GMC rare "CONTENDER" trucks
 

GMC had special promotion trucks too. Here is a "CONTENDER" truck from 1971. In the mid 70's the had the "Gentleman Jim" and "Beau James". The factory built a special run of identical trucks at a special savings to the public.Sound familiar?

Re: GMC rare "CONTENDER" trucks
 

There was a guy at Brothers truck show this year that had a "Gentleman Jim" truck. He was parked close to me and he gave me a lot of background on his truck. I think it was a '77, IIRC. Cool stuff!

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I heard something crazy about an Eddi Bauer edition in green and tan ( Forest colors) What are people thinking anyway?

Was it Ford that had a Harley Davidson edition?

What's the point anyway??


Better yet: who exactly is Eddie Bauer and what does he have to do with trucks?

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Take a close look at the hood / fender line on the truck just behind the guy at the left of the tailgate photo!!


I don't feel so bad about my mismatches now.:lol:

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I remember those now that you reminded me. One of the plumping companies in my home town had two of those with the Koenig style beds on them painted to match.

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What does Harley and King Ranch have to do with trucks?

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I'd be curious as to what the spid says regarding these trucks. Is there an option code?

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the term we have for that is : stickertuning

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The Gentleman Jim was only made in 1975. It came with A/C, 8 -track, and 350 it was a long bed bucket seats, console, Cibie running lights a tonneau cover Black and Gold paint custom rubber floor mats, and Gentleman Jim graphics on the bed. I traded in a 1971 bronze short box fleetside pickup with 250 six and 3 on the tree. Here are some pictures of mine.

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Yup! That's the one! His looked exactly like that, so I guess it was a '75 :dohh:

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wow cool picts, info etc..thks for sharing I learned something new today..

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Who exactly is Gentleman Jim and what does he have to do with trucks?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentleman_Jim

http://www.midwestclassiccars.com/in...ages/186_1.jpg

Beu James was a wrestler. Contenders.

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Uhhh, "Jim" was a take on the Jimmy nickname that GMC had been called for years. Seems like Rockford Files was on the tube at the time that the Gentleman Jim package came out. The Beau James edition was blue/white, as I recall. I have a friend who was in the "house note" car business and he bought a repo'd '76 Black/Gold Silverado Chevy LWB in '78, for $900. He recently sold it for $1000, but it wasn't anything you'd want. It was still running, but had been repainted in black and the gold part was Fords' Colonial White. The interior was still the original, but worn out....buckskin colored vinyl bench seat. Not the buckets that were in the one above. Come to think of it, it was a Chevy, not a GMC but it was colored just like the Gentleman Jim above. So, what did Chevy call their version? I remember the Spirit of '76 White trucks with blue/red interior as well as the Big 10 and Heavy Half trucks.

As for the Contender package I remember seeing some Chevy/GMC's with the green and gold/yellow paint combo but didn't see anything with a Contender decal.

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It just looks to me like the hoods been popped and not pushed back down.

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I think the blue and silver is a Beau James. The black and gold were the Gentleman Jims. That Blue and silver looks like it says Beau James to me. Although I can't read it the letters on the side are farther back than the Jim truck.

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I was looking at a 1967 GMC pickup that the guy said was a Burl Ives edition. I think I can find a picture.--Dennis

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now I know why GMC's have four eyes!!!

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I don`t believe I`ve ever heard of the Contenders.The newer ones,yes.

What do the Sierra Grandes or the Cheyenne Indian tribe or a city in WY have to do with trucks?BTW,Eddie Bauer is an out door garment and sleeping bag outfitter known,originally,for fine goose down products.

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found the pictures of the Burl Ives edition. Has the Christmas look with the plad valve covers.

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Please tell me this is a joke. If there really is a Burl Ives Edition of our truck I may have a new sick obsession on my hands. I must have one!
Oh-Oh! I have been had! http://www.6066gmcguy.org/GMCplaid.htm

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better yet? what does your post have to do with the OP?

the eddie bauer is/was offered on Fords. I used to have a '96 F150 with the "eddie bauer" package, which (as far as i could tell) was the same as a normal F150, but had eddie bauer decals on the sides and an eddie bauer emblem on the dashboard. it was a straight six/5 speed/4x4 truck, not many frills except pw, pdl, and a/c.

eddie bauer is a faux-outdoorsy clothing store, although i think they USED to make actual camping stuff. one of my friends has an eddie bauer backpack (the kind with the frame and hipbelt for actual trekking) but it is from at least the late 70's.

