1960 C30 Help!

[FVFR543]

I have a 1960 C30, I bought it several years ago thinking I would fix It up. I bought it with really no idea what it was and very little knowledge of classic trucks. To this day I still have no real idea what it is.

What I do know:
It is a one ton, dually, not the original color, has a 283 in it, hydraulic brakes/clutch, the front torsion suspension seems to be a pain in the butt with trying to convert to disc brakes(from what I have read), the rear brakes/Drums are hard to find parts for. That is almost everything I know about it. I have been told by some car people that it looks almost all original with the exception of maybe the bed and mirrors. The only emblem it is missing is the front bowtie, I have only seen one for sale on ebay and it went for $150.

If you guys know anything about this bad boy let me know. Maybe where I could parts or if there is another one out there I could take a peek at. I have cruised the classified and online trying to find something to compare mine too.

Thanks in advance!!!!

[franken]

If rear brake parts aren't available (I've heard the drums no longer exist for the HO diffs) I'd be looking for a 14 bolt diff from a dual rear 73+ truck. Measure the WMS and spring perch center to center and head to the scrapyard. You can also convert to rear disk using front calipers and rotors from a 3/4 ton square, but you lose the ebrake. Eldorado rear calipers can be used but are expensive and some say problematic. You might look for a trans ebrake from a bigger truck if you use the front calipers.

For the front, people swap square front crossmembers on 67-72 trucks. I would be surprised if you can't do the same.

Nice truck!

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

That looks like a decent truck to work with.

If your intentions are to upgrade your truck to make it more pleasurable to drive and a bit safer at the same time, what you need is a '73-'87 C30 or '87-'91 R3500 donor truck. That will give you power disc brakes, power steering and a more highway friendly differential.

[Popcorn W]

Looks to me like it may be a c-20 with a c-30 rear axle.
Pop that front hubcap off and take a pic of the front wheel.

[Softpatch]

I thought all 60-62 Apache came with the 4 gauge set up not idiot lights in cluster

[Jeff La]

Popcorn I think your right, that front rim should have a bigger offset for a one ton.

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by Softpatch

I thought all 60-62 Apache came with the 4 gauge set up not idiot lights in cluster

they all came with the "light" cluster, unless the dealer ordered the gauge package.

the light cluster was standard.

[1963c-10]

Also...hood emblem would be a bow tie for the 6 cyl and there was a different one for the factory v8

Big truck v8, light duty v8 and 6 cyl emblems for 60-61

[FVFR543]

I will post that front hub tomorrow afternoon, currently away from the truck.

Any Idea where I can find the correct bowtie for the truck? It would make it look a lot nicer.

Thanks a ton guys.

[FVFR543]

Originally Posted by Popcorn W

Looks to me like it may be a c-20 with a c-30 rear axle.
Pop that front hubcap off and take a pic of the front wheel.

Here are those hubs, what do they tell you?

[aerotruk63]

Your VIN will tell you if it's a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.
Yours will be 0C35 as the first four digits, indicating it as a 1 ton.
0, Year 1960
C, Conventional Cab
35, 1 Ton

The fifth digit will indicate the model.
4 Came with a Step or Fleetside Box
9 Stake Body
3 Cab & chassis

The sixth would be a letter indicating which plant it was built at.

The last 6 digits starting at 100000 will be production sequence.

1963 was the first year for a C20 to be equipped with a dual wheel factory option. A 3/4 ton would have had a coil and trailing arm suspension while the 1 ton had leaf springs.

The hubcap you removed for the picture off the hubs, looks like a 61-63 style. 8 7/8 as a inside diameter. There's a guy on another forum looking for those caps.
Your truck has a torsion bar suspension not a coil and table like in the picture. The hubs are the same for a single wheel and dual setup, but an offset wheel up front would have had a adapter riveted to the brake drum, like in the picture.





The mirrors are not original to the truck.

Throttle cable was optional.
Cigarette Lighter is not original.
No push button Radio in 60
Recirculating type heater.
Interior was originally Charcoal and Silver. The dash has the two tone for Custom Appearance Option, though the Ashtray would have been Charcoal not Silver. If it had the Appearance Option it would have a Fabric on the seat and Chevrolet crest on the Dispatch Box. The dash knobs would have had a bright aluminum trim.
No Deluxe steering wheel in 1960 in Appearance package.




Originally would have had a Generator on it. Someone converted it to an alternator.
The hydraulic clutch line is incorrect. Someone rode the clutch by the wear pattern.
The Vacuum hose from the carb to the firewall is a mystery.
The air cleaner is not original.

Peeled paint reveals it was possibly Omaha Orange or Cardinal Red. The trim plate on the drivers side kick panel would have the paint code.
Single tone it would have had black wheels. The grill bumper and turn signal bezels would have been Cameo White.
Highly optioned truck in the picture below.