Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Did some cleaning under the hood yesterday. Block has the K stamp - McKinnon Industries, GM St Catharines. Engine was built in the town where the truck spent its life.

I’ve stockpiled a few things to toss on the truck. I’ve got plans to drive it bunch this spring and summer, so first up will be to replace the original rad hoses and heater hose. The GM belts still look good, but I’m going to pull them off too.

Does anyone have a recent experience with a receiver hitch that works with the factory step bumper and let’s you keep the spare in the factory location?

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Probably have to have it custom made. We had one like that for our 1971 K10 made by a trailer hitch place. This was back in the days when bolt on receivers were basically unheard of.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Try contacting U-Haul. They made one for my 72 K5 for $200 . A K5 is unique because it has the rear tank and 72 is unique because the frame ends are different so this is a one year 1 model only unique hitch. I thought it was a pretty good deal for a custom fab all welded not a universal bolted together.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

So I guess the common hitches all require moving the spare to the bed?
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Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

I've actually never had a squarebody pickup with a receiver, but I had two square Suburbans with bolt on receivers so they do fit around the gas tank. Upon reflection it seems that they would fit around the spare tire, but a lot of people move the tire to the bed just to make it easier to access.

In the old days, the fabricated receivers were probably heavily over-engineered. The receiver hitch on the 71 K10 that we had consisted of a welded up and gusseted "goose-neck" of 2" square tube that went up behind the bumper and forward between the frame rails above the spare with a couple heavy angle iron cross members to connect to the frame. If I remember correctly it was built by the Reese dealer and it clearly wasn't meant to come off the pickup again.

The bolt on receivers all or mostly depend on a "torque tube" crossmember under the bumper that connect to arms that reach forward and bolt to the bottom of the frame. Those arms should clear the spare tire depending on how far forward they reach and the diameter of the tire.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Pulled this out from under the seat today:
Attachment 2011717

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Glad you retrieved the build sheet in one piece. One of the most important documents and shows dealership and build dates. Many GMC dealerships also sold Pontiacs and Buicks or visa a versa.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Started switching hoses and belts. PS belt checks out:
Attachment 2012943

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Love your truck. What kind of clamps are on the radiator hoses?

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Heater hose are all the “tower” style. The rad hoses are worm gear. Maybe they’ve been replaced?

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Not sure where I left off. I’ve been through the normal tuneup stuff, replaced all the hoses, belts and fluids. While I was replacing hoses I discovered the short rubber vacuum advance piece had a hole chewed in it by a mouse. Replaced it with silicone hose - amazing how much better it runs without a vacuum leak and with the advance working :lol:

We’ve been using it a lot lately. The more I drive it the better it runs.

Attachment 2027796

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Is the GMC embossed in the center of the tailgate or offset? I have a friend with a 76 but no tailgate and he's not sure what to look for.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

@Big Chip
Attachment 2028145

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Thank you!

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Nice to see you keeping it original and using it for a truck :)

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

What a beauty!!

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

The front bench has had a bit of movement and squeak with it since I drove the truck home last year. Finally had enough of the wobbling and decided to deal with it. As I put the 9/16 socket on the first of the 4 seat bolts, I sensed I was headed down a bit of a rabbit hole.

Took the seat out - simple fix, the track was loose on the seat base. No broken springs in the seat base either.
Attachment 2032620

Now seemed like a great time to clean under the seat and scrub the floor mat. I started with it in the truck, but ended up taking the door thresholds and shifter boot off and taking the mat out for a scrub and rinse.
Attachment 2032621

I tried not to, but I had to at least peak under the jute sound deadening pads...Now I’ve got a coat of rust converter drying and will probably spend a few evenings this week painting it and redoing the seam sealer at the A pillar on each side. Amazon order for some foil deadener is set.
Attachment 2032624

Some surface rust wasn’t really a surprise, super glad there aren’t any holes.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

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Wow, that is clean!!

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Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

"I sensed I was headed down a bit of a rabbit hole."

Haha, it is always so hard to know, isn't it. Before I remove anything I try to think about what's under it and what dominos I might be knocking over. FWIW, I think you're going to be real happy that you treated the minimal rust, painted, and added some vibration and heat protection.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

I took one of the striker cover plates (not sure the regular cab trucks have these) to the paint lady at the local hardware store and had a quart of rust paint mixed.
Attachment 2032927

Seam sealed the A pillars to the floor on each side last evening. I used a throw away brush and painted over the rust converter with my hardware store paint. Yeah there’s brush marks, but I’m not too worried about it. It’s soon to be on the underside of some sound deadener.
Attachment 2032928

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

Another very hard photo to find. Basically, the stainless hubcap on your red '76 was last used on the '75 model. The '76's got the new flat aluminum hubcaps on higher trim levels which were used well into the 80's and some early 90's, base '76's could have the new flat aluminum hubcaps if they came with the PO3 option. Two photos of base model '76's submitted to this thread, both with painted hubcaps. Bottom line, it's your truck, do what you want, I'll just supply the facts.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

error in post.

Re: Survivor ‘76 Crew Cab
 

I’ve watched for GMC 12” 3/4 ton caps since I got the truck. Lots of 1/2 ton 10” caps out there. Not many 3/4 ton.

I only have the 2 stainless. Ideally I’ll find 2 more, smooth out any imperfections and get them powder coated along with the 16” ford van rims. The truck still has the 16.5” wheels.