Help me understand this '72 Cheyenne Big Block SPID

[weim55]

This truck - SPID leaves me with several questions. 1972 SWB 400.

Tachometer call out but no gauges. Is there such a thing or does the tachometer option automatically include full gauges?

There is no transmission call out, does that mean this truck originally came with a three speed stick on the column? The truck is actually equipped with an automatic and tilt on the column, probably swapped in? Have any of you ever seen no call out for the transmission in a big block truck that came factory with an automatic? ( automatic mandatory for some big block applications - ie: California only?)

Only shows dark green for the color code. So the truck would've been a solid color originally? Cheyenne package does not include two tone?

This truck would have manual steering as well, yes?

No call out for bodyside moldings, is this because the Cheyenne package includes it? Do Cheyennes have black (not wood grain) lower body side molding and tailgate molding?

No hubcap option call out. Do all Cheyennes come with full wheel covers? If not what is the standard hubcap, White or chrome?

Thanks,

Steve weim55 Colorado

[special-K]

Originally Posted by weim55

This truck - SPID leaves me with several questions. 1972 SWB 400.

Tachometer call out but no gauges. Is there such a thing or does the tachometer option automatically include full gauges?

There is no transmission call out, does that mean this truck originally came with a three speed stick on the column? The truck is actually equipped with an automatic and tilt on the column, probably swapped in? Have any of you ever seen no call out for the transmission in a big block truck that came factory with an automatic? ( automatic mandatory for some big block applications - ie: California only?)

Only shows dark green for the color code. So the truck would've been a solid color originally? Cheyenne package does not include two tone?

This truck would have manual steering as well, yes?

No call out for bodyside moldings, is this because the Cheyenne package includes it? Do Cheyennes have black (not wood grain) lower body side molding and tailgate molding?

No hubcap option call out. Do all Cheyennes come with full wheel covers? If not what is the standard hubcap, White or chrome?

Thanks,

Steve weim55 Colorado

Tach option gave you the gauges

If no transmission option showing, the truck was originally a 3spd

Automatic was an option. If not shown on SPID the truck wasn't built with one

Two-tone was an option on all trim levels.

If P/S not shown on SPID, truck came with manual steering

Lower woodgrain and tailgate band was included with Z84

Chrome hubcaps were included with Z84. Wheelcovers were an option on all trim levels

[jocko]

Cheyenne includes lower side wide molding (BX2), so that would normally not appear on the SPID, however, the upper belt molding (B85) was optional, so it should be listed on the SPID, IF it was ordered. So, this truck would have come with the lower (woodgrain) molding only.

505 is solid dark green, no white anywhere.

A Cheyenne comes standard with bright PO3 poverty caps, but, for some reason, they sometimes appear on a Cheyenne's SPID anyway (just not in this case).

EDIT: Oops, sorry Tim, you beat me to it.

[weim55]

Such an oddball optioned (but cool!) truck. So oddball that's what had me questioning. Certainly must've been a customer ordered a unit, Does the SPID reflect that in anyway?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[weim55]

Also would've come with white, not body color, 15 x 6 wheels?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[jocko]

Yep, 521 white steelies. If it were a special order (or perhaps "Customer ordered" is the right wording) it would have "ORDER # XXXXXX" in the lower right white space of the SPID. What plant was this built in?

[Already Gone]

This truck shows the A La Carte ordering at its finest. As far as a customer order like Mark says it would show on spid and seeing it doesn't a dealer could have ordered it in as a stock inventory unit.

[weim55]

Originally Posted by jocko

Yep, 521 white steelies. If it were a special order (or perhaps "Customer ordered" is the right wording) it would have "ORDER # XXXXXX" in the lower right white space of the SPID. What plant was this built in?

I don't own this truck myself so unfortunately I don't know the plant it was built at. Truck is currently for sale on Phoenix craigslist. I can't figure out the copy and paste thing on my iPhone or I would include a link. As you can see from the picture the truck has been altered significantly from it's original form.All of the original chrome moldings are missing, is now a custom two tone, has '71 doors and an automatic trans.

The original 505 dark green is a solid color, non-metallic, yes?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[special-K]

Yes, 505 is Woodland Green which is also one of the truck fleet colors. That color is as traditional truck color as it gets. That truck has been through the changes for sure.

Dealers could play games with options to tailor pricing. Comparing prices dealer to dealer could be a challenge. "This dealer has a base trim Custom/10 with all the options and the other has a Cheyenne Super with no options" for less and it has carpet, gauges, nice seat, and chrome". Then there was everything in between.

Jocko, great minds........... really like these trucks! I can take a long time to type a post. I have posted where there was no response only to see a few responses were posted in the meantime, rendering all my typing redundant, or it looks like I am responding to post #4 rather than #1. Funny..........

Check out this '71 Cheyenne. 6cyl, no gauges or a/c, manual steering & brakes, has upper trim option but not deluxe two-tone

[saxart]

Here is a link to the ad for this truck:

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/c...799265133.html

[jocko]

I have to say, that’s not a bad price for a big block swb. Folks along the way have added some nice upgrades - note it has had buckets added too - at least in one pic, not sure if they are still in it.

[special-K]

Not bad for a real Deal Cheyenne BBC SWB, and assuming it's an Arizona body, not a transplant from Michigan.

[weim55]

Was interested in the Phoenix truck because of its unusual original configuration. Pretty cool stripper performance only big block stick ( on the column!) combo with The upgrade Cheyenne package. I don't care for any of the upgrades, it's missing every stitch of molding, glass and vent chrome, plus the wrong doors. I would only be interested in the truck to return it to its original form. Unfortunatly, it looks like a complete restoration would be warranted to get it there.

