rare? save it or scrap it? 70 gmc 2500 v6 4spd posi

[madmopar]

I picked up a parts truck for scrap value this weekend. It runs and drives, but it is really rough, and the original engine is gone, but its an odd ball truck. I got it from the son on the original owner. HE said his dad special ordered it with the v6, 4 spd, deluxe seat, and maximum traction options. The seat looks like a 71-72 piece, but the guy swore that the seat came in the truck. He said his dad ordered the truck late in 69, but didn't get it delivered until late 1970, because of paperwork isssues, he said. He gave me the owners manual it came with, which is a 1971 owners manual. He said the old v6 died sometime in the 80's, and was replaced with the 250 thats in it now. Well, after I got it home I started searching for similar trucks, but found out 1969 was the last year for v6's... So I decoded the VIN. It does decode as a 69 in the VIN, but the title says 1970 GMC, but the VIN matches the door tag, and the grease pencil letters under the hood. As I said, the truck is short on options, but it has the 4spd and "maximum traction" option. The guy was real proud of the posi.

My original intentions were to scrap it, but use a couple parts off of it (passenger door, door panels, ash tray, rearview mirror, steering column, etc....) maybe restore the cab and use it on mine because of the clear title (I have a salvage title)... but I'm having second thoughts...

Is this a rare truck that should be brought back, or scrapped? any thoughts?

[292farmer]

me i'd keep it it looks good i'd love to have that truck

[sailed2japan]

I love floor shifters and 3/4 tons, plus just having a title to it makes it worth building. I'd say the 69 vin w/ the 70 title is a cool option, too.

[Longhorn Man]

v6 4 speed with a limited slip may be uncommon today, but that's only becouse it is undesirable.
Fix it becouse it is a fixable truck (not for it's rareness) or part it out. It's nothing too special.

[blue 72 gmc 4x4]

I say get what you want off of it then sell the rest to someone else...Dont scrap it!!!

[madmopar]

If it had the v6 in it still, I'd be more inclined to restore it... I was disappointed to open the hood and find the 250. I guess no one is into the v6 trucks though, so rare doesn't make it valuable... just "undesirable" huh? I'm just caught up in the "rareness" of it...

I thought it was "rare" because of the v6 in a 1970 truck. Am I wrong? Are there a 1970's that came out with v6's?I thought 1969 was the last year for the v6's. The VIN does code as a 1969, but the title says 1970, so I gotta believe that is how GM delivered it.

I don't have a real good pic of just the seat, but you can see what it is in the steering wheel pic. If it was delivered with that seat, thats gotta be odd too... 'cause its a 1971 seat... isn't it?

[madmopar]

I left this pic out. both rockers look like this:

[Old Yeller 1970]

Originally Posted by madmopar

I guess no one is into the v6 trucks though,

I wouldn't say that. http://www.6066gmcguy.org/

I think it would be cool with the 305 or 351 V6. If you show it, it'll have the, "Ahh", factor that a Chevy 350 won't. The practical side of having a GMC V6 is lot's of torque. The downside is they redline pretty quick so lot's of 70MPH driving may not be efficient.

[Bob B.]

You all know how I feel about '67-'69 GMC's with V-6's: Fix it up! Undesirable? I bought and restored my '67 BECAUSE it had a V-6. But seriously, that truck looks pretty rough, and it doesn't have the original engine in it anymore, so I say do as you please. You got some good parts there, a Dana 60 posi on leaf springs, some good sheetmetal, probably a GM style New Process 435 gearbox.

[jim zag]

Nice truck BOB!!!!!

[madmopar]

[QUOTE=Bob B.;4240048] But seriously, that truck looks pretty rough, and it doesn't have the original engine in it anymore, QUOTE]

I feel the same way... the original motor would've made me want to restore it...

Right now I'm leaning toward swapping some parts off of it with my 70 chevy. I'll keep this driveable, and maybe sell it with my old parts on it... maybe keep it around to haul wood... I dunno... I do love the dana 60 posi and 4 speed!

[madmopar]

I'm thinking It would be OK to keep it around towing/ pulling... This would involve me putting a flatbed or wrecker bed on it... The bed thats on it is scrap - it looks straight, and is for the most part, has lots of rust holes in it... Its pretty thin!

How would this setup (250 i6, 4 spd, dana 60 posi w/ 3.73 gears) do pulling a loaded trailer, or as a wrecker pulling a truck or car? What kind of top speed on the highway and what gas mileage could I expect?

