 gmc camper special and have a 75 donor truck. the guy i'm getting truck from didn't have correct parts like bellhousing for stick setup so linkage isn't even close no is the mounts for the 250. i'll post pictures when it comes home, trading for a clapped out 60 c10 235/3spd! the 64 had 305 v6 and ps &pb factory!

[65 GMC]

I got the bed off today, and hauled the donor truck cab to the scrap yard yesterday morning. But not before stripping it of useable parts. I started cleaning the shop today and should be ready to get the 65 in it on Friday. I got some brackets from Captainfab yesterday, so hopefully I can start making some real progress on it.

[65 GMC]

Here is what the 65 looks like as of now. My younger brother has a few 63-66 parts trucks , so I also plan to get rid of the leaf spring setup and convert it over to trailing arms in back using the rear axle out of the donor truck. The blue 84 GMC in the background is Dad's donor truck for his 60 Apache. He plans to use the front crossmember, rear axle and 305 engine.

[Captainfab]

A couple months ago, I saw a '66 GMC 3/4 ton that had rear cab mounts not typical of a Chevy C20 and bigger truck, but typical of a Chevy C10. I see that your '65 also has those style of rear cab mounts. Previously I was of the understanding that all C20 and up Chevy and 1500 and up GMC's had the same style of rear cab mounts. Interesting.

BTW it looks like the differential under your GMC is a Dana 60. You might be able to sell that rather than scrapping it.

[65 GMC]

I have seen pictures of the other style of rear cab mounts, but have never had a truck with them. But then again this is the first truck rated more than 1/2 ton that I have ever had. From the pictures that I have seen they look pretty fail prone, and an overall bad design.

[65 GMC]

I had some time to work on the GMC today. I cut the crossmember and rear axle out of the donor truck. Power washed the grease off of the front crossmember, then came home and removed the crossmember on the GMC. I will bring the donor crossmember to town in the morning ,roll it underneath and start getting everything lined up. I should have a few boxes of goodies from POL on Tuesday.

[65 GMC]

Been awhile since I posted any progress. So far I have the front cross member swap complete. I installed a sweet mfg u-joint in the steering column as I wanted to use the collapsible shaft from the 1978 donor truck. The u-joint was rather pricey but it's better than trying to dodge a 3/4 steel shaft in an accident. I got my drop spindles, 4" rear lowering springs and rear axle install kit from POL. Now I just need to swing the truck around and start on the rear end. Going to pull the trailing arm set up from the 66 Chevy donor today, and hopefully get the rear end out of the GMC also. Here are some photos to show the progress.