I also just noticed no call out for tinted glass, would this be a clear glass truck including the windshield? Tinted glass was not standard by 72?

I asked about the lower moulding color as a truck that was across the street from me growing up was a '71 Cheyenne w/ black lower moldings and tailgate band. Positive of that and I have some old pictures to reflect that from early 70s. Is that possible from the factory?

Steve weim55 Colorado

[jocko]

While there are some Custom Deluxe examples with woodgrain and some with black (should be black per literature), Cheyenne should be woodgrain lowers only from the factory. That doesn’t mean some didn’t escape the factory with black though - having said that, I haven’t seen any known original Cheyennes with black lower molding.

Black tailgate band was never made by the factory, only woodgrain. Aftermarket offers it these days though.

[jkeating1]

Something I noticed yesterday on a 72 in salvage yard was the J70 Hydro Brake Booster option on the SPID, the same as this one. I guess they listed all brake booster equipped trucks that way. "Hydro" would seem to indicate something different than the regular vacuum power brakes. But the truck yesterday, and all the 67-72's I've seen have all been vacuum. I just never noticed it listed that way on any of the C-10's I've had.

[1968aj]

mabe someone changed glovebox door or had a spid sticker made.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by weim55

Was interested in the Phoenix truck because of its unusual original configuration. Pretty cool stripper performance only big block stick ( on the column!) combo with The upgrade Cheyenne package. I don't care for any of the upgrades, it's missing every stitch of molding, glass and vent chrome, plus the wrong doors. I would only be interested in the truck to return it to its original form. Unfortunatly, it looks like a complete restoration would be warranted to get it there.

I also just noticed no call out for tinted glass, would this be a clear glass truck including the windshield? Tinted glass was not standard by 72?

I asked about the lower moulding color as a truck that was across the street from me growing up was a '71 Cheyenne w/ black lower moldings and tailgate band. Positive of that and I have some old pictures to reflect that from early 70s. Is that possible from the factory?

Steve weim55 Colorado

My experience has been the same as Jocko. Never seen anything but woodgrain on a Cheyenne, and definitely no trucks with black lower trim got the tailgate band. Customs and Custom Deluxe got lower tailgate trim that Cheyennes and Cheyenne Supers didn't.

Tinted glass was an option. With a/c automatically got the tinted glass or you could order it by itself.

My first truck was a solid Ochre SWB BBC 3spd '72 Highlander I bought in '73 off an OK Used Car lot. I didn't know anything about the different trim levels and have no idea what was on the SPID, but it had a Parchment interior with grey plaid seat. Might have only had the plaid seat option, or was a very unusual Highlander... 3spd (so no tilt), solid paint (so no deluxe 2-tone), upper trim only (so no lower), and no a/c. It did come with the Highlander wheelcovers, though, so must have been a Highlander. That would be a great truck to have today. I got past the top-o-the-line all bells & whistle thing and became more interested in trucks with odd or rare combos. That one would have fit right in. Back then I bought it because it was a yellow big block shortbed with manual transmission. Wasn't into automatics

[weim55]

My first truck was a solid Ochre SWB BBC 3spd '72 Highlander I bought in '73 off an OK Used Car lot. I didn't know anything about the different trim levels and have no idea what was on the SPID, but it had a Parchment interior with grey plaid seat. Might have only had the plaid seat option, or was a very unusual Highlander... 3spd (so no tilt), solid paint (so no deluxe 2-tone), upper trim only (so no lower), and no a/c. It did come with the Highlander wheelcovers, though, so must have been a Highlander. That would be a great truck to have today. I got past the top-o-the-line all bells & whistle thing and became more interested in trucks with odd or rare combos. That one would have fit right in. Back then I bought it because it was a yellow big block shortbed with manual transmission. Wasn't into automatics[/QUOTE]

Like you, odd combination vehicles have always caught my intrest. That Phoenix big block truck is a doozie. And very surprised to hear you owned one yourself. I'd guess 396-400 68-72 W/3 speed stick at less than 1% of BB engine production in our trucks. To this day I've never actually seen a single one equipped so. I've read of two others here on the board. The phoenix truck would be a great candidate for a stock restoration. Great- unusual colors with desirable - unusual options. Probably a one of one .

Steve weim55 Colorado

[special-K]

Yeah, it is an uncommon combo to find. From time to time we get people asking about this combination being offered. It seems most big blocks were in higher option trucks and most of those got automatic. I think that '72 I had was a special order. Back then (when comfort & convenience in trucks was just getting going) it wasn't uncommon to find truck owners who were skeptical about automatics, power steering & brakes, etc in trucks being a good idea. These were, up to that point, car features. A lot of truck owners were of the old school, didn't need all those newfangled gimmicks just want a strong truck.

I knew when I saw that truck on the OK lot, while my friend was buying a '66 Impala, I was going to put an M21 in it for an instant muscle truck. I was 18, didn't like 3 on the tree, and only wanted 4 on the floor. Didn't like automatics, thought an SS with one was lame. The Turbo 350 and 400 came along to change perceptions of automatics, in anything, and that was still bleeding in during this era. Powerglides were pretty good, but needed band adjustment that people didn't do, and they'd burn up. Plus going with 3 speeds and more firm shift just seemed stronger.

I also owned a '68 SWB 396/3spd. Two brothers into drag racing ordered identical trucks that way.