The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Is it worth buying GMC Napco

Went and looked at a 56 GMC that has the NAPCO 4 wheel drive conversion, It is missing everything forward of the cab ie engine, sheet meta,l radiator, steering box, is a big window cab, decent doors and box, that needs new wood. He is asking $1800 and the NAPCO stuff appears to all be there including the transmission. I don't know if that is a good price or not.. Is all apart, and doors are just shells, but doesn't appear to be much rust anywhere. I have a 56 truck that the NAPCO will fit under

It's worth what you want to pay. If you can use all the parts to complete your project then give it some serious consideration.🛠

the price is really going to be the net of the $1800 and what you could get reselling the parts you don't need/use. a rust-free BBW cab, door shells, box, frame, and other miscellaneous bits could possibly get most or all of your money back if you take it all apart and are patient.

Actually thinking about getting it and building a GMC instead of a Chevy as my front end sheetmetal and rear bed should fit it as both shortbeds. What's holding me up is no serial number plate on the post and can't find a number on the frame rail. looked all up and down the LH frame rail on top and nothing. unless looking in the wrong spot. Anybody have a picture of where I should be looking?

Usually buying a NAPCO truck, even missing motor and front clip would be a no brainer. Very Rare, vary desirable. Less GMC's than Chevy were made.
BUT.....there are a whole lot of so called NAPCO's that are not Napco's. The transmission is a transmission. There is no Napco Transmission (SM420). GMC began factory assembly of NAPCO in 1956. You could also order the kit to be dealer installed. A factory installed would have GVW tag of 5400/5600 and an upfitted would have 5000. It should have 7 leafs in front and 8 in rear if factory.
Sometimes any old 4x4 donor parts are called Napco. Those are not the money shot however.
You need to see if it has the Rockwell/Timken T221 or Spicer 23 Xfer case and Napco tagged front axle, all three complete driveshafts with slip yokes, the weird looking 4x4 shifter and old shift decal inside cab. A good deluxe chrome GMC gauge dash is money as well as the other dash components, none of which fit Chevy. Heater controls, radio, etc.

As usual, RUST is number one as well as overall condition. 56 GMC has a fancy and very expensive front grill assy. That's why it is already sold off. What is the VIN? 101 X? VIN tag on driver hinge pillar. No frame stamps on GMC. Title? Don't buy someone's stripped and cobbed together mess. If it does not have most of the stuff I mentioned, watch out!!! Don't count on the transfer case being good. It could cost big bucks to fix. Check the domed end caps to be sure they are not broken thru. They are visible on outside of T-Case.

If he has ALL the legit Napco running gear, suspension, levers, linkage, drive shafts, transfer case, all with proper tags and frame brackets to mount the T221....just that is worth about the asking price. The rest can be sold, as said, to recoup much of that, if not all.

Some comments
- I would agree with all the above comments (especially making sure the components are NAPCO).
- It is hard to tell, but NAPCO trucks were sometimes used hard. I ended up replacing both ring and pinion sets, all bearing and all seals on mine.
This included the transfer case. Some parts are hard to find, and there are subtle changes from one year to the next, so not all parts are
interchangeable.
- Make sure the transfer case shifts. If you have patience sometimes you get lucky. E.g., I found that an early (50/60's) Ford transfer case rebuild kit (forgot the number)
were exactly the same as the Chevy transfer case. I saved a lot of time and money.
- On some years the front brakes are Studebaker, the shoes are impossible to find (had mine rebuilt), and the drums are not quite the same as 2WD.
Even with rebuilt shoes and new hardware I found them to be marginal. I eventually fabricated my own disc brake brackets and used
2000 Silverado rear disc components.
- My truck is a long bed so I needed a longer driveshaft for the rear (the donor was a short bed).
- You can do some excellent research here: http://www.napco4x4.org/

Bottom line, the price seems good (parts are difficult to find, but it can be done), and you may need to do some repairs and modifications.
But when done and installed, there is nothing "cooler" than a NAPCO truck (my opinion only). It will be well worth it.
don