C80 Spec Tags

[VictoriaHardware]

Here is the trim and "SPID" tags from my 1965 C80 Cab/Chassis Chevrolet. It was built in Pontiac, MI and then outfitted in Elmira, NY by American LaFrance.

[factorystock]

Thanks for sharing. The standard C 80 looks very similar to a heavy duty C 60, which was known as the C 60H. The narrower fenders indicate it has the 7K front axle. The wider fenders kick in at 9k. Here is some info on standard and optional equipment.

[Keith Seymore]

It's beautiful.

Thanks for posting.

K

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Great looking truck.

Wondering what the GVW is.

I can't tell by the numbers, but I'm sure it's a 5-Speed. Is it a Clark?

Also does it have a 409?

I bet it has real low miles.

[VictoriaHardware]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Thanks for sharing. The standard C 80 looks very similar to a heavy duty C 60, which was known as the C 60H. The narrower fenders indicate it has the 7K front axle. The wider fenders kick in at 9k. Here is some info on standard and optional equipment.

Excellent information factorystock, thanks. Is that the "Specification Book" ? I can now reverse-engineer the cost of the truck. Wasn't sure of standard vs. optional equipment before. Is the MSRP of the C8503 base model also there?

C10 - C90 Bill:
GVW is 25,000 from the Trim Tag
Engine is F40 (409 ci) with the original Packard date-coded spark plug wires
Trans is the Close-Ratio Spicer 5 speed- 5756B
Truck had 19k miles when it was retired from active service in 1998. Now has 28k miles- a lot of car shows.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by VictoriaHardware

Excellent information factorystock, thanks. Is that the "Specification Book" ? I can now reverse-engineer the cost of the truck. Wasn't sure of standard vs. optional equipment before. Is the MSRP of the C8503 base model also there?

Yes, added 4th photo to the post above. From '65 truck price booklet.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

I believe the 409 is what brought it up to be a C-80. Real impressive truck. You may have seen some of my posts on the '62 GMC 6500 that I used to drive. The 6500 is basically equal to a Chevy C-80.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

The 6500 is basically equal to a Chevy C-80.

IMO, a GMC 6000 with the 401 would be closer to the range of heavy duty C 80 with 409 and optional heaviest front and rear axles. However, I do think the C 80 max GVW of 25K seems way too low when equipped with a 9K front and 23K rear, should be in the 30K GVW range.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Originally Posted by factorystock

IMO, a GMC 6000 with the 401 would be closer to the range of heavy duty C 80 with 409 and optional heaviest front and rear axles. However, I do think the C 80 max GVW of 25K seems way too low when equipped with a 9K front and 23K rear, should be in the 30K GVW range.

They made some pretty heavy C-80's. I would have to check my books to see if GMC offered heavier Front and Rears than Chevy did.

I believe his C-80 has 7 Fronts and 18,500 Rears. That's why I indicated the 409 brought it up to a C-80. Otherwise it would have been a C-60.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

They made some pretty heavy C-80's. I would have to check my books to see if GMC offered heavier Front and Rears than Chevy did.

Something is screwy with the way the Chevy C 80 tops out at 25K in all the literature. When a GMC is ordered with the same optional heavy axles 9k, 11k front and 22 or 23K rear, the GMC is rated in the 30-32K range. IMO, a heavy spec Chevy C 80 should be listed with the same GVW as a GMC, why it's not, is a mystery to me. Side note, a 6500 is just a higher powered 6000, ( 478 vs. 401) otherwise same available axles.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Right, the '62 6500 I used to drive had 9 Fronts and 23 Rears, giving it a GVW of 32,000.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Something is screwy with the way the Chevy C 80 tops out at 25K in all the literature. When a GMC is ordered with the same optional heavy axles 9k, 11k front and 22 or 23K rear, the GMC is rated in the 30-32K range. IMO, a heavy spec Chevy C 80 should be listed with the same GVW as a GMC, why it's not, is a mystery to me. Side note, a 6500 is just a higher powered 6000, ( 478 vs. 401) otherwise same available axles.

