1967 GMC WS SB incorrect production #s

[arcticman]

I would like to start by saying that my opinions are just that. Early this year I purchased a very original 1 owner 67 K1500 WS SB and so I'm fairly new to this forum/site.

I was looking for information on 1967 GMC production #. I now know those #are not available, through the information I received on this site.
Because this information is not available the 1967 Chevrolet production #s are being used as a way to estimate GMC production#s by assuming that Chevrolet outsold GMC by 3 or 4 to 1.

I believe this estimate is not accurate and in fact, the correct #s may be less than 2 to 1.

When I posted pictures of my truck several months ago one member posted some pictures of his 67 k1500 sb and his vin # indicated his truck was 580. his last 4 # in his vin are 1580. mine are 1117.

[54blackhornet]

To suggest this I believe is incorrect....

[Bob B.]

The sequential VIN numbers more-or-less started at '1' at every assembly plant, not for each model configuration. To better explain, let's say Fremont started 1967 production with a 1/2 ton 4X2 with a 250 (a CS1500) as VIN 00001. The next truck could have been a 3/4 ton 305 4X4 (a KM2500), and it would have VIN 00002. Fremont built Chevy's too, but I do not think Chevy truck VIN's ran consecutively with GMC's. FWIW, I have always heard light truck production ran about 3 Chevy's for 1 GMC average in those days. About the only thing the consecutive VIN number would tell you is how many trucks a given plant made during a model year, if you had the number of the last truck that plant built that model year.

[arcticman]

Hello Bob, Thanks for your response. The vin decoder I'm getting my info from is on GMC Pauls. It states that 1001 is the starting point for 1967 GMC numbering sequence. What I hear you telling me is that number is for all vehicles produced by GMC at all combined plants and is not a specific model. Is this correct?

My truck vin. last 5 digits are 1117A. It was built in Fremont. So that would mean my K1500 WS SB 1/2 ton was 117th vehicle produced by GMC in the Fremont plant for 1967. Is that correct?

I found total production numbers for the GMC Femont plant in 1967;11,545 all GMC vehicles. Thats about 460 vehicles a day. 117 in the light duty class seems like they would have that vehicle kicked out pretty early in the production years. Like the first week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
On the upper left upper corner of my build sheet is a box titled
"Sched. No. Date" it is stamped 1-31-1967. If model years start in Aug. or sometime in the third QT. of the prior year(1966). My truck being 117 built six months into the model year seems very low. Even if that date is a scheduled delivery date it still seems hard to believe that a truck with that low of a number would have a delivery date that far out. I mean dealers would be getting ready to order there 1968 vehicles. My build sheet also has the dealers name and address on it(Fairbanks Alaska). So the factory would have had all that info prior to building the truck.

Can anybody explain the date on the build sheet. What am I missing?
Thanks

[bcfishon]

If it's any help here is the VIN plate on my 67 gmc short wide k series.

[arcticman]

bcfishon, Nice truck, looks like its been painted recently? can we see some picks? does it still have the original 305 v6? is that 514 paint code. your vin is identical to mine execpt mine is 1117a 21 vehicles later. looks like the same color

[bcfishon]

Arctic,the v6 was gone when I picked up the rig out of Longview Washington about a year ago. Someone had removed the body and painted the frame and such and then they threw on a very rough paint job and some sketchy body work,they tried and soon lost interest. I brought it home and it sat for about six months till I had some down time on another project. I have a friend that paints,not show quality but nice pant and decent bodywork so he shot me a deal and we went as close to the factory color but I opted not to paint the cab top white as a favor to him to keep things affordable.. I have put new rubber in the cab,painted the bumpers and wheels,painless wiring,and a ton of little things like relocate the gas fill. I have the.interior left and then I can drive it and test the drivetrain and when the time comes for repower, a 6 litre ls motor will probably go in.

I had no idea how rare this truck was and it was just by chance I fell upon it,another Craigslist find and I'm sure the crappy paint and body work saved it for me. I have flipped many of these 67-72 rigs both blazers and trucks and never kept one to enjoy. My first rig ever was a 68 Chevy c10 ,I think I will keep this one for a long while and it's not so nice I can't drive it daily.

[bcfishon]

Here's a picture of it in the background before paint and a picture right after paint.

[arcticman]

nice truck! I know you've seen pics of mine. its currently being restored. it's been said that not to many of these were made maybe 300 total. I'm currently questioning that belief. The information you gave me today is even more compelling. If there were only 300 produced in the entire USA 51 years ago. whats the chances that you and I are looking at two of the same trucks made at the same plant with the same vin numbers 21 vehicles apart?

