Help 1969 GMC short Bed 4x4 4speed manual

[rayray767]

Going to look at a 69 GMC short bed 4x4 pickup tomorrow . Has a 350 O'Reillys crate motor with about 300 miles on it he says . Chevy front grill and Chevrolet tailgate . Bed,cab,floors,solid but will need rockers panels possibly cab corners if you want it done right he also says. What I would like to know is how desirable are these trucks. I don't know too much about the GMC side. I know they look cool and I'd like to have one but don't know a whole lot. I also know they don't come around very often for sale. I asked him the basics "is it a true short bed "yes" Gauges all work lights work blinkers windshield wipers etc. is good frame is solid. I saw pics it looks really clean. Do these trucks have the Vin tag on the door jam like the Blazers? Is the Vin number on the frame in the same location as the Blazers? Anything I should look at on the title to prove it is what it is? I'm thinking it should say short bed GMC 4 x 4
Is there anything else I should look for on this vehicle to prove it's a 69 and a short bed 4 x 4 ? Anyone know how many of these trucks were made? Which ones were more desirable the Chevy or the GMC? What do these trucks sell for all cleaned up? Any help would be much appreciated .
Thanks everyone 🤔

[hugger6933]

As far as numbers go I'd say for about every ten trucks you run across 1 or 2 might be a GMC. But that is my thinking and we had a very popular GMC dealer here. Yes the vin # will be where you expect them. If you know anything about a Blazer it [that knowledge] should transfer over to the truck.My main question would be why does it have grille and Chevy tail? Unless it has to do with my first statement.

[rayray767]

Yeah that really bothers me makes me wonder if it's been wrecked or something I'll check the wiring to see if there's wiring for the dual headlights or not and if the wiring has been all hacked up in that area. I'll check the front frame to see if it's been pulled out fixed repaired and bumper brackets look good and not bent. If it's titled GMC well they wouldn't make a grill without the dual headlights I wouldn't think.
Thanks for your response Hugger...

[SS Tim]

Suggest reviewing the decoders Bruce did that are linked in my signature.
The truck's numbers will tell you what you need to know if they are present and you know how to read them.
I'd also have to wonder why someone is selling it with a 300 mile motor.

[rayray767]

Wow thanks a lot for that SStim 👍

[cbeerman]

I have a 68 k1500 swb v6 there isn't much data out there on them. The VIN won't tell you the wheelbase it will be on the SPID along with the model number. but that's If the SPID is even there. The VIN will tell you the motor type, if it was an original 4x4, bed style, year, and the plant where it was made.

The model number and partial vin should be on the frame but you'll probably have a tough time finding it.

Mine has no SPID but the model number is written in grease pen on the cowl I have my protect O plate which verifies my motor/trans combo. I inspected the frame when I bought it looking for signs of modifications.

[rayray767]

Yeah I'm really hoping on that SPID to be there and readable too. Worse comes to worse I'm only out a six-hour round-trip drive and a day's pay from work I've driven way further than that looking at Blazers they're kind of my thing I've got four presently. I've got a pretty good idea right where the vin is on that frame and will definitely be bringing a small piece of sandpaper with me along with a couple spare tires to set in the bed to strap down the original motor it's coming with me without a doubt if I decide to purchase. As far as that 300 mile crate motor from O'Reillys I don't trust it. I haven't heard much on O'Reilly crate motors . The gentleman told me his plan was selling it then the motor gave out. My guess is when you have a vehicle that is not turnkey you get a bunch of people wanting to lowball you on price. I'm guessing this is why he slapped a motor in there to sell. I'll ask him more questions face-to-face on that. I'd ask him to text me a photo of the spid but I'm guessing being his grandson listed it online for him I think I know his answer on that. Anyway not too far it'll be a nice quiet drive over the mountains and through the woods to see it .
Thank you also sir for your message...

[rayray767]

Got out there today.... Here's the news... Spid was there but model number and vin was scratched off that was a red light for me :/
Vin tag was on the door jam from what I decoded it was a 2wheel drive body
Sitting on a 4wheel drive frame ... Frame vin didn't match vin tag either
The frame vin was in the same location as the blazer but slightly to the right side of the frame top rail close to the edge where as the blazer is more center of the top frame rail . All I lost today was some gas money and a days pay but the time spent with my brother in the car was priceless we don't get together much.
Guess this is
The end
Thanks for everyone's responses in this thread it helped out a lot !
Ray...

[special-K]

I'm glad you went for it. It could have turned out great. You never know, unless you don't go.

[rayray767]

Yep there were a few where I didn't go and I still
Kick myself for it...

[palallin]

Was the title clean?

[rayray767]

Never even looked at it ..... Saw the frame vin didn't match the vin tag & the vin tag said it was 2wd ... I was like geeezzzz I'm out ... Left in a hurry to make it back across the Kentucky Ohio bridge before Cincinnati traffic let out Friday.
I will say this it was a nice enough truck to buy for a replica if the money was right .I told him what he had I showed him the vin decoder. He said he had no idea that's what it was and had four other trucks that were super clean and nice and completely restored that he wasn't selling. 😛 I'll just say now that he knew what he had I hope he told the next person what it really was as this is the only fair thing to do . I was needing a pick up truck anyway I would've paid 3000 as is after knowing. He wouldn't come down on price. It would've been a cool truck to drive around as is . I wouldn't sink any money into it but I definitely would've driven it around Haul stuff with it.