Joe's 1969 GMC Shortbed

[GMCJOE]

Got some time on my hands right now since I am currently deployed to Afghanistan, so I figure I will start a thread on my truck.

In a long line of trades, my end of it all started with a 1997 Dodge Sport Extended Cab 4x4. As in almost all the vehicles I have owned, I found my 1969 GMC on craigslist. Listed for $7500. From the moment I seen it, I told myself it was my next truck. I contacted him, offering my Dodge up for straight up trade. To my surprise, we exchange titles a couple days later.

More to follow......

[GMCJOE]

This truck began life with a 6 cylinder 3 on the tree. It can to me bearing a built 454 mated with a built 400 turbo transmission with a 3500 stall and 4:11 gears in the rear end(possibly factory). The PO had no idea as to what had been done to either of them, and his plans was to built the truck as a track truck. Unsure as to when the truck been started into a custom, it came to me as a working progress with at least this being its 3rd motor.

List of Mods it came to me with:

454 engine
400 turbo trans
Heavy duty front springs
Rear Air shocks
Custom 35-40gallon fuel cell
New style bench seat
Centerline Rims 10x15's
Aftermarket steering wheel (crappy and since been replaced)
CD Player
Custom wiring job for lights and ignition system (hack job IMO)
Amateur paint job
Tachometer (never worked right and was scrapped)
3 gage set mounted under the dash
Fiberglass bed cover

Factory Equipment (what is left there of):
Truck (body and frame)
Steering column
Rear end
Manual drum brakes
Factory Dash
Lights
Grill
Trailing arm
Bumpers


Pictures to be posted soon.

[XxCHEVYMANxX]

Sounds like a cool project ! we love Pics !

[GMCJOE]

Pics of when I got the truck.

[GMCJOE]

More pics

[GMCJOE]

And more pics

[GMCJOE]

Last 2 pics

[Lolyin58]

Very nice truck to start with. Enjoy!
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[Houch]

First off, thank you for your service. Nice looking truck. So what are you plans for it now?
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[Tinkermc]

sounds like a good solid olan

[GMCJOE]

It's a little ruff, but you have to start somewhere.

[GMCJOE]

After many hours of searching, I have added one more part to the list of modifications I will be doing. Today, I found a member on this forum (ronrob84 which has a ton of parts listed forsale) had a gauge cluster for sale. Being I have the lowest of the low base model one, I have been wanting an upgrade and have tossed the idea around of building my own or doing a factory tach dash swap. So, I bought one from him for $30 shipped. Best deal I have came across.
It needs some TLC, and I have to do the factory tach conversion to it. But in the end, I will have about $200 into this upgrade instead of around $800.

[Xeen]

Man I would have had to change my shorts if all the sudden I had no brakes going down a hill you are a lucky man there were no cars in the intersection.
Count your blessings on that one!
Thanks for the friend request.

[GMCJOE]

Oh, I would have been cool with it. Insurance company I go thru has the truck insured for $7500. That was the 2nd day I had insurance on the truck. If it would have gotten wrecked and totaled, I would have been on the hunt for another as soon as I would have collected the money.

[Ironhorse]

GMCJoe, My thanks also for the friend request. My youngest son graduated from K-state and currently resides in Manhattan. Been thru JC several times visting him. Also my thanks for your service, (US Army Apr67-Apr70 Germany & Viet Nam) one Vet to another, Welcome Home Brother ! Nice looking truck, the seat looks VERY similar to one I have in my '71 4x4.

[GMCJOE]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

GMCJoe, My thanks also for the friend request. My youngest son graduated from K-state and currently resides in Manhattan. Been thru JC several times visting him. Also my thanks for your service, (US Army Apr67-Apr70 Germany & Viet Nam) one Vet to another, Welcome Home Brother ! Nice looking truck, the seat looks VERY similar to one I have in my '71 4x4.

No problem on the friends request. I am putting everyone in the Kansas and Missouri area's in my friends/contacts as I go thru the parts section and such. Possibly meet up with some of you guy's eventually at a car show or something. Thanks for your service also. And I wish I was home right now...lol Deployments put a damper on my progress with the truck. As to the seat, I am still trying to figure out what year and model of truck it came out of. If you had any incite, that would be great. I was thinking late 80's to early 90's. I like it, but I will probably replace it the further a long in my endeavors with this truck as I go.

[Cash3481]

GMC Joe:
Welcome, and thanks as well for the friend request! Like Iron hourse I have one going to K-State! We head that way often to apease mom (and I) missing the youngster. Nice truck and thank you for your service. I came in along time ago (23 years 2 months and a week ago to be exact) man Im getting old! It takes a special person to come in during this time in history. Keep you head down and come home safe... BTW, I always have beer!
Mike

[GMCJOE]

Originally Posted by Cash3481

GMC Joe:
Welcome, and thanks as well for the friend request! Like Iron hourse I have one going to K-State! We head that way often to apease mom (and I) missing the youngster. Nice truck and thank you for your service. I came in along time ago (23 years 2 months and a week ago to be exact) man Im getting old! It takes a special person to come in during this time in history. Keep you head down and come home safe... BTW, I always have beer!
Mike

Man, I could use a beer right now! Thank you for your service. No worries about keeping my head down, I am short.

[Xeen]

On the tach conversion see if you can switch positions in the cluster and put the tach in the large right hand position and put the fuel gauge in the center position or in one of the bottom positions I always thought it seemed a bit silly to have a HUGE gas gauge and a tiny tach.
Just something to think about.

[GMCJOE]

Originally Posted by Xeen

On the tach conversion see if you can switch positions in the cluster and put the tach in the large right hand position and put the fuel gauge in the center position or in one of the bottom positions I always thought it seemed a bit silly to have a HUGE gas gauge and a tiny tach.
Just something to think about.

You can do about anything you want with the conversion, just depending on the money you want to spend doing it. Check out some of the one people have done on my thread for it: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=543460

[GMCJOE]

I am making progress on the truck, even from here in Afghanistan. Though, it's not putting any actual work into it and probably irritating the wife. I am getting parts gathered, and I believe it's to the point where I will have to wait for some larger bills to accumulate in the bank. I guess that is how it goes with this passion. You get what you can afford, and wait around to get the rest.

With what I have, and what I plan on having purchased by the time I am home. There will be plenty of pictures to follow that return.

Thanks to a few members on here, your parts will be put to good use and appreciated.

[GMCJOE]

Decided I would decode my VIN today. Been thinking about it for a while, though it doesn't give me much of an idea on options(paint, trim, and such). Previous owner scraped the SPID, since it no longer there.
I have been thinking my truck was an inline 6 because of the basic options that it has. Not true. I will share some info on the VIN.

C: 2wd E: V8 1: GVW 3900 OD: Fleetside S: Assembled in St. Louis A: 1969

I am suspecting it probably had a 305 in it. I do know it was a 3 on the tree. A very basic work truck.

[GMCJOE]

This is my current steering wheel. I really like it and only paid $109 compared to the original $200 and some change price tag that was on it.

Anyone know where I can get a billet adapter and horn button? Would like GMC on the button, but not a deal breaker.

[Low Elco]

Looks like a fun truck, I like the wheels! Roll low and get home soon!

[GMCJOE]

Adding another part to my collection. Thanks to member sduckworth13 working with me on a black headliner he posted. He saved me a few dollars from buying a brand new one. Now I have to hunt some trim down.