The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Saved a 66 gmc from the scrapper today

A local scrapper had a 66 GMC on the rollback today. I bought it for $400. Same as scrap price it will weigh 4000 lbs. It is pretty rusty has a six and a factory granny four speed &leaf springs on the rear. Kinda rare for a 1/2 ton. I filed the points and hooked a gas line to the carb. it fired up and ran really well no smoke or blow by. I drove it around a little bit. Any road it has a lot of good parts. the glass is all good also.

Sharp eye. Sounds restoreable and the engine runs good! Lots of possibilities. Sleep on it and let us know what you decide.

Great save...I am not sure about the rare part, but a nice acquistion, for a good price, indeed.

Ive got a couple dozen of the 60 thru 66 trucks. this is the only half ton Ive ever seen with a factory granny four speed. I got several 3/4 tons with the granny 4 speeds. Its quite common for the GMC,s to have the rear leaf springs. But not all GMC,s have rear leaf springs Ive owned a few GMC,s with rear coil springs. I like the rear leaf trucks because you can easily install a 73 up 5 hole rear and get taller gears. you can use the whole 73 up front assembly and upgrade to disk brakes also. Ill probably use the truck like it is for a firewood hauler woods truck this winter and part it out next spring.

I have 30+ and several of them have the SM420 4-speed. I owned a '66 C10 in 1983 with one and I have owned several since. Although there are no production numbers indicating the engine, tranny & gear ratio, based on what I have seen there were many with the 3-speed column shift and 4-speed floor shift, relative to the low number of automatic colunm shift trucks.

I agree with Tony, have seen alot of 4 on the floors in 1/2tons. The 2 speed powerglide auto is the harder trans to find in my opinion. But either way, great job on saving the truck and how about some pics?

Ive got a few with the powerglide auto, two 66 GMC,s a 60 chev and two 64,s The 60 was a 283 with PG auto and big back glass short wide bed but no crome. I also have two 66 3/4 tons that have the 3 speed turbo 400. one of then has the factory air & factory power steering and both have power brakes. I just took a stroll out back and got a accurate count there are 33 60 thru 66 trucks and about half would be good projects. Three I plan to keep. Im going to reduce the hoard greatly in the next year. Ive got a digital camera but I dont know how to post pictures. I live a the Junction of Hwy 90 & 93 11 miles west of pocahontas ark. There is a satelite view on google earth.

Very cool, Ill have to check that out. Im sure the site moderator could help get the pics posted.

Good save on the GMC.

It seems about 95% of the time when I see a nice '60 to '66 1/2 Ton for sale, it will have a 3-Speed. I love to see a Granny Gear 4-Speed in 1/2 Ton. I've even had the problem of finding 3/4 Ton's with a 3-Speed. I usually pass on those. Switching over would really be no problem except for the Floor Hump. That usually stops me from proceeding on it. If I switch mine over, I'll most likely go with a car 4-Speed with a low first.

Bill

Lets see it !

Ive changed a few over from collum shift to granny low 4 speed. the problem with me is the drive shafts. truck 4 speeds need a slip yoke drive shaft and a center carrier bearing. Im thinking about installing a 73 up front and rear on this newly aquired trucks frame and swapping on a better cab & bed.