[Longhorn Man]

if the VIN says it is a 69, then it is a 69. The title is wrong.

[madmopar]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

if the VIN says it is a 69, then it is a 69. The title is wrong.

I agree with you, but it originally came to the original owner as a 1970. He sold it to his son and it transferred as a 1970 GMC, with the 1969 VIN code on the same title. If the title is wrong, then it was originally wrong... know what I mean? Its wrong, but original - and wrong...

Maybe the dealer filled out the paperwork as a 1970 GMC, knowing it was a 1969 throwback that he had to scour the inventories for to fulfill this guy's order - made in mid-69.

Is this possible?

Finding this error makes me worried the title on it is clouded - even though I got it from the son of the original owner! Am I gonna run into any problems if I were to keep and fix this truck? problems titling it myself, or problems selling it... down the road???

Any input? Any other ideas on why its titled as a 1970 with a 1969 VIN?

[R.L.]

It's got a lot of rust, maybe the v6s of that era aren't desirable maybe they are I would keep it long enough to know for sure; I guess what I'm saying is I'd park it if I had the space for a time and gather more info and see how I feel about it later, theirs no rush here. No idea on the title any body else in the sellers family got any info on it? Maybe you could find a new cab, bed and v6 for the right money if patience and luck hold out, I think it would be cool restored to like orginal condition.

[Longhorn Man]

some DMVs would put the year it was purchased on the title. Even back then they weren't supposed to do that, for safety laws and smog laws, but none the less, some places did it. It could have been a mistake on the DMV couter person's part, no telling. I have had typos on titles, and just flat out bad info on titles. Had a civic 3 door hatchback, the title said 4 door coupe. Told the DMV to fix it, and they did no questions. Just show them the VIN, take your owner's manual to show them how to read a VIN from that year GMC, and tell them it was probably a mistake made years ago. If the VIN on the title and truck match, and the rivits are correct, then you should have nothing to worry about.

[madmopar]

Well, very few people still have the owners manual for thier 1969 GMC. I did happen to get the one that this guy got with the truck, but it is a 1971!!! (because he recieved the NEW truck in late 1970!) I guess I can check out e-bay...

[Jacfourteen]

The Dana 60's don't have posi they have lockers, which are much better in my experience. They're more fun too, because when you make tight turns in a parking lot everyone looks to see who's tires are squeeling .

[madmopar]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

Had a civic 3 door hatchback, the title said 4 door coupe.

I don't think I would've admitted to that... even to prove a point...

Just kidding with you... Don't tell anyone, but I currently own 2 Hyundais. My wifes car and another collision rebuilder that I picked up at the same tow-off auction I picked up my 70 chevy at.

Longhorn Man, Thanks for you replys, you're very insightful.

[madmopar]

Thanks everyone else too... I'm still on the fence about saving this truck... leaning trading the good parts off of it with my 70... then selling it as a complete truck - albeit in poor condition...

Any additional feedback is welcomed as well...

[madmopar]

I used the truck for a couple years as a wood truck - the last spring, I scrapped it... I kept the hood off of it, but that was the only straight panel left on it.

[SCHRUMGMC]

A TRUCK SHOULD NEVER BE SCRAPPED EVER!!!!!!!!!!
UNLESS THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY GONE

FOR the love of God man, keep that truck I am sure the Original owners would be upset if you scrapped it... I sure as hell would be..LOL

But anyway the truck looks nice..Fix the rust, get the truck running and cleaned..Sell for $3,000

[Aruba1]

Share it (part it out), sell it or restore it. But don't scrap it.

[trac209]

That's a great farm or ranch truck as is. I'd say if it can still get used without too much work I say why not

[madmopar]

It was scrapped last spring...

It was too far gone... more rust than sheet metal... The front leaf spring hangers were rusted away... leafs were chained to the frame... the bed was rusted through - sides and bottom - and the cab rockers/ corners gone... like non existent... and the floor was swiss cheese... other problems included: electrical... would drain battery over night... ignition switch shorted out too... title error (year didn't match VIN)

If it would've had the original v6 in good running condition, it might've been significant enough to save... but it didn't it had a 1975 250 L6 in it... which still ran when I scrapped it...

I kept the power steering pump and brackets off the v6, and I kept the black steel door panels... they're way cooler than the plastic ones on both my chevys. I kept the radiator, gas tank, and also kept the hood, as I said in prev post... and mighta kept a couple other odds and ends...

It died, but it signed its organ donor card first...