Intro: New Owner '87 GMC

[nickvig]

Hey guys. I've been lurking around here for quite a while. A few years ago I had a '98 regular cab short bed but I ended up getting rid of it. I've been looking for a truck and found this really nice GMC:

It's mostly original. The front end has cut springs and there's 2" shackles in the back. I'm working on putting it back to stock because the cut springs only leave me about 1" of travel in the front and it bottoms out a lot. I love lowered trucks but something that's stock is much more useable for me these days. And I like the idea of a semi-restored truck of this vintage.

I'm hoping you guys can help me out with a few questions.

RPO code V42 says step bumper. Does that just mean a stock rear bumper? This truck has what looks to be an aftermarket bumper but I can't find anything like it.

RPO code B7P says Fleet Incentive Whataburger. I don't believe this is correct in 1987. Does anyone know what that RPO code actually was?

Did any of these trucks come stock with a rear swaybar? This truck has one but it isn't connected. I'm not sure if someone put it on there and then it was disconnected when they dropped the rear end.

I read through Keith Seymour's thread and saw that he added a factory tach to his truck. I've been searching through the forums but can't find anything definitive about swapping the gas gauge for a factory tach. Is there a sticky or info posted anywhere I'm missing?

[WestButteTruck]

V42 is for a chrome rear step bumper, it looks like the one I have on mine. Nice pickup by the way.

[Keith Seymore]

Welcome aboard -

I agree with WestButte - V42 is chrome rear step. That one looks a little more styled than I remember them being. The pic below is from the '86 sales brochure; I believe the same pic was used in the '87 brochure. (Note they used old pictures with obsolete side trim in the tailgate pictures).

B7P sounds right for a sales/promotional RPO. Those get reused for various trim packages and promotional activities but GM does not keep an overall list of all the different ways they were used.

No rear swaybar from the factory for 1/2 tons.

I did swap clusters in my truck for the tach cluster. The tach was available for the V6 manual trans combination but due to an oversight in the engineering release not listed for my transmission. I did have to rework the wiring slightly but I don't recall now specifically what I did.

K

[nickvig]

Hi Keith! Thanks for the message and I appreciate the info.

The truck has an aftermarket tach mounted to the dashboard. It works but I don't really like it. I'd love to have a factory style tach, I found another forum where some guys were putting one in but I think I need to do a little more research as it requires you to modify the instrument cluster.

Since you were quite involved at that time, I have a couple of other questions I'm hoping you can help with.

I've looked here:

http://brochures.slosh.com/index.shtml?1987

But I don't see anything that resembles this seat cover. (See pic attached) Have you ever seen anything like this before? I'm thinking it might have been redone but it's so old (smells old!) that I thought it might be factory.

Also, were the small front bumper guards a Dealer Installed Option? I can't seem to find any reference for those anywhere. I'd like to find a set for my truck but they're like hen's teeth for some reason. I was curious as to what the option was originally.

[Keith Seymore]

You are welcome.

I don't recognize that seat cover so I would have to say not factory for squares. Looks like maybe a GMT 400 version or something.

Do you have a pic of the bumper guards you are thinking of? The ones I know I would describe as "tall", as they stick up over the top of the bumper. These shown below are factory installed RPO V31.

I'll attach a couple generic info packets from the GM Heritage Center archives, for your reference:

The '87 version (which includes GMC):

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

The '86 version, since the pics in the '87 are kinda crappy:

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

K

[nickvig]

Hi Keith. Those are exactly what I'm looking for!! Thanks for posting the links. I can't seem to find any repops or OEM ones anywhere. USA industries used to make replacements but they don't any longer. I guess I'll have to start scouring the junkyards.

On a side note, does anyone have a link to diagnosing dual fuel tanks? The previous owner of the truck had the switch, selector valve, and RH tank replaced about six months before I bought the truck. I switched tanks one day and I get nothing from the RH side. The fuel pump comes on but it won't start. Also the fuel gauge doesn't change when you flip the switch. I've already replaced the switch but that wasn't it. Any ideas?