New guy Intro 67 GMC 3/4 ton

[quick60]

Hello all. I have been lurking here for a couple of weeks and now that I dropped the hammer on a 67 GMC I decided to join. Looks like a great site with good people, sweet trucks and lots of valuable information.

I am a married father of two in college so money is tight. I sold all of my drag racing stuff, car, trailer, and GMC 2500 duramax. Paid off as much debt as I could (If you have ever drag raced you would understand)and have been driving a Mazda Miata for about five months while searching for a nice driver. Well I setteled on a 67 GMC 3/4 ton that is not much of a driver. I was hooked on the fact that it was 67, 3/4 ton, leaf spring rear with a Dana 60. You just dont see trucks like that around these parts. It has been rode hard but has a year old paint job that looks as though they did a pretty good job on. It runs like a swiss watch but drives like a tank due to no power steering. Problem is it was built in Flint Michigan and looks as though it hung around the area because of some pretty significant rust on the frame especially the rear half behind the rear tires.

I will post pics soon and keep updates but I have a few questions and would appreciate any and all help.

1. When I turn my parking lights on everything works fine. When I go to headlights on the front parking lights cut off but all other lights work normally. No power to the socket I checked with a test light clipped to negative on the battery. I replaced the headlight switch on the advice of a mechanic. Any ideas?

2. On the Dana 60 it looks like to get the rear brake drums off I have to pull the axle shaft, remove the two 2 and 3/8ths nuts and pull the hubs and drums as a unit. Do these not seperate? If I need new drums I have to replace the hub to?

Thanks in advance for any and all help with this project. Look forward to hearing from you.

Scott

[Bob B.]

I have a '67 GMC 2500 too. The best answer to you first question is welcome to 1967! The parking lights are supposed to go out when the headlights are turned on. That is the basic difference between a '67 and a '68 headlight switch. In 1968 when the trucks got side marker lights, the switch was changed to allow the front parking lights to stay on with the headlights.

As for your rear brakes: My '67 also has a Dana 60 floating rear axle, and my truck has outboard mounted drums. The drums can be pulled right off the hubs after taking the wheel off. The hubs and bearings to not have to be disturbed. Originally, there were 2 slotted countersunk screws that held the drum to the hub, but most replacement drums do not have the holes for these screws so they are usually missing. Some Dana 60 floating axles have inboard mounted drums. On those, you have to pull the axle shafts out, remove the bearing nuts and lock, and pull the drum and hub off the axle together. The wheel studs press into the drum and hub from behind, and they hold the drum to the hub. You can separate the hub from the drum by pressing out the studs. Hope this helps!

BTW- what engine do you have in that '67?

[JCD]

Originally Posted by quick60

1. When I turn my parking lights on everything works fine. When I go to headlights on the front parking lights cut off but all other lights work normally. No power to the socket I checked with a test light clipped to negative on the battery. I replaced the headlight switch on the advice of a mechanic. Any ideas?

Scott

Hi.. Welcome to the forums.. I have a 72 3/4 with the leafs and dana myself .. so I share your joy..

As to the parking lights..

My 65 Corvair functions like that.. half out on the switch puts on the running/parking lights. all out on the switch turns on the headlights, and cuts off the park lights..
My Barracuda is a 67, and the lights remain on..
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm not sure when they changed that function for the trucks, but the park lights of the GMs were designed to do that in the later 60s..

J.

[unclesalty]

Welcome aboard! Pics to follow? Great truck- have no idea about your lites, if the turn signals work I sure wouldnt worry much, as long as all the important stuff is ok (like the radio) - enjoy!

[special-K]

Welcome from up in Maryland! We had a member here a few years back who hailed from Chesapeake who had a fine assortment of '67 Chevys. Can't recall his name,but one was a pale yellow 3/4t CST Custom Camper...a pretty special truck.

Anyhow,as Bob said,your lights are functioning as designed. You can change that around if you want the parking lights to stay on w/headlights.
Also,as Bob said,it depends on which drum design you have. But,most likely you have the drums that can slip off,although some persuasion may be required. Get us some pictures so we can be sure.

GMCs are cool!

[quick60]

If I did this right then there should be some pictures attached to this post.

Thats awsome! Although I like having parking lights on with headlights, it just dosent look right without them. I was dreading having to chase down this problem especially when the guy that said the switch was bad is a phenominal mechanic. Former Norfolk Ford plant machinist. The guy is a phenominal fabricator, mechanic, etc. You name it he can do it.

I do not see where the drums will come off the hubs readily. My plan was to go out there today and check that and the brakes but I have come down with the flu so Im going to have to wait.

Its an inline-6 with 3-speed on the column. I checked the numbers and its a 250 not a 292 as I was hoping. No power anything but i will likely add a power steering kit eventually. I can live with manual brakes but steering this thing is a chore.

[50bomb]

Very nice gmc. NOthing wrong with a 250. That is what I have in my truck but with a th350. I love it and wouldnt change to a v8 ever.

[quick60]

You can see in one photo the drum looks as though it is integral to the hub. There is a fine line where maybe the two come together but its tight.

Also I made a gasket to seal where the the axle bolts to the hub. There was not a gasket there when I took it apart and it looked like one should be there, is this a correct assumption? Lastly what is the torque spec for those axle bolts? I went to 100ft/lbs but not sure what it is supposed to be.

Thanks again for all of the help!!!!! I appreciate it.

[quick60]

Thanks 50BOMB!!!! Yea Im liking it but all my racing buddies are are trying to talk me into dropping in a 327 that I have. Im in no hurry and kinda like the inline-6.

This thing is going to look cool pulling my 72 Nova on an open trailer to the track. Thats gonna be a while though.

[Bob B.]

That looks like the outboard mounted drum. I think I see the countersunk screw at the 9:00 position in the first picture.

BTW- most all '67 GMC pickups are 6 cylinder, either 250/292 straight 6, or 305/351 V-6. V-8's were added as an option late in the year, making them pretty rare. I say run the 250, and when it gets tired swap in a 292.

Nice truck!

[alsriv2]

Your truck brings back many memories of a similar truck I once had. I had a '67 small window 3/4 ton GMC when I was in the Air Force and drove it cross country a couple of times from California to Maryland and then back out to Arizona. Mine had a 327 with the famous "double hump" heads and a TH400. I loved that truck and cannot believe I sold it. Someday I will find another one.

Good luck on your project!

Al

[quick60]

Coincidence I have a 327 short block that had double hump heads. I needed some cash so I sold the heads to a corvette restorer. Still have the short block though. Im going to keep this truck original with the inline-6 maybe one day get another and put the 327 in it.

[Sicklajoie]

Great looking GMC! Congrats!

[Mustard72]

Nice truck and welcome aboard.

That truck would look pretty cool pulling hte Nova with an open trailer. Kind of an old school look.