Finally Got My Dream Truck!!! & It's a GMC

[rcbildr]

First off I need to say that I have THE COOLEST girlfriend ever!!!!! I told her if I buy this truck, I wouldn't be able to do anything for her on her birthday, which is the 30th of this month.

Ever since I had to get rid of my 71 Chevy truck, I kinda brainstormed and figured out what I would really want to replace it with. The criteria would be 2wd, GMC with the big V6 (always wanted a big V6) and it would have to be a 60-72. Thursday I found such a truck!!!

It's a 1960 GMC 1/2ton, 2wd, 305 V6, 3 on the tree, and it has some really rare features as a bonus. It's got the chrome grill, bumper, side trim, window trim, and the trim on the back of the cab.

The two issues I have to deal with now is getting it to run and the rear wheels are locked up....I broke my come-a-long and bent the handle it to an L getting the truck on the trailer. The engine was last ran a week ago and when it turns over I can hear it fire a couple times. I think I'm fighting bad gas and maybe fouled plugs...gonna check the ignition system tomorrow.

Here's the pics:

Loaded on the trailer...took me 3 hours to get it loaded up.


Sitting in my driveway after my girlfriend gave it a bath.



The engine.


The Dash.


Anyone seen this before. Its for the windsheild wipers and is in really good shape.


Anyone seen this before and can tell me about it. It's hooked up to the coil and says its a capacitance discharge system.


Now for the really cool part, the truck has 159K original miles with maintenance records to confirm that. There is a sheet the the previous owner who sold it to the guy I bought the truck from started that has all the maintenance done to it all the way back to 1969. It even came with a GMC service manual and the origianl keys (I think) too. We were told the truck is from Yakima and was used as a farm truck in a plum orchard.

The truck has a lot of surface rust inside and out on top of the typical rust found on this bodystyle of truck. I'm gonna stock up on CLR and green scrubbies and go to town on it. The guy I bought it from purchased the truck in 1984 and drove it off an on until 1997. He then just parked it in his driveway and would run it every now and then. The last time it was tabbed was 1997. He decided to sell it because he was no longer able to really work on it...I think he was glad I bought it...I told him about my 63 4x4 project.

Also, this is the first GMC I have ever owned!

My plans are to clean it up, make it reliable, and drive it.

Let me know what you think!!! Thanks!

[62-One-Ton]

Looks like a good start to a project. Whats the future plans with it?

Regards, Mike.
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[rcbildr]

Once I get it reliable, I would like to lower it a little and get different wheels/tires. I would like to find some steelies or maybe use the ralley wheels that came with my 67 suburban. Then as time and money allows, start patching up the cancer.

[WorkingMan's 64]

Here is some info on your ign box.

http://www.selectric.org/delta/index.html

Good to see another V6.

[rcbildr]

Aweswome!!! Thanks!!!!

Almost forgot to add, the stock wheels were in the bed of the truck. Are they supposed to be split rims? I haven't had a chance to really look at them...the PO says they are, but he also thought the truck was 6volt. Thanks!

[WorkingMan's 64]

Not sure on the split rims in 60? My 65 one ton has split rims but it is dual rear wheels. He may have been relating the fact it has a generator to 6 volts. I converted my 64 to internally regulated alt to get rid of the voltage regulator and put a smaller pulley on becasue of how slow the big 6 idles. 40 series flows and 2.5 inch pipes sounds stout on that 305.

[markeb01]

Outstanding, nice to see you made it home safely.

I believe the CD ignition was the 2nd generation of transistorized ignition systems that became somewhat popular in the mid-late 60’s. Electronic ignition at that time was little understood and met with skepticism about value and reliability. Similarly, disc brakes were also slow to gain favor with many that had years of satisfied experience with drum brakes.

That GMC washer bag looks like new. I’ve never seen one in that condition before. It might have been installed since new or a later dealer accessory. Per the Factory Accessory Installation Manual there should have been a hard plastic reservoir mounted on the firewall. But this many years later who knows when that may have been phased out.

[rcbildr]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Outstanding, nice to see you made it home safely.

I believe the CD ignition was the 2nd generation of transistorized ignition systems that became somewhat popular in the mid-late 60’s. Electronic ignition at that time was little understood and met with skepticism about value and reliability. Similarly, disc brakes were also slow to gain favor with many that had years of satisfied experience with drum brakes.

That GMC washer bag looks like new. I’ve never seen one in that condition before. It might have been installed since new or a later dealer accessory. Per the Factory Accessory Installation Manual there should have been a hard plastic reservoir mounted on the firewall. But this many years later who knows when that may have been phased out.

Awesome!!! Thanks! We were surprised at the condition of the washer bag, my girlfriend just wiped the dirt off of it. It's not brittle at all, but it will be going in to storage to preserve it. We were really baffled by it...never seen one before. It even stumped a friend of mine who is extremely smart when it comes to obscure GM stuff and automotive stuff in general. I don't think the PO would have installed that, he didn't seem to automotive savvy, but maybe the original owner or the one after him...I'll have to check the maintenance records.

I wish I could take another week of vacation to get this thing road worthy.

[MusicMan70]

Congratulations and Kudos to your GF! GMC V-6 Baby!

[Corts60]

Congrats man! It's great to see another 60 with a v6. Also, next time you have frozen wheels, just crawl underneath with a large flat head screw driver and adjust out the brake pads from the little slot in the drum. They'll free right up. My suburban had frozen wheels too when I first got it. I'm excited to see your progress.
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[markeb01]

I did find this image. I believe it came from the 1964 GMC accessories booklet, so your washer bag is certainly authentic to the period:



I think this was probably a dealer option because of the foot pump. The factory unit would have worked off the windshield washer button.

[bj383ss]

Awesome truck! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

Bret