How can I tell the difference between the year models?

[TIMSPEED]

I know there's a difference from the 67 and 68..but are the 68-72's all the same?
What makes them different? (So next time I see one, I can impress the owner by knowing what year it is without him telling me.) Thanks!

[SEVEND2]

67 no side markers

The Grills are the biggest Diff. on Most if not all

On the 71-72
The
71 rear view mirrors are on the cab ceiling mounted between the sun visors
and
on the 72's they mounted it on the windshield

[SEVEND2]

1967

[SEVEND2]

1968

[SEVEND2]

1969

[SEVEND2]

1970

[SEVEND2]

1971 - mirror top of windshield mounted between sunvisors

[SEVEND2]

1972 - mirror mounted on windshield

[SEVEND2]

board members truck pictures taken from post on Picture pages

[toms68cst]

Hey, Nice 68!

The grill inserts between the 69 and 70 are slightly different. The 70 has more verticle members. Someone here will explain it better than I can. It takes a trained eye to tell them apart.

I think 71-72 is the hardest to tell apart.

[No3Fan4Ever]

Go to the resource page and click on ChevyDuty and truck years
or just go here

http://www.chevyduty.com/frame-truck-years.html

[71-longbed]

hey SEVEND2


Nice choice of pic for the 71 example .... I believe thats sitting right out side :p

[Hotrod70C10]

Originally posted by toms68cst
Hey, Nice 68!

The grill inserts between the 69 and 70 are slightly different. The 70 has more verticle members. Somewone here will explain it better than I can. It takes a trained eye to tell them apart.

I think 71-72 is the hardest to tell apart.

But, If they have bought a replacement inner grill then that won't work..... since they only make 69? style inner grills now.

[jewels.]

the biggest body difference from 67-68 to 69-72 is on the hood and fenders.... the hood for 67-68 slopes down more in the front that the hood on 69-72 models.... this also means that the whole front clip is different as well, including front fenders and radiator....

the 67-68 trucks have a dash that supports a manual choke knob, and thus, the dash has three knobs instead of two (choke, washers, lights)....

the 67 has a lot of 'leftover' traits from the previous body styles such as smaller rear windows, a different looking cigarette lighter, different looking armrests, different rear-view mirrors, and even different dash knobs....

the hubcaps in 67-68 were also different than those in 69-72...

the seats were generally different esp. in their stitchin style from 67-68 to 69-72...

i think a lot of the engine options over the years have changed as well, but i would have to go check the red book (which i dont have handy here at work)...

i hope this helps ya out!
(BTW, i own a 68, which i feel is a unique creature among all the years of the trucks, just like 67's)

jewels.

[COBALT]

The manual choke knob was an option (or lack of an automatic choke) in '69 as well. My Custom 20 has that stock. The dash bezel on the '67 has a different configuration without the guages in the bottom, and the center has the turn signals and idiot lights (red).

One way to tell between a '71 and a '72 is the door panels, the badging, the rear-view mirror, and if you're adventurous crawl underneath and check the brakes. '71 was the first year of disk brakes, and the design is a bit different between '71 and '72. Same with the rear drums, but I don't think you can tell.

[wxman1]

You might want to checkout this thread. The article
mentioned is from October Classic Truck Magazine.

here is the thread

Jim
Mt Juliet

[CPNEJR]

i know that the knobs on the 67's had ridges and were smaller. as far as engines in 67 they had staight 6 through 327, 68 had straight 6 through 327 + 396 etc.

[1969 GMC]

Some things I know I can add:
-1970 had optional disc brakes (for 2wd only I think, should be listed on option sticker)
-1971 had a "Disc Brakes" sticker on the tailgate
-1971 Cheyenne Super Glove Box trim badge has no fancy scripty shapes; 1972 Cheyenne Super does have them.

For GMCs:
-67 said GMC in the middle of the grille, had sloped hood w/ no GMC letters, no upper trim or "eyebrows"
-68 had sloped hood with GMC letters on front, and no upper trim or "eyebrows"
-69/70 had chrome grilles, top trim piece, and eyebrows; sloped hood no longer used; black paint around outside of headlight bezels
-71/72 had black stripe that went around the perimeter of the grille and down thru the center

Longhorn available 68-72, 2wd only, C/20 or C/30 only

Blazer 69-72, no 2wd '69 Blazers, Jimmy introduced in '70. All Blazers wear K/5 badges, even if 2wd.

phew

[Tx Firefighter]

I take exception to a couple of point above.

1969 GMC: First, someone, anyone, show me a stock 70 model with disc brakes. I stand firm that it's 71 and up till proven otherwise.

Cobalt: You are describing the base model dash clusters. The well optioned trucks had normal guages just like the later ones. Only difference was the choke knob or knob delete thing. All the 67-72 cheaper trucks used the two guages with idiot lights between them.

My GM dealer parts guy/ guru told me that way back into the 70s, GM had already discontinued the "correct" 1970 inner grill. They had superceded it with the 69 style which is a teeny bit different. So, any truck that's had a grill put in it since 70 something actually has a 69 grill in it. That's why correct 1970 grilles are so rare.

Also, nobody mentioned it but, 67-68 had the pull bayonet style park brake handles while the 69 up models had pedal unit.

I'm always interested in a spirited discussion about stock trucks.

Kevin

[1969 GMC]

Originally posted by Tx Firefighter
I take exception to a couple of point above.

1969 GMC: First, someone, anyone, show me a stock 70 model with disc brakes. I stand firm that it's 71 and up till proven otherwise.

can't find a pic, but optional disc brakes for '70 C/10 and C/1500 models is RPO code J52. I dont know if they were available for C/20 and C/2500 or not. Board member Southpa has this option on his C/1500.

[Longhorn Man]

Hmmm, not to call BS on this, but I'd like to see i. Nothing I have in print shows disk brakes in 70...ever.
Plus GM not having a 6 lug rotor that'll fit...

[dinnut]

yeah, how would u get parts for it if nobody has the parts and looks at you funny

[jewels.]

Originally posted by Tx Firefighter
Cobalt: You are describing the base model dash clusters. The well optioned trucks had normal guages just like the later ones. Only difference was the choke knob or knob delete thing. All the 67-72 cheaper trucks used the two guages with idiot lights between them.

agreed - idiot lights just meant the truck did not have Gages as an options on the options sheet (which can be found on the inside surface of the glovebox door/lid)

jewels.

[1969 GMC]

maybe the dope smokin old man is my dealer, but I searched and could only find southpa's truck with optional disc brakes...i could have sworn i saw another truck with them, an actual pic of the sticker with them on here

[68Custom]

1969 GMC posted that the Longhorn was only a 2wd model truck from 68-72...... but i thought i had seen a pic of a 4x4 Longhorn on here before? Can someone verify this perhaps? Or was it even a factory 4x4 Longhorn?

Aaron