Differences between a 69 and 70

[BOSS]

uhm...well this is Michael, James's son. and I was wondering what the differences are between a 69 and a 70 Chevy truck. I know the differences between all the others, just not those 2. so yeah...sorry if this is already posted somewhere else, but it would help, cause I hate saying, "yeah that is either a 69 or a 70"...I wanna be able to say "yeah, that's a 69" or "yeah, that's a 70"...so if anyone knows...any little details would be appreciated...thanks a bunches.

[Gee_Emm]

Grille, rear view mirror. I think thats it.

[Harold Shepard]

The grill is different- inner not outer- 70 has 12 horizontal fins vertical bars in it the door panels are different 69 has bowtie on upper level trim the 70 panel is like the 71 panel woodgrain applique, paint options the 70 could have the two tone white top, main color then white below the lower trim.Trim around the rear view mirror, 70 went to the grained look, 69 was smooth vinyl. 69 was first year of intregal power steering and foot operated parking brake I'm sure other options made them different but these are easy to spot 70 was first year of AM/FM,tilt, 402,rear air shocks w/coils exhaust emissions, an sliding rear window

[BOSS]

Any pics of the different grills and mirror?(or anything that is different that i can tell from a distance)?

[Longhorn Man]

Harold, I think there are some inacuracys in your responce....and anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong...
69 could have the paint option as you describe...Longhorn Jeff has a 69 painted as you described.
69 was the first year for tilt
am/fm was started in 71

[Harold Shepard]

Andy I pulled that out of the GM literature I have that was reprinted in a Golden State pickup parts when Seth Daulton owned it. On the paint, my brother owned an orginal 70 with the white /orange/white option. I believe and I may be mistaken, but it was a 70 only deal. But I may be mistaken ,but it was definately a option in 70. Until I looked at the lit. I too was under the impression that the 402 was not available until 71, but much of this could be mid year stuff as well.

[69 Short Fleet]

In all my research the am/fm radio was not available in 69. And there are minor differences in the outer grill between 69 & 70 around the outside of the turn signals (less metal) on the centre bar towards the headlight moulding. Harold what bowtie are you talking about... did they have one on the door trim somewhere?, like on CST models or... my 69 is a plain jane C/10 (with a few options) and I don't have any, thanks Doug

[bobs409]

What about the side marker lights? I believe 69 had no lights and sometime in 70, they did have them?

[Longhorn Man]

the bow tie on the door panels was in the vynal covered ones, the polain steel panels did not get anything like that.
The 402 started in 70, replacing the 396.
Side marker reflactors became standard in 68, with lights optional in 68 and 69...except certian models when they were required on both those years....lamps became standard across the board in 70.
am/fm came in 71
Below is a pic of an unmolested 69 Longhorn...a CST/Custom Camper truck...I think it to be a very early production model since it is missing 2 items from the CST package.
in 69 - 72 either style 2 tone could be had.

Originally Posted by 8door

Boss -hope you don't mind me expanding your post.
Longhorn- do you know the stock paint schemes on 68. Particullarly the two tones.I see some with white cab tops and down back of rear glass not door top edges, then some with all the tops white including the A pillars.Also did any have white below the side trim? Some also had white grill facing like the 50th anniversary.
Chris

The 67 had just the cab roof painted white...nothing on the door pillars, in 68, the door pillars got painted.
As for the nose...very late 67 started getting painted silver or white, with trim added. The early 67 owners could go and have that installed on there trucks at extra cost. The only two tone (other than just the roof) was below the lower belt being secondary color.

[byrd]

Thanks guys I had a similar question and I think it's been answered. I was always wondering about my 69 swb c-10, because it has the marker lights all around but no wiring or holes for the bulbs in the old marker lights. I didn't know why they were there but not used I guess thru reading the posts here that these were an option in 69(lighted version)? thanks for the info, Randy

[bobs409]

It's fun trying to explain it when I get my truck inspected too.

[69 Short Fleet]

Any, were the vynal door panels (with the bowtie) available on a trim package option on C/10's also or was it part of a CST or Cheyane package only, thanks Doug

[Longhorn Man]

Good Q...I'll have to look that one up...but I suspect it was a CST thing only.

[Blue_71]

in 69 there was a "dip" beside the headlights that was painted black... in 70 the black bars go all the way to the lights. 69 inner grills and 70 inner grills are different.

in pic one look beside the left turn signal, there is a dip there that used to be black
in pic two, youll notice the black bars going all the way to the headlight bezels
pic three is labeled to point out the differences

[Pilgrim]

My 69 inner grill was plastic, the 70 was punched metal louvers.

[Gee_Emm]

Both 69 and 70 have plastic inners.


The black bar thing on the outers doesnt determine year, it is OE that came on the truck vs being replaced with repro. Both 69 and 70 original grille trucks have the continued black lines next to the lights

[inline6Bill]

Major visible difference is in the grille; 69 had no raised chrome "imitation louvers" like the 70 did. Also, the door panels are different, 69 had a fancy inlaid pattern circling the door panel with no "imitation woodgrain" trim near the top of the panel.

Other differences: 69 generally had no emissions control devices but 70 had TCS on many models, 70 had lower production numbers than 69, the 327 was no longer available in 70 model year.

[70c10swb]

Heres the front of my 70 if this helps

[69 Short Fleet]

Here is a link to pics of my front grill and my door panel, the grill is a repop & the door panel is original (could someone could post these for me) thanks

http://community.webshots.com/user/2blubudgies

[Harold Shepard]

I think that the vinyl panels were parts of the custom comfort and conv. package. The truck I am working on now has them but it was only a "custom" not CST, other than two tone paint it had no other options - 250 three speed no power anything

[70 shorty]

Do a search under my posts, I asked this exact question back in the fall. There are a lot of pictures that helped me to tell the difference. Of course on mine the entire grill is painted black, so the paint differences don't help me on mine. Of course I know it's a 70, but I wouldn't have known the difference btwn the years if not for help here.

[Solver]

here is a pic if no one has put it up yet of the two grille differences.
top being 69 bottom 70