New guy
 

Hello! Just got a '63 GMC 1000 about a month ago. It has the 305 V6. I just LOVE the arguments I get when folks ask, "So, what you got in it?" My first response is usually, "You would not believe me if I told you." They usually reply, "So what DO you have in it?" "A 305 V6." "V6? You sure it's not a V8?" "Nope, it's a V6." "They never made such a thing!" At this point, I open the hood and POINT at it. "THAT ain't no V6, that's a BIG BLOCK!" "Count the plug wires." Usually I can see the mouth move, "One, two, three, four, five, six" and then they shake their head and walk away. Those that don't walk away get an education. I LOVE it!

Got this truck from a buddy of mine. He kept telling me he was going to drop a 350 in it and turn it into a 4 wheel drive. I begged him not to. About a year ago, I came home with an '83 El Camino. My buddy started lusting for the "truck" as soon as I got it home. Kept asking how much I wanted for it. I told him $3500. I was using it as my daily driver and did not really want to sell it, but if someone wanted it more than I did, I was willing to part with it. Finally, a bit over a month ago I get a phone call. "You willing to trade the El Camino for my old GMC?" "Can I drive it back and forth to work?" "Yep, it runs. Needs some work, but you should be able to fix it." I did not even ask to test drive the truck. I drove over to his house with the title for the El Camino and all the keys I had for the car. Drove the truck home that night. I had a vacation planned for the week following, so I did not start working on the truck until about two weeks after I got it, but I have been working the kinks out ever since. First thing to go was the 24 X 10 Ghetto rims my buddy had put on it. They were too tall for the truck. I asked if he still had the original rims and tires. He did. I got them and put them back on. The truck performs MUCH better. It no longer feels like I am taking off in second when I am in first.

In order to steer the thing with the 10 inch wide wheels up front, my buddy converted the truck to power steering (not a bad thing to do, so I will likely keep it). However, he cobbed up some brackets to make the pump fit the engine. I will likely be looking for the power steering pump, brackets and pulleys from a later model (maybe a '72) GMC with power steering. Not sure if such a beast exists, but if it does, I suspect this is the place to find out. I am also looking for another hood for the truck. From what I have seen, a 61-64 hood will work. Maybe something from an old school bus or something. If anyone knows of one, I would be grateful to hear of it. It would be just WONDERFUL if it was located somewhere in Deep South Texas! I could make a road trip for Central and Southeast Texas, but would have to have it delivered by truck if outside of these areas.

I look forward to hearing from you all, and any help/advice I can get would be greatly appreciated.

https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net...2d&oe=58BEDFD1

Re: New guy
 

Welcome aboard. Nice truck. What transmission?

Re: New guy
 

Welcome Hubarlow! great story and great truck as well. More photos when possible, Thanks.

Re: New guy
 

Looks like you have a solid truck! Welcome!!

Re: New guy
 

Welcome Hubarlow,

You've come to the right place for ALL your questions. Loving' the chrome Barbell. I've pasted my Photobucket album on the conversion to P/S incase you need some pointers.

http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/jb...?sort=3&page=1

Also, If you are looking for ANY parts contact a member called R.J. Sisneros in Crowley Colorado. I've just about gotten a whole truck from him one piece at a time ;)
Here is my ride.

http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/jb...?sort=3&page=1

Re: New guy
 

I honestly do not know. Looks like a Saginaw car 4 speed. I DO know that it is not original to the truck. My buddy changed it and used the car four speed because he did not have to change the drive shaft from the original 3 speed.

Re: New guy
 

JB: Sweet ride! Looks like you did the same thing my buddy did, except he cobbled the brackets and used donor parts from a 72 Chevy pickup. Where did you get the brackets? Tried looking up Mr R.J. Sisneros. Unable to locate him for some reason.

Re: New guy
 

Funkey and Champagne: Thanks for the welcome! Nice rides!

Re: New guy
 

Glad you got rid of the rims lol

Good luck! I reckon you got the better end of that trade!

Re: New guy
 

pm me and I'll give you his phone number. The bracket was either an ebay find or a member had it up for sale, I cant remember.

Re: New guy
 

I quite agree! So does my insurance company. They charge me ONE dollar more a month now to cover the truck! ;-) I will have to take some more pics with the OLD rims back on the truck and post them. Ebay provided me with some "Poverty" hubcaps from a 70s-80s era GMC, and they now rest nicely on the old rims. They look similar to the originals, but are chrome instead of the painted white that originally came on the truck. I never did have the original caps and I liked the chrome better. Besides, they were cheaper than the painted ones.

Re: New guy
 

Welcome to the site, Hubarlow:

First thing I noticed about your post was the response your get about the V6, ----"THERE AIN'T NO SUCH A THING".

