Hello Everybody

[Togart]

I've been lurking here since late last year and thought I'd finally speak up.

I bought a 1966 GMC 1500 last year for $200. It had been my (now ex) brother-in-law's, although he hadn't had it that long before he skedaddled.

It has been repainted/restored at some point. The V6 is gone and has been replaced by a '73 350, but it still has the powerglide. It's got the Dana-60 out back, not sure on the gearing...but my bro-in-law said the engine was screaming out on the highway. He took the bed off and built the crappy flatbed, but I have the panels still, thankfully.



It runs, though I haven't had it out on the road yet due to carb problems. Plus the front brake lines are looking a bit scary, and I don't know what the shoes/drums are like.

Here's a link to a gallery of more pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2870747...7623617245267/

I was planning on getting it so I could drive it around a bit this summer, but money is a bit tight at the moment (isn't it always!). I can see this thing nickel-and-dimeing me to death as it is, so I may just tear it down and do it right from the start.

Anyway, hi to everybody....I'm happy to become a part of this great community

Togart

[markeb01]

Welcome from Washington state. Looks like you have something decent to start with and you sure can't beat the price. Just formulate a plan and take your time, after all this hobby is suppose to be fun.

[JRBECK64]

Welcome Togart,
Look forward watching the process of restoration on this GMC. Was the bed a Short Fleet or a Short Step?

JRBECK64

[Togart]

Welcome from Washington state. Looks like you have something decent to start with and you sure can't beat the price. Just formulate a plan and take your time, after all this hobby is suppose to be fun.

Welcome Togart,
Look forward watching the process of restoration on this GMC. Was the bed a Short Fleet or a Short Step?

Thanks

Actually I'm pretty sure it is a Long Fleet....think that flatbed makes it look shorter than it is.

Togart

[creep]

Nice rig! What are your plans for it?

[DPowers]

Welcome to the site from East TN. Nice score- it easier to stay motivated if go a lttle at a time and be able to drive it as well during the process.

[aerotruk63]

Lot's of nice truck to start with for sure. Start a build thread when you can. Lot's of great information available on this site.

[Togart]

Originally Posted by creep

Nice rig! What are your plans for it?

Thanks I'm planing on restifying it....keep it looking mostly stock with a few convenience upgrades. I'd like to find a '66 283 or 327 to rebuild and put in it (even tho they didn't come with V8's), and an OD tranny. I might do A/C if I can make it look like it came from the factory with it.

I'd love to find about the same vintage camper (airstream maybe?) to fix up as well and then take the wife on a tour of these states when it's all done. I guess that would be the ultimate goal

Originally Posted by DPowers

Welcome to the site from East TN. Nice score- it easier to stay motivated if go a lttle at a time and be able to drive it as well during the process.

I had it out the other day, ran it for about 45 minutes and moved it around a bit...that was great. Maybe I can get it to the point that i can take it around the block a few times before I tear it down hehe

Togart

[creep]

I think GMCs were made with V8s too.

[Togart]

Really? I thought the V6 was standard, and the two inlines were optional. Think my info is wikipedia though so I could be wrong hehe


Togart

[Vernski]

Welcome Togart from North Idaho and a fellow GMC'r mine is a 65 custom long fleet w/250 inline. If you have any questions about your truck field them to the forum everyone here is happy to help....Vernski

[andyh1956]

hey nice truck- lookit all that shiny trim! don't see that much at all any more. hey didn't gmc use a pontiac engine sometime or another? seems they used a cast iron 4 speed auto- a hydro something- can't remember. enjoy that truck boy!
andy

[creep]

I'm sure about the V8's, just something I heard or read somewhere. I could be wrong.

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum Togart

That looks like a pretty decent GMC to work with. It's got the 'Custom" trim on it too. Did you say you have the original bedsides?

[Togart]

Yep, I do...they're not perfect but I think they're workable. I'll try to get some pics of them this weekend, as well as some of the rust so you guys can see what I'm working with.


Togart

[creep]

Just re-read my last post, I meant to say "I'm NOT sure about the V8's". Sorry.

[markeb01]

I also heard a rumor years ago that some GMC's came stock with a Pontiac V8 engine and hyrdamatic transmission. It sounded plausible at the time since GMC's were sold at Pontiac dealers, but I've never seen any documentation or photographs supporting the claim.

[Vernski]

Originally Posted by markeb01

I also heard a rumor years ago that some GMC's came stock with a Pontiac V8 engine and hyrdamatic transmission. It sounded plausible at the time since GMC's were sold at Pontiac dealers, but I've never seen any documentation or photographs supporting the claim.

It's not a rumor Markb I had one in "73" it was a long wb step-side 1956 5 window cab. When I needed parts for the engine the guy at Bracks would tell me after he looked at the parts # you have the Pontiac motor with the hydra-matic then! I don't have any photos of the engine to prove it just my word but the book GMC the first 100 years says on page 56 it says. A 287.2 Pontiac V-8 rated at 155 hp was availible at extra cost. So it was an option and it didn't say how long it was offered....Vernski

[lakeroadster]

Togart,

Your truck rocks dude. I am sucker for a green truck! Welcome to the board!

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by Vernski

It's not a rumor Markb I had one in "73" it was a long wb step-side 1956 5 window cab. When I needed parts for the engine the guy at Bracks would tell me after he looked at the parts # you have the Pontiac motor with the hydra-matic then! I don't have any photos of the engine to prove it just my word but the book GMC the first 100 years says on page 56 it says. A 287.2 Pontiac V-8 rated at 155 hp was availible at extra cost. So it was an option and it didn't say how long it was offered....Vernski

Thanks Vernski that's good to know. I thought it sounded plausible, just never ran across anything to confirm. Surprising it wasn't a more publicized option, seems like it would have been a popular combination in a truck, especially with fleet operators. When I worked at Peterbilt back in the 70's I was surprised to find we were selling rigs for delivery to South America with Allison automatics for use in the jungles. I asked why they would spend all the extra money for such an expensive transmission. The answer came back - many of the drivers they were recruiting had never seen a road let alone driven a truck, so they needed a truck that was as simple to operate as possible. Seems reasonable the same issues probably existed back when our trucks were new as well.

[andyh1956]

back in about 1969 i had rented a pasture & a barn to run my business out of- i dismantled & sold 55-56 chevys after school. back then there were no repro parts & the chevy dealers had few parts also, but they were very popular cars. i used to run the little clutch linkage bushings off at school - (the start of a young capitalist) anyway up in the loft of the barn was an engine with a big cast iron trans on it. guy who owned that place said it was a pontiac out of a gmc pickup. thats where i remembered it from. i also had a 40 ford coupe with a caddy engine with one of these trans in it. omg! are those things heavy! don't ask how i know. hey markeb01 back a few years i sold some low reduction fullers, 44k rear tandems & some 400hp cat & cummins engines to some gautemalans- they both wore trench coats in 95deg weather & they boy with the mac 10 stood between me & the boy with the brief case- they pay CASH! man i bet that rig weighed 150k when it left the househeaded south!
andy

[Woogeroo]

Howdy Togart,
welcome to the sickness.

-W

[Togart]

That's cool I didn't know about the Pontiac motors. GM did some interesting stuff back in the day, like the chevy motors in Canadian Pontiacs, too.

Togart