Although I didn't read the pages above, I did check some brochures online and I'm beginning to see what you are saying. One '64 brochure stated GVW's up to 25,000. Although I'm sure that they were referring to single axles only. Another brochure, which was probably '65 or '66 stated GVW's from 25 to 29,000.

Also discovered another thing. Seems like most singles axle 80's, '63-'66, did have the narrow fenders with the lighter fronts. I guess all the C-80's I've been observing online through the years have been either '60-'62 or tandems with heavier fronts and wide fenders.

[factorystock]

Another C 80 with data plates. Same 25K GVW, but has the 9K front. IMO, it should be a 27.5K GVW. '63 was the first year Chevy mediums automatically came with narrow fenders, unless you got the 9k or 11k front axle. All '60-'62 Chevy mediums came with large front fenders whether they really needed them or not.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Another C 80 with data plates. Same 25K GVW, but has the 9K front. IMO, it should be a 27.5K GVW. '63 was the first year Chevy mediums automatically came with narrow fenders, unless you got the 9k or 11k front axle. All '60-'62 Chevy mediums came with large front fenders whether they really needed them or not.

Right, that's why I separated '60-'62 and '63 to '66 above.

For some reason, Axles don't always add up to the GVW. My '67 7500 had 9 Fronts and 22 Rears, which should have had a GVW of 31,000, but the plate stated 27,500. May be a good question for Bob.

[factorystock]

To add more fuel to the C 80 max. 25K GVW mystery, a heavy duty 60 series, known as the C 60H comes in at 24K GVW. In my book, a C80 with 11K front and 23K rear ( maximum optional axles) is a conservatively rated 30K GVW rig. Great extra heavy duty truck to find without having to get a CDL.

[Bob B.]

Originally Posted by C10 - C90 Bill

Right, that's why I separated '60-'62 and '63 to '66 above.

For some reason, Axles don't always add up to the GVW. My '67 7500 had 9 Fronts and 22 Rears, which should have had a GVW of 31,000, but the plate stated 27,500. May be a good question for Bob.

Not sure about back in those days, but these days it is common to see a class 7 truck that would normally have a 30,000#+ GVW downrated to just under 26,000#'s. It's a CDL cheat, idea is to get a more durable truck without requiring a class A license to drive. Chevy even has a downrate package currently available on the 7500 LCF. You get the higher rated axles and tires but the GVW is the same as the 6500 model. Going back to the 60's era Chevy yes sometimes the only difference between the 60H and 80 was the availability of the 409 engine as Bill pointed out.

[VictoriaHardware]

This is from the 1965 Chevrolet Owners Guide for Series 50-80. It mostly reinforces the above comments but it also seems that tires are a factor.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

More on the C-80. Check out this video that is indicating the new '62 Tandem Axle Dump has a 409. Having a 409 would make it a C-80, but check out the picture on the YouTube video as well as the truck at the 1:04 mark, I'm not seeing a Straight Front Axle. The '62 GMC 6500 was the first year for it in the '60 to '66 trucks and I believe the '62 C-80 followed suit.

Edit: I dug a little deeper and it looks like the Straight Front Axle was an Option for the C-80 in '62.

Also note the mention of the 4-53 Detroit available in the Mediums:

You Tube

[factorystock]

Another similiarly equipped narrow fender C 80.https://hibid.com/lot/27866944/1965-...k-c8235p106018 Very difficult to come up with examples of the wide fender '64-'65 2 axle C 80's

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Interesting truck.

The other thing that I'm noticing C-80 Chevy vs GMC 6500. Standard front bumper on the Chevys. The GMC has a much different and heavier bumper, similar to the newer low hood 9500's.

[factorystock]

Right, those 6500's are brutes. Note front wheels on this one, similiar to wheels found on crackerboxes, flat hub cover, but the wheel extends outside of tire.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Something is screwy with the way the Chevy C 80 tops out at 25K in all the literature. When a GMC is ordered with the same optional heavy axles 9k, 11k front and 22 or 23K rear, the GMC is rated in the 30-32K range. IMO, a heavy spec Chevy C 80 should be listed with the same GVW as a GMC, why it's not, is a mystery to me.

Found it. It was corrected in 1966 literature.