The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Just bought a '66 K10

I've been driving past this truck for years and about a month ago, finally stopped in to ask about it. The woman was in her 80's and said that her dad bought the truck new and that she couldn't sell it unless her brother told her she could.

Well she called today and I went and trailered the truck home. I was expecting to spend an hour or two to get it running, but it was idling when I showed up. It was last inspected in 2008, so the brakes and all lights work fine.

From research on line, the truck is a model 1504, whick is a 1/2 ton, longbed, stepside 4x4. According to the 60-66 web-site, they only made 457 of this model in 1966. It has the original 6 cylinder in it, which I figure is a 250 ci. It also has a factory 3 on the tree tranny, which is rare for a 4x4. The truck has some rust, but not too bad compared to others I've seen from the same years. It is all original and I plan to keep it that way for a while.

Any info on these trucks will be appreciated. I'll try to get some pic's up tomorrow.

Thanks, George

Good show; hope your vin starts out K1546 , and I think the production number is a bit higher , looking forward to pictures, let us know what you need. Curious to here if your dash is gray.If your motor is a shade or green with tall side covers its a 292 but probably not because its a three on the tree.....curt

Thanks Curt. The VIN is K1546T113364. Here is a link to the production numbers... which doesn't mean they are correct:
'60-'66 Production Numbers

It shows that they built 1,976 longbed 1/2 ton 4x4's with Fleetside beds and only 457 longbed Stepsides... who knows? I'll check out dash/engine colors tomorrow.

Thanks again, George

Congrats on the new truck. When do we get some pics to drool over?

George,


You gonna clean our Frankies of all my parts now?
Woogeroo developed this resource. I use it often. Thank him.

http://sites.google.com/site/woogeroo/Home/19601966ctis/info6066

Welcome to the forum.
HB

Thanks guys. My wife took our digital camera to my oldest son's basketball game today, so I'll try to get some pic's tomorrow. I don't think anybody will be "drooling" over this truck!

Hambone- I walked Frankies junkyard today and even though I've walked it a hundred times, this was like the first time! I've never looked much at the 60-66 trucks while I was there and I was blown away at how many trucks/parts are there. Don't plan on finding anything cool there anymore... No soup for you!

George

Since we (George and I) are in the July 2016 Gallery with the 1966 LWB Stepside K10, I thought I would add to this discussion. The build sticker is on the glove box door. Has been for 50 years. Indicates a 292 was part of its history. Not sure if the 250 (which is in it now) replaced the 292 or whether the 292 was swapped out at the dealer. If anyone would know why the motor discrepancy (otherthan 250 went in much later when original 292 blew up), I would be interested in theories. I have a 292 in my garage almost ready to go in when I tire of the 250 or when it tires of me.
All else is as George describes. I had no idea of the limited number built.

I never heard of a dealer swapping engines on new autos before delivery.

My best guess original engine died and the owner went with the cheapest fix and just went to the Junky and bought what would just drop in. Being they sold fewer 292's when new there were hard to come by in the junkyard. Jeffrey

just like when I got my 65 1t a few years ago. it has a 230/250 in it. orig a 292. funny the pass side mount wasn't bolted up as I guess that they couldn't figure why it wouldn't bolt up. same year engine so they thought it would fit. good thing they didn;t know what they were doing as I got a good deal on it
ron

I didn't get a chance to "wrap up" my usual chores with new Gallery stories. I'll put the link to the '66 when I am "officially" at work here again tomorrow.

Anyone else with a 60-66 story to tell? That's the second biggest group on the site, and I really wish I had at least one to add every month. More would even be better.

Tomorrow ..............


Peg

My suspicion is 250 was added later. Based on previous comment about transmission and column shift, I am Curious. I will look much closer at floor to discover if cab was modded. Thanks for interest.

My wife has a 66 3/4 ton 292 4speed truck. her dad bought it new in dec 1965. I first drove it in 1972 and it was really nice low miles just like new. It has 456 gears and loves gas.

Re dealer switching engines---
In 1967 one night a new yellow 427 Bel Air sedan donated its engine to the dealerships sponsored 396 Chevelle drag race car. It was back in the lot lineup the next morning with the 396 flags.
Please do not tell anyone.

