The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk What exactly is a Custom Cab ('60-66)?

This is probably a dumb question: what defines a Custom Cab in the '60-66 body style? I have been under the impression for at least a couple decades that Custom Cab = big back window, but since I actually bought my '64 a few weeks ago I've been seeing lots of these trucks with Custom trim but small back windows.

And if this info is posted somewhere that I should have found it on my own, please point me gently in that direction. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing with this new project. :-)

Thanks,
Brent

Hey Brent. I have a 61 with the custom cab option. There are 4 levels of the custom Cab, Custom Appearance, custom comfort, custom chrome, and custom side molding. the Custom Apperance option contains:

Silver-anodized aluminum radiator grille and head lamp door assembly, chrome plated windshield reveal moldings, bright metal upper rear quarter panel trim plates, special steering wheel whit chrome horn ring, chrome trimmed insturment panel control knobs, 2 tone front door panel treatment.

The Custom Comfort option contains:

A left hand arm rest, right hand sunshade, chrome cigar lighter, full 6 inch foam rubber seat cushion with special trim, special cab insulation, left hand door outside key lock.

The custom chrome option contains:

Chrome plated bumpers and hubcaps for 1/2 ton - 1 ton trucks.

The Custom side molding is if you have a fleetside you get speacial side molding.

These are the different packages you could have choosen from back then. Im sure there will be a lot of mix and match as there was in my truck. Hope this helps.

Kyle

Thanks for the great info! So it has nothing to do with the size of the rear window?

I dont think so. It's probably just another option. Glad the info helped.

That really blows my mind, after thinking for so long that Custom Cab was synonymous with the big back window. Learn something new every decade, huh?

I have a '63 custom cab, fleetside, short box. It was bought from the original owner who never added anything to it. It has the small back glass. I too thought it was only the big back glas that was truely a custom cab. The old man told me that the big glass was just an option and nothing to do with the custom part.

Mike

I currently own a '66, C-10, Custom and a '66, K-10 Custom and neither one of them have a large back window. I previously owned a '65, C-10, Custom and a '66, C-10, Custom and neither one of them had a large back window.

I read in one of my Chevrolet Truck History books that the large back window was an option. Many truck owners opted for the smaller back glass to help reduce the interior heat and glare, since most trucks from this era were not equiped with factory air conditioning.

I hope this helps put your mind at ease.

I have one large & one small window 64. Large rear glass was Panoramic cab option A10. Custom comfort(better seat,armrest, etc) was Z62, Custom appearance(chrome grille/bumpers,etc.) was Z61 for 64, but I think later they were both grouped together in one Custom comfort/appearance option. So a small or large window could be Custom cab. I was told it was $36 option for the large window. Brian

1. Are these codes documented somewhere on the web that I could see a list? I love this kind of stuff.

2. Is there any way to find out which options the truck came with?

Straight out of the "restoration pack", free from GM. Do a search here there is a toll free #. There was a build sheet w/every truck (usually stuck under the mat or behind the seat springs) that listed all options, but I have only seen shreds of one. Also dealers back then tended to order plain jane trucks & add options at the dealer level to increase their profit. Brian

That's great! Just did a search and found the link here:

http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=000338

(Thought I'd post it to save someone the search if they stumbled across this thread.)

Thanks a ton (or would that be a 1/2-ton?),
Brent

And as you may not know, GMC did things a bit differeant. The following info can be found on my site, listed be low on the ID page.

The Chrome Grill and Bumper is found on mostly the "Custom" cab trucks, and they will have this
" Custom Emblem " mounted to the cab behind the door. Some will also have a the extra cost trim package around the windows, and others will have the Chrome trim down the side of the truck. The Custom Package with extra cost chrome trim can be seen on the Truck below,

The following is from the GMC Dealer handbook: Cab. Custom. No. 1846 includes front end bright metal equipment, (RPO 1304) and chrome hub caps, custom trim and interior convenience group, RPO (0170). The Custom package is RPO 0113. RPO 0170 includes nylon seat fabric, right hand sun visor, Left hand arm rest and fawn floor mat. RPO 1304 Front end bright metal equipment, bumper, grill and headlamp panels.

Other chrome trim options offer in addtion to the custom cab at extra cost are; RPO 0148 Bright Metal Moldings, Front fenders and cab, not available with panel, includes RPO 0149. RPO 0149 pickup side moldings, for use on Wide Side pickups, Includes Fender moldings RPO 0148.

Here is a fally decked out Two Tone Custom GMC .

The Big Back window on GMC Truck was called the "Full View rear window" and it cost you $40 more in 1960 dollars. Roy Rogers had the big back window in his Chevy LCF truck they used to haul Trigger around with, which was up for sale not too long ago.