Info on this 1971 GMC K20 from PNW

[jluther74]

I just picked up this 1971 GMC off eBay. The guy I bought it from just purchased it from Eatonville, WA. It looks like it was originally red from WA. and he repainted it black. I was just wondering if anyone around here had any info on this truck. I have tried getting in contact with the original seller on eBay but no luck. The VIN is CE134Z119882

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEDWX%3AIT

[BLAZERMAN]

I'm not up on decoding GMCs but that looks like a Chevy vin, 2 wheel drive,V-8, 1/2 ton..but that 3 kinda throws me. I think a GMC 4X4 should of had a vin starting like TK. What does your title say?

[jluther74]

I didn't get the title or the truck yet. They are both in the mail. I am having a hard time finding a transporter. The truck is in Ward, AR. and needs to go to CT.
Needless to say I am nervous, I bought the truck with only a dozen or so crappy pictures and I am taking the sellers word on it.

[dmack91]

Originally Posted by jluther74

I didn't get the title or the truck yet. They are both in the mail. I am having a hard time finding a transporter. The truck is in Ward, AR. and needs to go to CT.
Needless to say I am nervous, I bought the truck with only a dozen or so crappy pictures and I am taking the sellers word on it.

You are a brave soul.

[jluther74]

Brave or stupid I have yet to figure that out.

Originally Posted by dmack91

You are a brave soul.

[GASoline71]

Originally from Eatonville. WA... I grew up 8 miles from there. But I can't say I would know who might have owned that truck.

Gary

[50bomb]

I hope everything works out and you are more than happy with what you purchased when it comes through.

[jluther74]

Gary the user name on ebay two sellers ago was "redlady15" They sell alot of old car parts (hub caps and stuff) Is eatonville small?

For that matter is any one close to Ward, AR. ?

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Originally from Eatonville. WA... I grew up 8 miles from there. But I can't say I would know who might have owned that truck.

Gary

[71gmcburb]

yes Eatonville is fairly small

[jluther74]

Is there a link to the GMC VIN decoder ring?
I just sold a 1963 Chevy II and you could tell how many times the original owner got lucky in the back seat by the VIN.

[bruceman1968]

Here's a good link for a vin decoder. Use the one for a 70-71 gmc. Last one on the page.
http://outintheshop.com/vin_decode.html

[jluther74]

Thanks Bruce
1970 2wd 1/2 ton wide side

I was looking for a nice body with 3/4 ton drive train. I have a 408 LSx stroker motor from the Nova I want to throw in.

The truck has 8 lug axles in the pictures I'm thinking it was a body swap. I wonder which part has the 75K original miles.

[special-K]

I'm coming into this late. I see you already decoded the VIN. Chevy and GMC VINs use the same digits except in '72 when a C prefix is added on Chevys and a T on GMCs. I'm curios If the frame is a '71 K2500,if that's what the seller claimed it was. Chevys were 10/20/30 series and GMCs were 1500/2500/3500s

[jluther74]

Was there a difference between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton frame? What do I look for? If I'm not mistaken it has to be a 4x4 frame right? 2wd would have coils front and rear.
I am not planning on loading the bed heavy just pulling a trailer. With a little power.

[72 K20]

I had a '69 3/4 ton 2WD that had leaf springs in the rear.
I just picked up a 72 3/4 ton that is coils.

If memory serves correctly the 2WD models could be ordered with either coil or leaf springs.

Correct me if I am thinking this wrong.

[special-K]

Yes,coils or leaf on 2wd. The 4wd frames were different in a couple subtle ways. The frame rails in the rear tapered in slightly,so spring locations on the axle are more inboard. The other slight and not so important difference is the frame rises up about an inch more in the front rise. The engine cradles are different also. The frames are the same between 1/2 and 3/4t,except the rear cab mounts are lower/bushings are thicker...that's on 2wd. All 4wd frames are the same with the lower rear cab mounts.
That cab may have had the trans tunnel cut out and high-hump adapted,if it wasn't originally a 4spd or big block. It can still be a nice truck that appears as a '71 K2500. It just sucks the seller wasn't forthright. Makes you wonder how honest he is about anything else.

