Weird factory options??????

[storm9c1]

Originally Posted by txriverrat

A friend with a 1951 International KB-5 had a factory manual throttle on his truck. He said it was there so a farmer could put the truck in low gear, bailing wire the steering wheel to hold straight, and throttle the truck to creep while he walked next to it throwing square hay bales on it and a trailer.

What's the RPO code for the bailing wire option?

AFAIK, the manual throttle was for engine driven accessories. Sometimes it would be a hydraulic pump for a winch, snow plow, etc. (which are reasonable options for a 1/2 ton). Or an extra (or larger) alternator for extra electrical accessories (like for a camper), and I've even seen an engine driven water pump type accessory for farm/irrigation use. I've seen all kinds of accessories bolted up to engines that would need a fixed RPM to run them. So I think the factory provided that manual control for those types of accessories. I think it's a neat option.

[Mt Man Chad]

The OD is a planetary gear in the tail housing.
Works great with my 250 6 banger and 3.73 gears.
I'll post some pics of the setup.

I use the hand throttle on my 71 as "poor mans cruise control"

[HOTFUN]

Even in the 50's and early 60's Chevrolet factory air cars had a manual throttle knob on the ac control panel to speed the engine up with the ac on in slow traffic to run that big old ac unit. That also worked well on 67-72's with air conditioning to bring the engine up a tad at idle. Later years they used an idle solenoid that kicked up the idle when the ac was switched on. But another good use was when the original alternators had the original external contact regulators and you wanted to jump start another dead Ford. Just hook up the cables and kick up the old manual throttle and let her charge. We are so spoiled today with one wire 100+ amp alternators and fuel injection.

[SweetandLong68]

Some people say my gauges are somewhat rare... All the other trucks I have owned didnt have it... So i guess so... and ... IT WORKS!



lata
CHRIS

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by SweetandLong68

Some people say my gauges are somewhat rare... All the other trucks I have owned didnt have it... So i guess so... and ... IT WORKS!



lata
CHRIS

Nice! A fair amount of the c-40 and bigger trucks had the vacuum option. Even nicer that it is hooked up and working.

[SweetandLong68]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Nice! A fair amount of the c-40 and bigger trucks had the vacuum option. Even nicer that it is hooked up and working.

Dang...Well I guess it is super rare to see it on a 68 C-10 SWB truck then huh. heheh And yup it works! I was suprised and didnt actually know what the gauge was when I first bought the truck. Never really paid attention to it. Crazy!

lata
CHRIS

[turner15]

Have not seen one but was told by a guy who worked on the Oshawa line that the clock was the rarest one. Only 9 from 67 to 72. Why he kept track is beyond me?

[abebummy26]

subscribed

[stich626]

Originally Posted by leh72super1500

I'm not sure how wierd this is but my 1/2 ton GMC has a Factory "K31 - Manual Throttle". I am not sure what this would have been used for on a 1/2 ton. Perhaps as a cruise control?

the blockheater is a hint to the manual throttle..

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by skoffice

....Also his cab has a hole in the inside corner above and behind your head, like there was once a map light or something.. and it is factory-style with rolled edges.

I'm betting it has another one on the passengers side, just like it. Shoulder belt mounting.

The speed control was not tied to any guage package, according to my books.

Short wheelbase flatbeds? Seems like the shortest flatbed in my book is a 7 1/2-ft bed. That would be 6-inches shorter than the stock 8-ft bed on a 127-inch wheelbase.

Interesting items.

I have the door edge mouldings. That's it. You just don't see 'em very often. Oh, I still have my original chrome (stainless steel?) gas cap. Don't see those very often. They weren't an "option" aside from being part of the Custom Comfort and Appearance group.

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by turner15

Have not seen one but was told by a guy who worked on the Oshawa line that the clock was the rarest one. Only 9 from 67 to 72. Why he kept track is beyond me?

GM has no records of this.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

GM has no records of this.

It would be nice if there was a documentary completed by someone on all factory workers over the years, dodge, chevy, and ford. They could write many stories I'm sure. It may not be documented by GM but it doesn't get any closer than the guys putting them together. I have ran into a lot of goofy stories trying to find info on my 68 GS400.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It would be nice if there was a documentary completed by someone on all factory workers over the years, dodge, chevy, and ford. They could write many stories I'm sure. It may not be documented by GM but it doesn't get any closer than the guys putting them together. I have ran into a lot of goofy stories trying to find info on my 68 GS400.

Check my intro/build thread below. There's a few stories in there.

Also - we had quite a thread of "old wive's tales" going on the Pontiac board. You can check here if interested:

http://forums.performanceyears.com/f...d.php?t=556607

"My Pontiac Story" (below) is about growing up in and around GM, the factories, and racing.


K

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Check my intro/build thread below. There's a few stories in there.

