'71 Owners

[dukcaln]

late model thing maybe...

[71 super]

blk/white with a/c 71 built in atlanta has vent, red /white with a/c 71 built in fremont has vent, 71 no options medium green built in baltimore has vent

[Ironhorse]

'71 K10, St. Louis built truck, plain jane custom 10, no a/c, originally med. olive with white cab. Has drivers side vent, not sure of build date.

[special-K]

I doubt the plant has anything to do with it. Or,it's not looking that way to me. I'm thinking it was a later year change prior to all '72 getting it. Let's see if there's a known early truck with vent to prove that wrong.

[tattoed71]

late 71 a/c cab shortbed. it has the vent

[dsy1]

'71 long fleetside with A/C, has a vent. BTW, the vent opening makes a great access hole to reach the speed nuts on the back of the upper and lower outside moldings. The passenger side is easy to reach, but the gas tank gets in the way on the driver side, so having the vent is a nice bonus.

[406 Q-ship]

I am not an owner of a 71 truck but I believe the reason for the vent has to do with cabin ventilation. Chevelles got that same vent in the door jams in 1968 and is has to do with air flow throught the cabin of the car and was required when the cars went to AstroVents in 1969.

[Zoomin]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

I am not an owner of a 71 truck but I believe the reason for the vent has to do with cabin ventilation. Chevelles got that same vent in the door jams in 1968 and is has to do with air flow throught the cabin of the car and was required when the cars went to AstroVents in 1969.

I doubt it has anything to do with ventilation since the vent is located outside the weatherstrip. (edit - it just occurred to me air can get out from behind the gas tank and exit through toward the door.)

My 71 Cheyenne BB w/AC has the vent, mid-year build.

[Joesjunk]

My 71 3/4t 4x4, 79k mile, original paint truck was built in September of 1970 in califorina, no vent, and no raised pad for the inside rear view mirror. It also has the original carpet, and there are two small holes punched out for where the studs for a 70 type gas pedal would be. Hows that for odd???

[Ozark Tim]

Just sold that 71 Custom 10. Built in St. Louis 8-70 and no vent and it was blue.....
Also it was very original and had 70 style exhaust tailpipe hanger not the 71-2 type.

[cpisani70@aol.com]

Looked today of course while I was driving I thought about it so opened the door to see... I found a vent , my truck is an Ochre colored Custom Camper 20 402 PB , No PS but is the talk of my small town as no one else is running a 40 year old truck as their daily driver haha
Posted via Mobile DeviceBtw this is a non AC truck as well and certainly original

[orange 71 chevy]

mine has no a/c built in july don't know the origenal color my glove box door said info that wasn't in the truck but think it was dark red with white top and was from ohio area.good luck with your search.

[Gene]

Mine has factory AC and the vent.
Posted via Mobile Device

[MikeyMan]

Originally Posted by pat 70/71

Don't laugh to hard but, I heard once the vent was so the doors would close without having to slam them. releasing pressure at the seal&latch. could be way off so be gentle! cheers, Pat

I figured the rust holes in the cab corners provided pressure relief!

[MikeyMan]

NO VENT in Cheyenne w/AC, 350/TH350, built in Freemont.

YES VENT in bare bones (red) C/10 non/AC, 307/3ott, built in Flint.

Not sure about production dates. VIN tag gets mounted lower with the vent. These are true 71's with the raised mirror mount. My 72 (with vent) has the flat roof. Strange they would add the vents to some in 71, then change the inner roof in 72.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

My 71 3/4t 4x4, 79k mile, original paint truck was built in September of 1970 in califorina, no vent, and no raised pad for the inside rear view mirror. It also has the original carpet, and there are two small holes punched out for where the studs for a 70 type gas pedal would be. Hows that for odd???

That is odd...and very special like all your trucks are.

I really don't know what the function of that vent even is...other than easy access to cab trim nuts . It doesn't relieve cab pressure when closing doors since it's inside the seals. It doesn't bring in or let out any air already in the cab,either. It's always baffled me,not that I spend 40 years pondering it. Like I said,I may have had the vent in a '71 years ago and never took notice.
I think it is an upgrade that came along at some point during the production run,so the earlier trucks don't and later ones did. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with paint color

[406 Q-ship]

Originally Posted by Zoomin

I doubt it has anything to do with ventilation since the vent is located outside the weatherstrip. (edit - it just occurred to me air can get out from behind the gas tank and exit through toward the door.)

My 71 Cheyenne BB w/AC has the vent, mid-year build.

The Chevelle one is on outside of the weatherstrip too.

[ls1nova71]

Pretty sure it was an early production thing since '70 and back don't have them and all '72's do. Both my '71's have them.

I have seen one '72 truck that had the raised part for a mirror but had no holes in it and the mirror was glued to the windshield.
Posted via Mobile Device

[NINERS1]

71 cheyene, no vent, ac, no mirror hump,how do you know when & where built? build sheet? 350/400 auto, mirror mounted to roof

[KrazyRay]

I have a 71 1 ton custom30 with vent built in Fremont, CA

[Autoblueprint]

Originally Posted by special-K

In another thread discussing cab differences something interested came out about '71 cabs. Some have the driver side door jamb vent that all '72s have and some don't. Things like this raise my curiosity and now I'm wondering what the rhyme or reason is to this ...if there is any. Was it late in the year? Air conditioned trucks? Only blue ones? (J/K)

After you vote yay or nay,please post what you know about your truck. Does it have the vent,A/C or not,or if you know,was it earlier in the model run or later. If you have any other info you feel could have an effect on this,please spout it out...thanks!

Mine is a non-A/C. This vent is called a Door Pillar Pressure Relief Valve and is designed to make the door shut completely. If you have a carpeted interior with new door seals and don't have this valve...then sometimes...when closing the door it won't "latch" the first go around. I believe this was a mid-year model change that GM did to solve the "potential" problem of the door not latching shut on the first try.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by special-K

It doesn't relieve cab pressure when closing doors since it's inside the seals.

I thought it was outside the seals. It is, isn't it?

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

I thought it was outside the seals. It is, isn't it?

It is. I'm sure it's there to help the doors close better.

[special-K]

You're right,it is outside the seals. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm hopping in my '72 every day,too!

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by special-K

You're right,it is outside the seals. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm hopping in my '72 every day,too!

Never mind Tim, you'll pick it up....noob