I get a kick out of the responses I get when I talk about the V12s. Isn't it fun to have one, and educate some people about a great piece of automotive history?

Some who have seen it the first time and scratching their heads, I add that it was a factory option back in those days. That's when I get the big "deer in the headlights look". I'll finally confess that I fibbed a little.

Enjoy your toy, and keep us posted on your progress.

Re: New guy
 

I am also looking for another hood for the truck. From what I have seen, a 61-64 hood will work. Maybe something from an old school bus or something. If anyone knows of one, I would be grateful to hear of it.

Actually any 60-66 GMC hood will work but you don't want:pullinghairout: a 60-61 style hood:ahhhh: on your 63. Stick with the 62-66 style hood:thumbsup:

Re: New guy
 

What do you have the V 12 installed in? I have been thinking of looking for a 478 to drop in just to mess with people, but a v 12 would be even more spectacular! I just don't think there would be enough room in the engine bay.

Re: New guy
 

Welcome aboard!

Re: New guy
 

"1964 GMC 1500 305E/sm420 4 barrel intake mod and dual exhaust." Did I read that right? You found a 4 barrel intake for the 305? Where? Watched one of the videos with the GMC. You drive it like I drive mine. Every day.

Re: New guy
 

Yep, you read it right. :) It's not a factory 4 barrel. It's a magnum intake that I milled out to fit a 4 barrel. Thanks for watching the videos!

Re: New guy
 

The one I kept is a '46 Chev pu mounted on a '84 GMC 3/4 ton frame and running gear. Had custom adatpers built to mate a 700R4 auto tranny. No hood. From firewall to front of grill measures about 7 feet.

I put another V12 on a '72 Ford long wheel base 1 ton, but used a '62 GMC cab and front clip with a flat bed. Gave it to a museum. It has the same tranny/V12 combo.
I found the easiest way to get it all mounted was strip the frame, then started at the front, mounted motor and tranny with new mounts, then added cab and all after that.

V6/12s are a fun world to play in. I always wondered why GMC quit them except maybe the couldn't sell enough parts since they hardly ever broke down, and fuel consumption was another mark against them.


I'll be watching your progress and see where it leads you. Have fun.

Re: New guy
 

Actually GMC did offer a 4bbl dealer installed option on V6 Magnum engines. The 2bbl Magnum manifold already has a square bore 4bbl plenum, it's just a matter of milling the top of the base and opening it up. Here's pics of a square bore and spreadbore versions I've built.:ok:

Re: New guy
 

V6/12s are a fun world to play in. I always wondered why GMC quit them except maybe the couldn't sell enough parts since they hardly ever broke down, and fuel consumption was another mark against them.

I could never really get a legitimate answer from anyone why GMC stopped producing the V6 as well as the 60 degree family of engines. I watched that period of time closely back around 74 and it appeared to be some sort of planned obsolescence that was from the hierarchy of GM and not the GMC Truck & Coach division. GMC Medium Duty Truck Brochures in 1974 did not list any of the GMC V6 or Turbium 478 Diesels, you could not find H, J or T 7500 series brochures at the dealers which were models that were exclusively powered by the V6. Yet when you would go to the dealer all these trucks in 74 still had the V6. To me I saw the trend of everything going to Chevrolet powerplants around that time as a reason of cutting production costs since Chevrolet engines were a lot cheaper:pullinghairout: to make than the big V6's. I think even GMC historian Don Meyer brought that up too. When you really think about that it makes sense because the GMC Truck and Coach division never had produced an engine of their own from that point, their engine plant ceased operations in Pontiac Michigan:banghead:

Re: New guy
 

Well, THAT is good to know! I was thinking I would have to custom fab some sort of ram tube intake to get the full potential of the engine! Now, I just have to find one of the Magnum intakes and have it machined! Thanks!

Re: New guy
 

Hey Pete, yep I knew that a 4 barrel option was available for the magnum engines, didn't think one was for the 305.

To the OP, finding a magnum intake will take some searching. You can find it on any larger cubic inch v6 than a 305 with a M somewhere in the numbers. Hence, 351M, 401M, 478M ect. Took me months to get one and got it from a member here half way across the states from me. haha Good luck and hope you find what you are looking for.


Beware of the math nuts who will try and discourage you from a fun adventure.

Re: New guy
 

The 432 also is a Magnum engine though never designated with the "M". Yeah no optional bigger carbs on the 305D,E & C engines, you would think they could have offered the larger WWC 2bbl as an option:pullinghairout:, after all there was an intake manifold used on 60-65 401 and 62-65 478 engines with smaller ports which were the same as the 305:ahhhh:

Re: New guy
 

You would think! Especially with how popular the 305 was!

