The 1960 - 1966 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Factory Correct Restoration Thread

[ironman3452]

this is great lots of possibilities

[jbgroby]

Learned something out the Hydra-matic today. My dipstickcap has always been loose so I decided to solder it and make it right. I glass bead blasted it and found this under the paint - cool. One more factory correct item.

[CurtDrums]

Hello all. I'm new to this forum and really looking forward to getting some help from you guys!

I have a 1966 C10. The question is should the firewall be the color of the exterior of the truck or fawn beige like the interior. I've already painted the firewall fawn beige, thinking that was right, but I can change that. I want it to be correct.

Thanks!

[60-66]

Forgot to say they are in the book as 1960-1966 trucks Les , Jon

[aerotruk63]

[aerotruk63]

Sourced from the 1966 Canadian Accessories Book.

[aerotruk63]

58-66 Medium Duty parts Book lists
5768984 1958-66/ALL
988168 BRACKET UNIT, 1960-63/ALL
985918 BRACKET UNIT, 1964-66/ALL

[Praxiss454]

What would the seat have looked like in a 65 GMC 1000 with a fawn painted interior metal and red (514) exterior? And would factory option seat belts have been fawn color or another color? I need to recover my seat and want to add belts, and would like to make it original looking even though it won't be original.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by Praxiss454

What would the seat have looked like in a 65 GMC 1000 with a fawn painted interior metal and red (514) exterior? And would factory option seat belts have been fawn color or another color? I need to recover my seat and want to add belts, and would like to make it original looking even though it won't be original.

I'm in a similar situation with a '65 C20 with a fawn interior and deluxe seat.. trying to have the seat recovered in factory cloth/vinyl and I am installing seat belts for family safety.. I'm not restoring the truck, just cleaning and updating critical safety items for my family..

I bought a full set of tan belts with gm starburst logo metal buckles from Seat Belt Planet for $252 including nutplate hardware since my '65 has nothing.. maybe black would be more correct but since it didn't have anything in it anyway, I went with what matches the seat and interior color the best from colors available.. so I'll have a full belt set including driver and passenger shoulder belts and center lap belt once I get the seat installed for proper belt mounting adjustments if necessary..

the seat cloth has been a tough one for me.. I have a fantastic interior restoration and upholstery place but the seat cloth has been hell to get.. since february, we have been dealing with sms fabric in oregon but they are very slow and recently sent not only the wrong fabric, but the wrong vinyl and the fabric they sent was not even the wrong sample they sent previously! problem is they did send the EXACT matching cloth and vinyl samples and I must have them to put this seat back to original

thankfully the upholsterer has more patience than I do and is hopefully getting it all straightened out.. 6 months of waiting for samples only to receive entirely different material is frustrating!

good luck with your project!

this thread has mounting location dimensions and informative discussion;
1965 Seat Belts???

more here;
Aftermarket Seatbelts???

my old seat pic [upside down ];


my old seat fabric;


completed sample [probably from this site somewhere ];

[Praxiss454]

Has anyone found a repop of the factory vinyl seat material? All I see are the fabric seats that people try to recreate. I believe my seat back is original in my 65 GMC 1000 but the bench is a solid color.



Perhaps too off topic, but I'm surprised so many suppliers all offer the same seat upholstery covers from the same supplier (Acme) and they look nothing like the factory seats.

I'm also curious if anyone knows if these are the factory accessory seat belt mounting brackets.

[jbgroby]

In the picture of the Fawn interior, the area outlined is where the rear wiring group transitioned from the cab interior to the frame. On the early years there was a plate cover. My '60 has that, do we know what years this changed?