[jluther74]

I hope maybe he just didn't know. He bought in December and never registered it.
I'm praying to the car gods. I took hit on my last project.

[71gmcburb]

it makes me woder if the title he got the vin off of is the one that belongs to that truck?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Have you tried the phone # listed in the e bay ad? Those pics sure do not inspire much confidence..

[jluther74]

That's the guy i bought it from. I have talked to him but he only knows whats in the ad. The truck should be here Wednesday.

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Have you tried the phone # listed in the e bay ad? Those pics sure do not inspire much confidence..

[special-K]

I just looked for the first time at the Ebay listing. If that's a Sierra Grande or even a Sierra it doesn't have any of that stuff on it. If those are the original gauges it's definitely not a Sierra Grande. If it's totally restored then why isn't the rear bumper even painted or door panels installed and why does the seat have a used looking velour cover? So,the drivetrain,brakes,and suspension are restored? Or did he just paint it? I'm wondering how that motor is getting 450 HP from what he describes. Sounds about 100hp high to me. Why would someone buy a truck,strip it down,and paint just to turn around and sell before ever registering it? Did he ever title it? It may not be a bad truck and I wish you the best. Had you asked us before buying you would have known all these questions to ask the seller.

[jluther74]

I have been looking for a decent 3/4 ton for quite a while now. I wanted something with a really nice body, absolutely no rot. I still want to use the truck for what it was made for so the $20K show trucks caught my eye just aren't practical for me. I fell in love with these trucks but couldn't bring my self to do a LSx swap and then try and use the bed with out screwing it up to haul something.






I tossed around the idea of putting the early model 2wd body on a late model (2000 and up) frame but that didn't happen.

I bought the black truck minus the motor for less than he was asking. He told me he was selling it due to a divorce and as soon as that was over he was building another one. Maybe I'm a sucker

Supposedly all the chrome and badges are new may be he put on what he liked? It was advertised as a Seirra when he bought it.


If it gets here and the truck is what I was looking for I'll start a build thread,
Turbo LSx 408 with a 4l80 behind it. The NA 408 made over 450 rwtq by 3500rpm in the Nova, but the truck is a little heavier so a little un-natural aspiration is required.

Now Special-K your making me nervous! I know it was a semi impulse buy but I didn't want to let it get away. I'm dangerous with a pocket full of cash. Say a prayer to the GMC (or is it Chevy) man up stairs for me.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Hopefully it will arrive nice and pretty...

[bucketObolts]

When I was younger and knew more about trucks from magazines than from wrenching on em, I bought an airbagged squarebody off ebay that i just had to have and could not get off my mind. Bought it sight unseen just like you with a few blurry pictures and a sob story for the reason for selling. I hope yours arrives better than mine did. Thats the reason why I learned how to weld and started building my own trucks because it is seriously scary the way some people lower, airbag, or lift trucks. Your GMC however looks alot better at least and I cant lame ya for gettin trigger happy with Paypal. I wish you luck and hope you get what you thought you bought. In the future try asking a fellow member in the area to take a peak at it. Seems to me like everyone is more than happy to help out. Kinda like pay it forward i guess. Good luck and let us know what happens

[special-K]

I doubt it's all that bad. But I've learned to pass on trucks I've really like but didn't feel good about the seller.It could just be that a real nice 2wd cab was swapped onto a decent 4wd chassis. I've done plenty of that myself. Some are afraid to move VIN-plates to keep things matching and correct. The laws are BS. I say if you bought what you own and can prove it you should be able to keep numbers correct. You can change every body part legally. But the VIN-plate is on the cab and that can't be changed??? Sometimes is easier to get a 4wd 3/4t past the dips at the DMV with 2wd 1/2t numbers than swap the correct VIN-plate. Keeping vehicles alive isn't illegal (yet)...stealing them is.