Also - we had quite a thread of "old wive's tales" going on the Pontiac board. You can check here if interested:

http://forums.performanceyears.com/f...d.php?t=556607


K

One of those "old wives tales" might be the one about the "clunk" in the passenger door of a Fifties Cadillac. Owner took it back to the dealer who couldn't tell what was making the noise until removing the door panel. Supposedly, an assembly line person had tied a Coke bottle to a brace with a string, allowing the bottle to hang. Turning and starting/stopping made the bottle clunk against the inner parts of the door. Finishing this one off, there was supposedly a note in the bottle that read, "You found it, didn't you?"
Who knows if it was true, or not.

[abebummy26]

My grandpa had that happen on a Packard some smart @$$ put one in between the quarter panel inner trunk panel. It was supposed to be the showroom car so it had to be perfect. He ended up driving a couple hundred miles to figure it out.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by turner15

Have not seen one but was told by a guy who worked on the Oshawa line that the clock was the rarest one. Only 9 from 67 to 72. Why he kept track is beyond me?

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

GM has no records of this.

If it was one guy, one shift and (maybe) one model year: I might believe that an operator might have used his red crayon to put some tick marks on his locker or picnic table, just out of curiosity or fun.

We had a number of operators who had low option running jobs (cab high running lights, M20 shifters are a couple examples). These individuals were given build manifests that showed the RPO content for every vehicle two and three days in advance, so they could look for those specific builds and not miss them. They had a pretty good idea of how many of those were being built*.

But - across three, four, five model years - I gotta agree with Longhorn and say that probably wouldn't happen.

And GM central office would certainly not keep track of that.

K


*they would use that information to their advantage, too. If too many of those particular options were built then the operator was considered "overcycled"; he could file a formal grievance and be paid additional moneys in wages and punitive damages.

[arkansas]

My 71 1/2 ton has a 250 I6 with a T350 tranny factory. No other options really except oilbath air filter. The factory also had put in a v8 fan shroud, I'm guessing because of the trans cooler in the radiator.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

One of those "old wives tales" might be the one about the "clunk" in the passenger door of a Fifties Cadillac. Owner took it back to the dealer who couldn't tell what was making the noise until removing the door panel. Supposedly, an assembly line person had tied a Coke bottle to a brace with a string, allowing the bottle to hang. Turning and starting/stopping made the bottle clunk against the inner parts of the door. Finishing this one off, there was supposedly a note in the bottle that read, "You found it, didn't you?"
Who knows if it was true, or not.

When I went to college, I had a friend who had a teacher that told almost the same story. Except it was a 70 chevelle. The note said, "How long did it take ya fu#@er? Many shops tried to find the weird noise and it wasn't found until the car was wrecked and to have the A-pillar replaced.

[chewychevy67]

my 1967 GMC light duty Canadaian sales brocheure has a picture or a artist rendering of a accessory clock on one the back page along side the radio. i will post a picture of this tomorrow. I actually have a clock for my 67 GMC that looks just like the pictue. i will post a pic of it as well.

[Myself]

What about the c10 factory installed overload leafs for a coil spring truck? The short ones that come from the rear of the frame down towards the shock mount. Is that a rare option??

[special-K]

Originally Posted by SweetandLong68

Some people say my gauges are somewhat rare... All the other trucks I have owned didnt have it... So i guess so... and ... IT WORKS!



lata
CHRIS

Do you have the SPID still and is it listed?I thought the vacuum gauge was only on medium duty trucks and would like to know for sure.

[50mercfan]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

One of those "old wives tales" might be the one about the "clunk" in the passenger door of a Fifties Cadillac. Owner took it back to the dealer who couldn't tell what was making the noise until removing the door panel. Supposedly, an assembly line person had tied a Coke bottle to a brace with a string, allowing the bottle to hang. Turning and starting/stopping made the bottle clunk against the inner parts of the door. Finishing this one off, there was supposedly a note in the bottle that read, "You found it, didn't you?"
Who knows if it was true, or not.

this off the subject also, but, i have a 50 mercury. i took the hood braces out from under the hood to refinish the bottom side. there was a pad lock between the brace and the hood that had to be put in on the assembly line. i promise you it had to make a bunch of noise. this is no wives tale, i removed it myself and still have it. this could give some credibility to some of the other stories.

[ChevLoRay]

Someone on the site will build you a new SPID, so we have the option of adding those rare accessories to our trucks, then have a new SPID sticker made and VOILA! "Oh yeah, it CAME with those items. Look at the sticker in the glove box. Would I lie?"

[50mercfan]

i had a 72 long fleet 15 years ago that had the gas tank under the bed right behind the driver. had a fuel door on the side of the bed anyone else seen this?

[chewychevy67]

Here is my Canadian 1967 GMC dealer brocheure and the clock i have for my 67 GMC. What do you think?