Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Well its not truly a barn find, cause it was actually in a shed....and I didn't really "find" it because I knew where it was. But it is defintely a survivor!

I thought I would introduce myself and my truck. This truck has been in our family since 1975ish. It was purchased by my late Grandfather from the RCMP in Regina, Saskatchewan somewhere around 1975 as far as I can figure out. My Grandpa bought the truck for use around the farm in Saskatchewan so it saw limited use and was never winter driven after we purchased it. The truck was promised to me when I turned 16 back in 1982 but I never took advantage of that offer back then as I wanted a musclecar (which I still have too!). This probably saved the truck as I would have somehow hotrodded it or something (not sure how you hotrod a 3/4 Ton longbox stepside, but I would have figured something out back then!) This was also the first vehicle I ever drove.

The truck was used in the summers, but somewhere around 1990 the truck wasn't really needed around the farm and was left in the shed till a few weeks ago. I brought it back to Alberta to get it road worthy and enjoy it with my kids.

So what I have is a 74,000 original mile 1972 C2500 Longbox stepside. It is a 350 auto, 4:10 dana truck. It is still wearing its original paint, engine\, etc, etc. It is mostly untouched and has 74,000 miles on it. Likely most miles were put on before we bought it in '75. I plan to drive it this summer, and have been working on cleaning the gas tank out etc. It runs nice as it always did, once I cleaned the carb, fuel lines and tank out.

The first part of its life was kind of interesting. It was used as an undercover RCMP truck. The RCMP officer was our neighbour (in Regina) and he would investigate stolen cattle at farms and auctions. He would pose as a farmer and this was his "farm" truck. I remember sitting in the truck when it was nearly new (I was 7) and seeing the hidden police radio attached to the inside of the glovebox door. There was also an auxilary fuel tank mounted on the driver's side step on the box. I guess the cruising range was poor with the 4:10 gears! I think he had a topper on it as well, but I can't remember exactly. It was even involved in a few chases - the rear bumper was supposeivly bent in one chase. I have the RCMP officer's name and I plan to try and contact him, I think he is retired now, but maybe I can get a few stories!

Anyhow here are a few pictures of how I found it and after I put the Ford 8 lug rims on it - I got the idea from this site ---Thanks JoesJunk I used your idea!

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

More pictures include my freshly completed hubcaps, they were a ton of work!

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A few more

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

SWEEEEETTTT TRUCK!


Definitely envious.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

cool nice score

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Nice Truck.. Sweet

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Sweeet truck. I loooove GMCs!
Great looking steelies and hubcaps. Joejunk talked me into going with F*rd rims, also.
Don't wanna drag the thread down but the Yokohamas should not be on a beautiful truck like that.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Hello to you and your GMC. Welcome to the site! That's a fine example of a longbed Stepside C2500. You're lucky to have such a survivor.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

NICE! What are the options inside the glovebox door?
Eric

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Not my first choice either, but I picked them up for $160 for the set (my buddy owns a salvage yard)

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Great old truck!

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Here's the spid. The options are mostly HD stuff being an RCMP vehicle. At least they added power steering and brakes! The screw holes in the spid were from the police radio.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Nice old truck and a great story too!

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Great looking truck!!! Glad I could help with the wheel info

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

I dig that external gas tank on the drivers side step. :)

Gary

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

I have one of those 8' step side boxes. they look much nicer than I had envisioned on a truck.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

cool truck and story :gmc2:

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Nice Truck ,great history to go along with it ,,and fun making it look all shiny again ,,what more could a person ask for ..I suggest you take a audio tape and recorder with you when talking to the officer who drove the truck and just turn it on and then off as you leave ,,that way you wont miss a thing when trying to tell others at car/truck shows history about the truck from day one...thx for sharing

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Nice looking ride for sure....

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Cool Story and truck. I'd be temped to find some vintage electronics and work it back up as a spy RCMP truck.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Gotta love seeing "Canadian base equipment" on a spid! Welcome, this site is awsome.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

What a beauty...

