1956 GMC F370 LCF Rollback Carrier

[DoctorGlenn]

Well I did it. I bought a '56 GMC LCF rollback off eBay to use in shuttling vehicles around as I work on them. Some of you may have seen the listing. The truck is in pretty good shape all-in-all with only a couple of minor rust issues that were painted over in glossy black. It came with paperwork that shows it being titled in Nebraska in 1965 and then fitted with the rollback bed in 1999 and used in Pennsylvania until 2002. I've got the paperwork from the bed installation and will be contacting the manufacturer (Kilar) in a couple of days.

At some point before the bed was installed, the original 334 V8 was replaced by a BBC 427. I haven't yet been able to get to the block casting number to determine the vintage and if it's a tall deck. That's backed up with the factory installed Spicer 5652B 5-speed and a 2-speed rear end. It has the deluxe cab with the big back window and Viking level ride seats.

Now that I've had a chance to look at the truck I'm building a list of missing parts, upgrade questions, and just need some help identifying some of the bits that came with it, so look for posts and know that I appreciate any help, information or encouragement you can share.

- Glenn

(Please ignore the F1 panel and IHC pickup in the photos. I love trucks...)

[flashed]

Now that is Too Kool , Im in to see more .

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Nice looking truck.

Keep us posted on it.

[DoctorGlenn]

Thanks for the good words. I'm only going to get to work on this a limited amount this winter due to my real job and the vagaries of the weather since the truck's too long to make the 90 degree turn to get into my shop. That said, I will try to keep this thread up to date when I do get work done.

As I mentioned, there are some parts that came with this that I don't believe are actually for this truck. Some of this was obviously plated and I'm uncertain what it does belong to. Any help in identifying things in the attached photos would be appreciated.

I have two pairs of headlight trim rings. The shorter pair seem to be correct for the truck, but I have no idea what the taller pair fit (first photo).

I have two sets of bezels that don't seem to belong anywhere on the truck (second photo).

I have miscellaneous pieces that I can't figure out. They may fit together in some way but, if so, the thickness of the plating is keeping them from doing so (third photo).

And fourth. The truck has holes in the tops of the fenders for these spears but I can find no pictures of trucks with them installed or find them in GM documentation. Were they available from GM, were they aftermarket or do they come from a completely different source?

Many thanks,

- Glenn

[rkn463]

I love the truck, unfortunately I have no knowledge to share regarding the parts. Good luck with it and keep on posting!

-Richard

[DoctorGlenn]

Some of the mystery solved. I just laid my hands on a 1957 Accessories Installation Reference Manual and a number of these pieces are for the PN 987243 Spot Lamps. Of course, they're missing the inside handles, the inside mounting brackets and hardware and other stuff, and when they were replated, the chrome was applied so thick none of the pieces I have will go together. There are no holes in the truck for these (thankfully) but if I had everything I'd seriously consider installing them.

- Glenn

[Tiger Joe]

as far as telling the difference between a tall deck and standard deck 427- look at the water pump top bolt compared to the cylinder head.

standard deck- Just under 1/4"
Tall Deck- over 1/2"

[DoctorGlenn]

Thanks. Right now my problem is just getting to the engine. The PO removed the hood hinge springs and I'm currently helper-less so getting the hood up and off (it's five feet in the air closed and heavier than any three modern hoods) is in the future. Once I can get all of the front sheetmetal removed I'll be able to identify the engine and assess its condition.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice LCF, and nice collection in the back too!

[Advanced Design]

Interesting project and I will be tagging along.

[buggy5872]

I believe that truck was blue before someone painted it black. Ran around the Pittsburgh PA area. It was on Pittsburgh craigslist for a long time some years back.

[DoctorGlenn]

Parts of the truck that didn't get painted look to be a light blue or aqua. The invoice for the installation of the bed indicates that the bed was painted Dupont Centari Bright Teal, code #38 so this is probably the same truck. The guy I bought it from was in Michigan and said that it had moved around a couple of body shops for about 6 years. There's a little rust in the lower front of the right fender and a couple of spots on the back of the cab inboard from each cab corner that seemed to have been "missed" in the process. It also needs work on the driver's side floor board. But the cab corners, door bottoms, rockers and most of the rest seems pretty solid with no filler I can detect. The paint doesn't appear to have been applied with much care for the prep work so at some point I'll have to take it down to bare metal and do the refinish correctly at which point I'll take care of any body issues I find.

Thanks for the information.

- Glenn

[buggy5872]

Yes it was an aqua blue so chances are that is the same truck.

[DoctorGlenn]

Okay, it's been a while and between work and winter finally deciding to arrive things are moving slowly on the truck. I picked up a wrecked 2012 NPR-HD a couple of weeks ago for what I thought was a bargain price and a semi-local truck salvage company is pulling the parts I want in exchange for the rest of the truck that I don't need.

I'm getting both front and rear axles, all of the steering and all of the brakes. For the brakes that will give me front discs, dual circuit master cylinder, and the vacuum booster. I'll also be able to replace the steering gear/slave cylinder setup on the truck now with modern power steering as well as get more reasonable rear end gearing (5.38:1 rather than the 6.61:1 high range it has currently).

I should be getting the parts in a couple weeks (the shop shut down for the end of the year) and I'll post more when that happens.

[DoctorGlenn]

Even with the more friendly rear end ratio from the NPR I'd still like to have this truck be a little happier at highway speeds. The truck currently has a Spicer 5652-B 5-speed transmission (1st: 7.08, 2nd: 4.37, 3rd: 2.50, 4th: 1.45, 5th: 1.00) with the 8-bolt passenger side PTO for the hydraulic pump for the bed and winch.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an overdrive transmission that would bolt up to the big block 427 in the truck and still have the same passenger side PTO provision that would work? I know that there are OD Spicer transmissions in the 5700 and 5800 series but I'm uncertain if any of them would make for a good replacement or if there's something else I should be looking at.

- Glenn

[flashed]

What about a Gear vendor overdrive behind what you already have ?

[DoctorGlenn]

Originally Posted by flashed

What about a Gear vendor overdrive behind what you already have ?

That's an option I'm considering. It would mean new driveshafts (although that's not a problem), it adds another component to the driveline, and it's a little out of my price range at time being. But it's definitely in the Plan B camp.

Thanks,

- Glenn

[Tiger Joe]

I have a 92 chevy rollback. Haas the nv4500 in it. Don’t thinnn it’s 8 bolt PTO though only 6.

Heavy duty version with parking brake. Works good

[special-K]

I have an old picture of a teal rollback of this body style, I believe, in Photobucket. It can be a real pain looking for stuff there now, but I'll see if I can find it. Could be same truck? I've had the picture a fairly long time... if I still do.

EDIT: That was easy. Right there on first page of main album. Bingo! Your truck