looking to buy a 60-66 help me out

[wp silverado]

im looking into picking up a 60-66 shortbed 2wd and thats about all i know right now.
ive searched around and done some researching but id really like to hear it all from you guys who have been down this road before i buy a truck and then realise i should have passed on it.
id like to know everything your willing to share from when t-bar ended and coil spring began to how hard it is to swap around if i get one or the other. also are they all 6lug? are they all drum? what rear options did they have? i6 to v8 swaps, is it just matter of mounts? one piece d-shafts or 2? how hard to stick a fat tire under? mounting a fuel cell? i know its alot and im sure its all been stated but if you have a second post whatever info you can for me, id really apreciate it.
btw the truck will be a cheap probly not running truck that will end up being a cruiseable pro street.


also i have a 67 semi pro street so im not clueless id just really like a heads up the 60-66 style trucks

[markeb01]

This first link is a good baseline on what to look for and what to avoid:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/bu...uide_60_66.htm

The torsion bar suspension was used from 60-62 and is attached to a convertible frame with a full X-member, and boxed rails. It was replaced with the conventional coil spring design in 63, which remained very similar through 72. Two rumors on the demise of the T-bars – the design was too expensive and replaced with something less expensive, or – there were breakage issues of the T-bars in big truck applications. In any event, there is very little aftermarket for the 60-62 chassis, and everything you could is want readily available for the 63-72 design. Ball joints and other steering parts are much more expensive in the 60-62 suspension, but once replaced will probably last a lifetime. The T-bar suspension arguably has a much better ride than the coil spring design, but the T-bars can be an interference problem in performance applications using full length headers. If the chassis is going to be lowered, the T-bar anchor levers at the back of the bar will become a problem as the bar is unwound. Eventually they hang down far enough to become a road hazard.

The following link details swapping out the front suspension:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=366850

And here is a thread on engine and transmission mounts:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=369663

½ ton 60-66 Chevy and GMC trucks all came with 6 lug drum brakes. Here’s a thread with all the options available for upgrading to front disc brakes:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=367260

Chevys seem to have 10 or 12 bolt rear axles depending on weight capacity of the chassis although there were probably exceptions, and GMC’s (at least the earliest versions) came with Dana 44 or Dana 60 rear axles. As far as I know, short beds came with the one piece driveshaft, and the long bed chassis used the two piece to keep driveshaft angles within tolerance.

How big a tire can be stuffed under the rear depends on stepside or fleetside, and there are many threads available on the topic, there are also multiple threads on pro-street builds. I believe the 60-62 frame is wider in the back than the later design, although I'm not sure if it makes a difference to how big a tire will fit. Rear mounted fuel tanks are very common, and again the 63-72 models are well supported in the aftermarket, while the 60-62 chassis is not. The are literally dozens of threads on this subject on this and other 60-66 sites.

Other notes - the early eyebrow or jet pod hood was used in 60-61 only, and the new style hood from 63-66. The early hoods are rare and valuable now, particularly the GMC design as many found them ugly when new and changed them out. Any pickup hood from 60-66 will interchange, but must use the latch that came with the hood. The 60-61 style releases from a gap between the bottom center above the grille support, and the later design has the release in the rectangular gap in front on the driver side. The main upper part of both the early and late design Chevy and GMC hoods are the same for each series, only the front section is different. The wrap around windshield lasted through 63. The "flat" windshield was common from 64-66. I happen to prefer the 60-63 wrap around glass, but it is a nightmare to replace and generally deferred to professionals. The later style is easy by comparison and can be done at home by anyone with enthusiasm.

[wp silverado]

thanks for the info mark, its very helpfull. ive now narrowed my search to 63-66 trucks.

[markeb01]

When I bought mine nearly 20 years ago I was shopping for a 63-66, specifically a 63. I liked the wrap around glass and absolutely did not want the torsion bar chassis. But a nearly perfect 1960 GMC fell in my lap and was too good to pass up. If you want to perform all the conventional chassis modifications, the later series is an easier route.

[raycow]

There is a third rumor about the demise of the T-bar suspension, which I believe to be the truth: GM's T-bar design infringed on a Mopar patent, or at least Chrysler thought it did, and GM didn't want to go through a court battle to find out. The failure rate of the T-bars is so low as to be a non-issue. Millions of Mopars have proven this point. GM went back to T-bars in 88.

I have a 60 with the stock front suspension and there is no way I would give it up. Disc brake conversions are available for the 60-62 front end now, so you don't have to do a crossmember swap just to get better brakes.

One parts interchange problem you don't hear much about, but which is annoying nonetheless, is the rear axle. The stock axle design goes back to the 40s, has a limited choice of ratios, and parts availability is poor for anything other than bearings and seals. Most of these rears are 3.90, which is pretty highway-unfriendly if you want to run stock diameter tires.

Unfortunately, the trailing arm spacing is different from the later trucks, so the 63-up rears can't be swapped in unless you cut off the mounting pads and re-weld them. I "fixed" the gearing problem by swapping in a 5-speed, but I am not looking forward to the day the stock rear end dies.

Ray

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Originally Posted by wp silverado

im looking into picking up a 60-66 shortbed 2wd and thats about all i know right now.
ive searched around and done some researching but id really like to hear it all from you guys who have been down this road before i buy a truck and then realise i should have passed on it.
id like to know everything your willing to share from when t-bar ended and coil spring began to how hard it is to swap around if i get one or the other. also are they all 6lug? are they all drum? what rear options did they have? i6 to v8 swaps, is it just matter of mounts? one piece d-shafts or 2? how hard to stick a fat tire under? mounting a fuel cell? i know its alot and im sure its all been stated but if you have a second post whatever info you can for me, id really apreciate it.
btw the truck will be a cheap probly not running truck that will end up being a cruiseable pro street.


also i have a 67 semi pro street so im not clueless id just really like a heads up the 60-66 style trucks

If you are looking to go Pro/Street....Just give me a hollar Bud if you have any questions.
There are a few of us fellars on here.



http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=402277

[wp silverado]

1bad are those frame rails stock? what are you doing for traction aid (ladder bars coil overs) what size tire? and do you have any pics of the bed?

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Originally Posted by wp silverado

1bad are those frame rails stock? what are you doing for traction aid (ladder bars coil overs) what size tire? and do you have any pics of the bed?

The frame has been Altered/Modified.
I am thinking about using the Ladder Bar with Floaters and Leaf Springs in my application on my truck.
Rear Hides:
Mickey Thompson 29x15.50-15LT

Bed:


More Pics:
Here you go Bud:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=321173

http://cid-9169aad55cfc6d79.skydrive...ACKET%e2%80%b3

[aboz]

What are you looking to spend?

[wp silverado]

im leaving in the m,orning with this


to pick up a 64

[DPowers]

Cool- we want pics ASAP

[aboz]

Edited by Staff

[wp silverado]

thanks aboz but i picked one up last weekend. heres the build thread
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=405253