What, not me. Howie

3 speeds were quite common with 4 wheel drive. they were cheaper than the 4 speed
you could get either a 250 or a 292 in 66.easy enough to tell which is which
ron

Interesting. The three speed ratio is such that I am not pulling much from a stop with 1st gear where it is. Surprised a buyer in 66 would have liked that in his work truck. Knowing what I know now the 4 speed would have been my pick even with the extra cost. That being said the 3 speed drives great on the roads and is comfortable to highway speeds. The 4x4 helps to get the firewood out to the roads.

under normal driving I doubt many use 1st in the SM420. if you are gtoing to pul some stumps it will help.'
there were quite a few 4 x 4 suburbans with 3 speeds with a 4 x 4 you will have low range in the T?C to give you a lift if you need it. if you were on a farm or in the bush etc 1st would come in handy; not so much if it was always on pavement. now most 4 x 4 don't even go off pavement
ron

Back on the 292 story, I spoke with an old school bus mechanic who stated they would be replacing the 292’s every other week because the drivers would over rev the engine. They would put the 250 in them because they have a shorter stroke and were less likely to blow.

I have a 292 with the 4 speed and 511 gears in the rear. Always feel I need another gear to shift to on the highway. Oh well… who needs to go fast in a classic truck.

I think with 5;11s you would feel like reaching for 2 more depending on the tire dia
ron

May 2020 - Time for an update. Truck had to come off the road in late 2017. I was losing too much fender and floor while driving and I had suspicion problem up front somewhere. I had an offer to garage the truck while restoring/repairing so I made the decision it was time for safety sake. By then I had collected most of the bits and pieces needed to do a fairly substantial refresh - I dare say almost restoration. Over the course two years going pretty strong and with the help of the ODSS, I was able to get pieces off and new(er) pieces on a POR(ed) frame. I found the suspension problem along the way. Spring bushing on front hanger was wallowed and the spring had way too much free play. Found some significant other rust problems that were addressed along the way, which made the decision to take "Flappy" off the road the right decision in hindsight.
For those who have been through this process, the steps along the way and the time, $$, and frustrations are not captured in the write up or in the pictures. It rained. It was hot and cold some days. Pieces did not fit. The painter was not ready and when he said he was he really wasn't. When he had the truck he let it sit for most of a year. Discoveries and surprises which result in more $$ and frustration on some days. It is unfair to suggest surprises. Those that knew the truck, knew the condition under-neigh the skin. Suffice to say, most sheet metal was exported to China. Those bad days are mostly left out of the story and for the most part looking back they are mostly forgotten.
Build sheet in grove box indicated a 292, so one was found and the 250 came out. Rebuild of transfer case as an confidence builder. New suspension, brakes, brake lines, etc. As close to stock as we can get these days. Hopefully, the result is like it might have been in 1966.
Fast forward to fall / winter or 2020 when the painter was finally making progress. Goal had always been drive to Homecoming 2020 and deliver the truck to my son graduating from Virginia Tech. Neither event physically occurred, although my son did get his degree via the mail. Happy to report, the truck was ready to make the trip should either event occur.
Thanks to George for saving the truck from the field in WV and thanks for giving me the chance to improve the truck's situation. My son and I hope to drive and fix the truck for some years to come.

Thanks for the update Hambone,hope to see you and flappy soon,Pat66

Hambone, great job on the restore/rebuild. That's cool you found a 292 to replace the original. I've always like the 60s Series 4x4 trucks, just never had the opportunity to have one. So I rock the '65 C20s instead. Won't be able to do Homecoming this year, had to take a bunch of time off at the beginning of the year. I was told it could be FMLA, but after I got back I was told in-laws are not considered family in regards to FMLA, thus, I had to use vacation/comp/sick time while gone. Homecoming for us is like a trip to Texas, at a 1.5 to 2 week ordeal, so having the time built-up is a must..

Very well done Doug. Great job and perserverance. So unfortunate that both those events, particularly the graduation did not take place.
OK so what's next? I think it's time for a 60-66 Big truck hauler!

Thanks guys. Next? Be on the look out for 60-66 4x4 Suburban.