Short bed 3/4 ton! Say what?

[gripnrip]

I found a deal on a couple of 67 and 68 short beds, They are both pretty well worn but one is a 3/4 ton (8 lug rims and all). Has anyone seen one of these, or better yet does anyone have any info on them?

[special-K]

I`ve never seen one.I know they weren`t made by GM.A member here,Shaneschevys (IIRC) in TX,had or has one.Can you get pictures?

[Longhorn Man]

yep, tim is 100% right, GM didn't build it like that

[72BlckButy]

Would like to see pics if possible. I'm with Andy and Tim, definitely not made by GM.

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

somebody did some axle swapping

[special-K]

Hefty lil` Shorty,eh?You know,GM used to build shortbed 3/4ts before 1960.I`ve seen those.

[ChevLoRay]

You know the phrase, "Like A Rock" had to start somewhere. The old 4WD trucks, like NAPCO conversions, were rough. I'm sure their suspensions rivaled a 3/4-ton suspension by the time all the "stuff" was on it.

[R.L.]

My brother ordered a short bed in 78 with overload springs and a doudle low geared transmission, maybe its a special order. Can you trace the orginal owner down? If he's not still alive maybe someone in his family knows something.

[special-K]

I guess there are ways to trace owners.But,I can tell you that in`77 I went in to the dealer and tryed to order a 3/4t shortbed 4wd and they told me it couldn`t be ordered.I remember a base K/10 Stepside was right about $6,000 and with all my options (before we got to the 3/4t axle part) was right about $7,000.They thought I was nuts and wondered why I wanted such heavy axles.Nowadays it`s all about 1t axles.If I knew what I know now,I would have asked for 1t axles.

[shaneschevys]

I wish I had it back

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by R.L.

My brother ordered a short bed in 78 with overload springs and a doudle low geared transmission, maybe its a special order. Can you trace the orginal owner down? If he's not still alive maybe someone in his family knows something.

You can gear it as low as you want, and have overloads on top of overloads... still doesn't make it a 3/4 ton.

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by shaneschevys

I wish I had it back

I bet it rode like an old Mack.

[70rs/ss]

I have an ultra rare 1972 3/4 ton 8-lug 2wd blazer.






































Yeah, I made it but so what?!

[OBTG62]

Edited by mod
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a....php?f=50&a=17

[piecesparts]

3/4 ton short beds USED to be a norm in many farm communities. That was back in the day, when you could order a truck designed like you wanted it, not the way some factory dude wanted it.

[Ricks1971]

I saw a post from someone in Oregon that had a 67 shortbed 4X4 and he had put 3?4 running gear on it. anyone remember that post?

[sameyrasmea72]

The guy I sold this 3/4 ton truck to, shortened the frame and the bed and put a body lift on it. It looks pretty sweet, sort of 4x4ish looking. I need to get some picks of the finished truck.

[gripnrip]

I just got some info on the 3/4 ton shorty. Apparently it was a special order railroad truck, I think the wheels were designed to fit on wide gauge railroad tracks. I do have some photos although they may be poor, I will try to find out more about it and get the truck home to take some better pics.
Thanks for all the posts.
That 3/4 ton blazer is a unique one.

[72armyswbtruck]

I can't wait to see those pictures. Interesting that it was for a railroad company.

[Longhorn Man]

a quick peek at the model number will tell all its secrets.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

3/4 ton short beds USED to be a norm in many farm communities. That was back in the day, when you could order a truck designed like you wanted it, not the way some factory dude wanted it.

Most of that is true.But,I think most would agree,these trucks were very unrestricted in regards to ordering what you wanted.The first "packaging" started at the end of the run with the Highlander.That was as much an experiment in what was in store for the future as well as a way to unload the end of the run to make way for the "new & improved" trucks.Funny,huh?People actually ran out and unloaded their beloved 67-72s just to have the new more modern style.
I think demand was so low for such a truck and that`s why they were discontinued.

[Longhorn Man]

what generation had short bed with 3/4 ton running gear?

[piecesparts]

I my world of growing up, there were the 65 and 66 GMC trucks that were loaded with 3/4 ton axles and the big 6 cylinder engines. They originally were the design for the Forrestry service, but many farms had them in my area. The 67 through 72 years and the 73 through at least 79 years had many dealerships capable of ordering the trucks with "Whatever" you wanted in the parts garage. I have a buddy that has 76 with a six cylinder, 3/4 ton axles, 4 wheel drive, and a winch. He ordered it when he lived in Colorado and still has it running to this day.

TODAY---you have to take what the guy sells you and LIKE IT.

[Elephanthead]

People don't like it, that is why we are bailing them out so they can keep building trucks no one wants.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by Elephanthead

People don't like it, that is why we are bailing them out so they can keep building trucks no one wants.

I personally believe that if a business is doing bad, it is because they chose their business plan badly. I think that the business should die off, HOWEVER with that being said---the BIG 3 going out of business will kill so many other companies off, that feed off of them, this country cannot survive that right now, so I am having mixed thoughts over that.


I also believe that if you build the GOOD STUFF, then the public will buy it.

I also believe that the Union has a large hand in this failure. They need to own up for that and that will NEVER happen.

I also think that the Big 3 want the failure to happen, then they can go to other countries and build without the Union working them over. In other words without the bailout, they will win anyways. We just loose in the ong run.