Could a 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed have a 1967 style tailgate from factory?

[HeavyHauler]

It is possible that a 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed fleetside could have came factory with a 1967 style tail gate if it was a early production truck?

[68bowtie]

That’s a question I have not heard asked before. I would think it’s possible, especially since they are so similar.

Is this the big block 68 truck we are talking about? I’m still waiting for pics of that bad boy…

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

That’s a question I have not heard asked before. I would think it’s possible, especially since they are so similar.

Is this the big block 68 truck we are talking about? I’m still waiting for pics of that bad boy…

I forgot about pics. I will post some either later this evening or tomorrow morning for sure. I did some mods like custom wheels, lowering springs, tires and brakes but everything i did could be easily undone and put back to factory. I kept all the original parts that I took off and I mean EVERYTHING. Nothing has been cut or welded to the truck. It does have the original engine and trans that need to be rebuilt.

[Steeveedee]

We have it on good authority from a member here that a way-late production '70 truck came with disc brakes. I'm kind of puzzled by that, actually, because if you had seen the dumpsters full of radios with holes punched in them, wheels with chunks removed by sledgehammers at the end of a model year, smashed carburetors, etc., because they won't be used for the next model year, you'd kind of wonder. It isn't worth it for GM so run those parts back through the system. There's a lot of waste, right there.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

It is possible that a 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed fleetside could have came factory with a 1967 style tail gate if it was a early production truck?

What plant was it made in?
Some things got used up in production rather than eradicating them.
Rockwell T-221 Transfer Cases were used on some '68 K/ trucks. I think Canadian and GMC trucks still got SM420s thru MY'69, when they finally ran out. GMC retained the '68 pattern front fenders when the Chevrolet Division changed them in MY '69.

Either that or a PO swapped in a MY '67 tailgate after a real bad rearending.
Hard to know, 54 years after the fact.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

That’s a question I have not heard asked before. I would think it’s possible, especially since they are so similar.

Is this the big block 68 truck we are talking about? I’m still waiting for pics of that bad boy…

How do you post a pic?

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

How do you post a pic?

when you type out your message click on the "Advanced" button. from that screen you will see a "manage attachments" button. click that and it pulls up a box where you can add pictures to your post.

[68bowtie]

Make sure you adjust file size or it will not go through

[Accelo]

Typically GM used up the existing parts then went to the new style.
Even then it wasn't always a clean switch over as sometimes the replacements were just dumped into the bin on top of the old parts.
Exceptions for parts that were a safety hazard.

BTW- For some reason I never have had to resize pictures for postings.

[HeavyHauler]

Here is a pic of my factory 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed,fleetside 396 truck. It was black with red interior. The only mods i have done to this truck have been bolt on because I wanted to leave the option of going back to factory stock just by unbolting stuff and putting the original stuff back on as I saved EVERYTHING. The mods i have done are Lowering springs,custom wheels and 4wheel disc brakes.

[68bowtie]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

Here is a pic of my factory 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed,fleetside 396 truck. It was black with red interior. The only mods i have done to this truck have been bolt on because I wanted to leave the option of going back to factory stock just by unbolting stuff and putting the original stuff back on as I saved EVERYTHING. The mods i have done are Lowering springs,custom wheels and 4wheel disc brakes.

Cool! Does it have the original rear diff? If so is it a dana 60 or gm 12-bolt?

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Cool! Does it have the original rear diff? If so is it a dana 60 or gm 12-bolt?

Yes it has the original rear diff and it is a 12 bolt. It still has the all original red interior in it but I just have the seat covered with a blanket. I wish there was somebody who makes a reproduction of my original bench seat upholstery.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

Yes it has the original rear diff and it is a 12 bolt.

What is the drive ratio? 3.73 or 4.11?

[68bowtie]

SMS will make you a factory correct seat cover. It’s pricey and takes forever but it will be really nice.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

It is possible that a 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed fleetside could have came factory with a 1967 style tail gate if it was a early production truck?

Yes it is possible. See link starting at post 539. It goes along for 8 or so posts on to the next page. The thread is a super long collection of tall tales from back in the day in Detroit.

It's also possible the original was damaged in transit and the dealer/inventory center was able to get a 67 that matched to replace it.

It's also possible there was a warranty issue and it got switched to a 67 then.
There just isn't really any way to know for sure what happened.

For example if it survived I'm pretty sure there is 1976 Formula Firebird out there the owner will swear it came with a 455. It was bought new by friend of mine and somehow it lost a rod bearing within 3 months. Hmmm.. 4 speed 400 owned by a 21 year old. He took itback to te dealer as a warranty issue

The dealership told him it would a month or more to get a new 400 to replace it or....

They had a 455 a Trans Am that was wrecked on a test drive and they would swap that in for no charge and he could have his car back in a couple days.

Hmm... Free 455 upgrade and not have to find transportation for a month.
What would you do?

I'd bet the dealer put the bad 400 in the Trans Am and wrote it all off and didn't report the warranty issue.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...652803&page=27

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

What is the drive ratio? 3.73 or 4.11?

I am not sure about the rear gear ratio. I will need to check.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by HO455

Yes it is possible. See link starting at post 539. It goes along for 8 or so posts on to the next page. The thread is a super long collection of tall tales from back in the day in Detroit.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...652803&page=27

I see some names there I recognize...

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

It is possible that a 1968 Chevy C10 shortbed fleetside could have came factory with a 1967 style tail gate if it was a early production truck?

Can you tell me please the specific design differences between a '67 and a '68 tailgate?

Typically if it is a "marketable" feature, or something we could charge the customer for, it would be changed at the model year break.

If it was something relatively transparent to the customer we would just roll with it.

K

[Keith Seymore]

A few more "old wives tales" threads, for those who like that sort of thing:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=556607

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ght=assemblers

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=560524