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Bought a 77 LUV, that had the ''Mighty Mike'' package. I didn't know who "Mike'' was and nothin' "Mighty'' about the truck!!! LOL!! Stickers and stripes don't make a ride

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wow.... can we get any further off topic?
umm... i have mooneyes stickers on my suburban.
:crazy:

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Who is Beau James and what does he have to do with trucks?

A truck named after a book? Seriously, a book?

Re: GMC rare "CONTENDER" trucks
 

All these special promotion trucks were known as "limited editions". There is no need for the factory to take orders on these trucks because they were already built.The dealer would just sell a "specially equipped" vehicle and a better price than you can buy individually, and throw in some eye candy to promote there brand. This would be the most efficient way of making the whole venture profitable. A win win situtation, the dealer is happy to move the vehicle, and the customer gets a better deal, assuming you like the paint color.

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You have the ultra rare "Mooneyes" edition Burb? WOW! Is it equipped with the optional "Corvette" package?

Seriously, "Burl Ives" edition? Did someone really tell you that just because their GMC V-6 had the plaid valve covers it was a "Burl Ives" Christmas edition? :lol:

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The Mighty Mike name on a LUV comes rom Mikado,which was the deluxe model name they used.The names Beau James and Gentleman Jim are just plays on the nickname for GMCs,Jimmy,as in Jim or James.
Eddie Bauer editions had a tan trim with one of three colors,I believe ( never really cared).It was from when LL bean,Eddie Bauer,and all the outdoorsy clothing mail order companies became popular amongst the mainstream.

But,can`t we get back on track with the subject of this really cool offering from GMC?

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I have never heard of the contender GMC trucks. That is pretty neat. Anyone ever seen one in real life? And as far as the special edition trucks, I think some of them are pretty cool. I know Ford has done quite a few different ones in the Super Duty line and they are pretty cool.

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Probably seen one before as I live close to the K.C. area in junkyards, but finding one that hasn't been repainted before would be the trick. Seen numerous ochre and green trucks up here. Trevor

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I know this is an old thread but I couldnt resist. http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4544235985.html

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Its the Contender!!!! Someone needs to save it!

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wow, if that was local I'd have to save it and repaint it and have someone make up the correct emblems...it has the original paperwork which would be cool to see how the "contender" option was designated if at all....cool find!

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. . . .

Now we know at least ONE is still around !!!

. . . .

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nice , allways wondered why they never used that space
the fall guy truck (tv show) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAIDqyi2XsM
had a complee side that you could open to get intoo the space
http://pics.imcdb.org/0is691/fallguy0242.6096.jpg

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On a related (?) topic, I grew up on the Texas coast in the 70's/ 80's. i remember seeing the Gentelman Jim/ Beau James trucks. Never cared for them. However, around the same time, there was a "Roughneck" truck available. It was a take on oil field workers. It had a Houston Oilers color scheme on light blue with red pin stripes. Swb, Fleet, bucket tilt and tach. Iirc, it had an added rear cab spoiler i have also seen elsewhere.

Re: GMC rare "CONTENDER" trucks
 

If you are going to have a Burl Ives edition, I'd think that the colors should be Silver and Gold.

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If I recall it right I never had seen a Beau or a Gentleman in a short truck, they were both longs. My great uncle had a Beau James And he always said he thought I should have it because everyone calls me Jim. I thought his truck was bucket seats with tilt tach and a 454 t400, but I was a kid. I also remember a street coupe stepside truck that was really pretty and was supposed to be limited production something, and the guy in my town that had this one kept it until the early 2000's and had hardly driven it. I never saw under hood of it but it was rumored to have had a 454 t400 as well.I loved the wheels that truck had the alloys with the round holes, I have two sets of them stored up now waiting to go on some projects,and may even find some 6 holers for the 70[not as hard]. Jim

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I had a '78 GMC Heavy Half. It was a SWB, which is pretty unusual, since most I've ever seen were LWB's. I sold it to my brother, who eventually got it into the 11's. I wish we still had it.

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I have purchased this Contender as a father/son project. If I can figure out the technical aspect of it, I will periodically post updates with pics :-)

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Great to hear it. I noticed it had been removed a couple of days ago. I was considering buying it myself just to save it. Its amazing how little information is available on these trucks, I even emailed the GM Heritage Center and they had no record of it. Honestly, considering there was only 150 originally built, and the fact that most have probably been turned into bridges since 1971, you may have a seriously rare gem on your hands. Ive gotta know one thing, does the SPID show a code or description for the contender package?