[aotte1]

Post 314 Question, '64 with Fawn Steering Column,

Jon, do you have more information on the '64 with the fawn steering column. Where there by white and fawn in '64? Was fawn only with certain options?

thanks,
Les

[60-66]

Heres some GMC interior and paint information from a 1965 GMC data book. Assuming your truck is not a "Custom" ? Seat would be Fawn vinyl . From past experience and current trucks , the GMC seat belts in my 66s are black with a GMC logo in the buckle. Ive never had a 65 GMC with belts , but the literature for GMC points to the belts being black with a plain buckle , Chevy accessory belts for 63-65 are also black. Fawn belts were only used in 1966 Chevy. They had smooth buckles , in 1967 Chevy, same belt but with a bowtie on the buckle.

[Praxiss454]

Thanks 60-66 for the info and all the nice pics of old literature.

[jbgroby]

O.K. Took a few days to straighten out some of the Information on where and when BUT from January 1960-March of 1961 (mid-year) the door for our truck DID have a weather strip. Steel Rubber sells the replacement gasket either in a set or single parts. See Pictures.

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by jbgroby

O.K. Took a few days to straighten out some of the Information on where and when BUT from January 1960-March of 1961 (mid-year) the door for our truck DID have a weather strip. Steel Rubber sells the replacement gasket either in a set or single parts. See Pictures.

my 61 crew cab has these on all 4 doors!

[aerotruk63]

[jbgroby]

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

One thing most folks overlook when restoring our trucks was that in the early years of adding seat belts, the idea of where to put the male latch was always an issue. If not dealt with, many times it would fall out of the truck and hit the ground. The OEM accessory manual I have shows that you need to install 2 factory hooks to hang the belt from when not in us. These hooks were simple coat hooks taken from the 55-59 Chevy sedans.

I picked up mine for about $10.00 off ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-56-57-C...pXp6ma&vxp=mtr

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by jbgroby

One thing most folks overlook when restoring our trucks was that in the early years of adding seat belts, the idea of where to put the male latch was always an issue. If not dealt with, many times it would fall out of the truck and hit the ground. The OEM accessory manual I have shows that you need to install 2 factory hooks to hang the belt from when not in us. These hooks were simple coat hooks taken from the 55-59 Chevy sedans.

I picked up mine for about $10.00 off ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-56-57-C...pXp6ma&vxp=mtr

I believe I'd go with the aftermarket or later GM seat belt rolls--they're sorta like the old house window shade rolls. Putting the buckle on those hooks will definitely scratch up the paint there.

I bought some rolls from YearOne several years ago for my lap belts, and they kept the belt out of the door.

-Brad

[Praxiss454]

Found this grease pen on the bottom of my heater fan in my 65 GMC. Truck was built at the Fremont assembly plant. Appears to say "VEGA"

[oem4me]

Another case of assembly line signatures? ..or perhaps this part was originally fitted to a 70's Chevrolet Vega, and made it's way to your GMC by way of a local wrecking yard.

[Praxiss454]

Originally Posted by oem4me

Another case of assembly line signatures? ..or perhaps this part was originally fitted to a 70's Chevrolet Vega, and made it's way to your GMC by way of a local wrecking yard.

Your guess is as good as mine, I thought it was unusual.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by oem4me

Another case of assembly line signatures? ..or perhaps this part was originally fitted to a 70's Chevrolet Vega, and made it's way to your GMC by way of a local wrecking yard.

I'm going with the wrecking yard explanation for the vega written in junk yard pen..

here's an interesting factory signature found in my '02 GMC which I am the original owner..


inside the cabin air filter cover that I didn't know I had

[jbgroby]

I know, but I'm anal on the OEM issue....some days I hate being a virgo.........

[billetproofcustoms]

Ok guys, I need thoughts on this, I may have just discovered a 283 from 1966 that can painted Alpine green from the factory.

Upon separating the transmission from the motor I noticed over spray on the back of the block that appears to be original. The top coat is a blue, which I do not believe to be correct at all, but under that is a very obvious Alpine green. My opinion is that this HAS to be original. Look at the photo. This may validate the common theory that the factories that built these trucks pretty much did what the wanted as far as engine colors...

What do you guys think?