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Any idea what that is? Must be some changes made to meet some goofy gov regs in Canada? Perhaps daytime running lights! (just kidding).

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Very nice "barn find". Like those wheels and caps. What are the specifics on them. What ford, years... Thanks. Jim.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

I'm not positive, but I think it's a block heater and different emblems for a couple years/models.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Nice truck and a great find with a great story.

So will you be working undercover this summer at any shows in Alberta?

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Just our local show in Whitecourt on July 16th! Don't miss it!

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

These are 8 lug rims. 3 of the rims came from a 1996 ford 3/4t truck. The other I found loose at the auto wrecker. I got the idea from JoesJunk, who used rims off a Ford Econoline van (90's Vintage). I did some digging in the interchange with my buddy who owns the wrecking yard and found they were also used on Ford 3/4T trucks (as well as vans) I think 1990-1999 model years (can't quite remember). Ford went to a metric bolt pattern after 99ish. They are cheap and easy to find.

I blasted the rims and had them powder coated. The hubcaps were a huge amount of work. Originally the truck came with white hupcaps, but it needs a little bling so I found some stainless caps and refinished them.

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I dig the side fuel tank.My wifes granddad had custom tool boxes put on both sides.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Great story! I'm sure that there are many more stories on here and I think it would be great if we had a page that was dedicated to just documenting those truck tales.

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I thought I would do an update on the truck. My plan was to get it ready for our local show and shine. It needed a few things done to make it driveable and presentable.

One of the first things I needed to deal with was the mouse problem in the truck. I started by removing the seat and rubber floor mat. I found a few mouse bodies and droppings there. I removed the gas tank as well because the fuel was very old and I could see some rust inside the tank. Lots of spray nine cleaned the mice "stuff" off the floor.

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

wow, what a clean floorboard...and rocker!!!

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

nice find, where's a what's a block heater comment? my buddies from Turks and Caicos still think I'm making it up, along with the -50 weather hahaha

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I could still smell the mice stench, so I thought the heater might have some mice remnants in it. As well the heater control cables didn't work to well and seemed to be stuck. I borrowed a boroscope from work and stuck it into the heater box and yes there was a dead mouse in there. I decided to take the heater box completely apart to clean it properly. What a job that was - inner fender well, hood hinge, etc to get it completely apart. I found at least 17 mice skeletons and a nest. The little buggers even chewed the heater fan. I got all that cleaned up with more spray nine and got rid of the smell. The heater cables all work now.

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And a good thing we don't include the wind chill in the -50 temp!

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I spend a full day and a half with the the buffer and alot of meguirs product and buffed out the orginal paint. It came out very nice. There are still quite a few chips and some gravel road rash, but it came out way better than I expected. Sorry for the fuzzy picture

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

looks good, amazing shape for any 72, let alone one in Canada, now the question is, how much for those beautiful fenders;) haha I wouldn't change a thing, the caps look great, paint came out awesome, sweet truck you have there

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I removed the bumpers and took them to work and pressed out any dents. They were both the factory installed bumpers. Even the step bumper is on the SPID. I would prefer the non step rear bumper, but this is what it came with. I do need one of the factory license plate lights with the glass lenses. I had the front bumper powder coated white and the rear silver/grey to match the original colors. Once I got it cleaned up I took it to our local show and shine. Alot of people really liked the truck and couldn't believe the paint was original. I have been driving it around town quite a bit.

Next things I need to work on are a liitle more under the hood clean-up, brake job, there is a funny noise vibration at 50MPH - I think it is a u-joint or steady bearing, and order up a new floor mat. Oh yeah a new windshield!

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

Unbeleivable...

I was really hoping to make it to more car shows this year, but work work work, and i never seem to hear of any till they are over.

You hitting up any more this year?

Re: Barn find 1972 GMC Survivor ex-RCMP truck
 

BTW, mind me asking how bad they hit you with the out of province inspection?