[Bob B.]

This is getting interesting, I think we might be up against one of those weird 1967 GMC issues! If Fremont built 11,545 GMC's in 1967 (sounds about right) and there are about 260 work days a year (+overtime Saturdays, -shut down days between model years), it comes out to around 44 GMC trucks a day, and that's probably a bit on the high side. Still your truck should have been an early build. The last digit in a 1967 GMC VIN is a letter denoting GVW. So, now I am starting to think (because of the GVW letter at the end of the VIN) that maybe VIN's started 1001A for 1500's, 1001B for 2500's, and 1001C for 3500's, and ran consecutively from there for each series. If true that would mean you have the 117th. 1500 built at Fremont in 1967, and my original reply was wrong. So, if GMC #1 off the line was a CS 1500, it would be 1001A, second truck off the line was a CM 2500, it would be 1001B, third the off the line was another CS 1500, it would be 1002A, fourth off the line was a CM 3500, it would be 1001C. Again, this makes sense given the GVW letter at the end on the VIN. The series is denoted in the 3rd. VIN character, why else would they need the letter?

I think my original answer to you question would be true for 1968 and later, but not 1967.

[special-K]

I always thought the serial number part of the VIN was per model in '67 or at least per series, such as 1500/2500/3500. So there would be at least 3 first light trucks overall from each plant. But I never got all caught up in all that number stuff anyway. Just go by what I've seen and noticed

[bcfishon]

Originally Posted by arcticman

nice truck! I know you've seen pics of mine. its currently being restored. it's been said that not to many of these were made maybe 300 total. I'm currently questioning that belief. The information you gave me today is even more compelling. If there were only 300 produced in the entire USA 51 years ago. whats the chances that you and I are looking at two of the same trucks made at the same plant with the same vin numbers 21 vehicles apart?

Thanks,I would not find it hard to believe that there were only 3 to 500 made of our specific rig,try finding one for sale or anywhere for that matter. It's a small world and the internet has made it smaller and chances of our two rigs showing up here is no surprise,even with the low production numbers. I think it's way cool that after fifty plus years the two of them and there new owners are swapping words and pictures,nice to meet you and one of these days when I drive up your way maybe we can get some reunion pictures,I've been to your home state a time or two.(native Oregonian)

[davepl]

Originally Posted by special-K

I always thought the serial number part of the VIN was per model in '67 or at least per series, such as 1500/2500/3500. So there would be at least 3 first light trucks overall from each plant. But I never got all caught up in all that number stuff anyway. Just go by what I've seen and noticed

In cars it was chassis-engine. So for example on a line that built Impalas, all of the L6 cars had their own series number and all of the V8 cars had their own series number. But by engine only, not by model or style.

It makes sense if you think about it because there's a digit for the engine, just like ours.

[mike16]

is it possible that the 1-31-67 might be a 7-31-67. That would make more sense.

[arcticman]

I agree 7-31-67 would make much more sense. It definitely is Jan. 1-31-67

[75gmc454]

Wow 2 more 67 k1500 short beds show up! Great looking trucks. 67 GMC vin numbers are very interesting. I have a 67 4x4 short bed fleet side. It is a Fremont truck also. I know of 2 more k1500's that belong to guys on this site. One is a shortbed and one is a longbed. I know 2 of these trucks trucks fall within the first 100 trucks via serial number. The vin number in 67 also includes the wheelbase of the truck in the 4th and 5th digits. I have always been under the impression that GMC used different sequence numbers for all different models of trucks in 67. I am not sure though. My truck is 1061 I think.

[67GMC CST 3]

My 67 GMC vin number ends in 1003A so is it the 3rd one built from that plant or the 3rd of all 67 GMCs?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 67GMC CST 3

My 67 GMC vin number ends in 1003A so is it the 3rd one built from that plant or the 3rd of all 67 GMCs?

From that plant.

Each plant indexes up at their own rate, independent from each other (ie, there is no linkage between assembly plants), based on line rate, model mix, overtime, downtime via breakdowns, holidays, union strikes, etc.

The VINs are made unique by the prefix information ahead of the serial number portion.

K

[arcticman]

Keith,
Thanks for your input. I quickly read through your work history with GM. Great career. Are you retired now? I was hoping you could answer some questions for me.

[Bob B.]

BTW- Keith, it looks like you guys really hit one out of the park with the 2019 1500's.