Re: New guy
 

The 305 was definitely popular, they stuck them in all the light duty trucks and a great many medium duty trucks as well. I do think GMC should have offered the 351 from the get go in 1960 for light duty trucks. Originally the 305C was slated for being discontinued after 1971 but somehow survived with the last of the V6 engines up to 1974:pullinghairout::pullinghairout:, being the longest produced of all the GMC family of 60 degree V engines.

Re: New guy
 

I wasn't around many V6s except in a few V6 pickups neighbors had, but several V12s used as stationary irrigation engines. There were many of them used in our area and everyone really liked their longivity, but even burning natural gas, fuel consumptiion was huge. When parts became a problem, and cheaper engines were available with much less fuel use, they faded off in the sunset.
When I fixed the two up, neighbors thought I was silly to bring the dinasaurs back, but I've found that many younger people had never heard of them.
The people at the museum I gave the one truck to said the interest was enought they built an open shed on the side of one of their buildings to house it, as well as a '47 Spartan trailer house I fixed up because I had propane on both, and they couldn't exhibit them in an enclosed building because of insurance limitations.


Bob Dylan on here is working hard to preserve them too.
Let's all work at keeping some around for "automotive history".

Thanks for you imput, and again to Jolly for the site that we can compare notes and exposure for the 6s and 12s.

Re: New guy
 

Hubarlow,
I live in San Antonio TX and I have a hood in my stash of 60-66 GMC parts that I have had in dry storage for quite a while now. Minimal rust, no holes...very solid. If you still need a hood, I am willing to part with it for a fair price. Welcome to the site!

John

Re: New guy
 

I just put a P/S pump and bracket on my 64. The entire setup was off 78 Chevy V8 pick up, the only thing I had to do is make 2 support brackets out of flat stock from the Pump to the block and 2 pieces of round stock and long bolt as a spacer. The entire setup I got from Pick a part for $20, it is a modern pump so easy to get parts from a local store. Hope that was help full, it mounted on the drivers side bottom.

Re: New guy
 

And then it quickly became history. :banghead: That's what sucks.

Re: New guy
 

John, that would be awesome! Send me some pics and your contact information and what you would consider a reasonable price and I will see what can be done to get it here to the Valley. I have friends that make it that way fairly regularly, so I am sure I can either hitch a ride or send them your way with cash.

Re: New guy
 

Gonna try to send some pics of what my buddy cobbled together. Problem is, it does not fully adjust. I think I can make it work with a minor modification, but it will not look clean. It will be another cobbled together fix.

Re: New guy
 

Here is what the truck looks like with the original rims back on it. The hub caps are an eBay find from a 70s/80s GMC. In the back are the rims and tires my buddy put on the truck with a sign saying "for sale or trade." You can also see my signature "Side Pipes." Balogna cut tips aligned with the body and exiting before the rear wheel. I don't call them side pipes , but I have quit arguing with those who do. 🙄

Re: New guy
 

Looks much better with those rims imop. haha Love them SIDE pipes. LOL! I don't call them that either...I just call them exhaust tips. :teehee:

Re: New guy
 

Oh, leg burners......

Re: New guy
 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it look like you are driving the power steering pump off of the water pump. It also look like you have a single groove crank pulley. The power steering pump should be driven off of a double groove crank pulley and the water pump. This will allow belt adjustment of the pump.

Re: New guy
 

Like I said, my buddy cobbled it together. He put a double pulley from a small block Chevy on the water pump and then ran a belt from the water pump to the power steering pump. The belt for the water pump is adjusted using the "Alternating Generator" (Just love those old GMC adverts) and the power steering pump is supposed to be adjusted using its own brackets. He used the double pulley setup for the power steering, but only uses one groove. I think he did that to make things easier to line up, and he did not want to try to rig a double pulley set up for the drive pulley on the crank. That was one of the things I wanted to see if GMC made for the later model engines. I was hoping to find a double pulley lower pulley, and a proper bracket for the pump. The bracket setup that is on it now will not allow for a full adjustment of the pump. I can modify it with a bit of strap steel and two bolts, but it will STILL be a cobbled together setup.

Re: New guy
 

Well, new adventure today. Went and bought a dented discontinued tool box at Pep Boys today. Only paid $100 for a $239 box. Bought the EXACT same box as what I bought for my '72 Chevy. I know it is exactly the same because I put it on TOP of the box on the Chevy when I got it home. It fits (not well, but it fits) in the Chevy. It is a bit too narrow (which goes to show that the modern pickup is NOT as big in the cargo area as the older trucks), but it sits on the bed rails when it is centered. Not so on the GMC. It looks like the GMC bed rails are about 6 inches WIDER than the Chevy, and the box just drops in between the rails! Unfortunately, it is just about half an inch TOO wide to fit completely between the bed rails, so one end drops in, while the other remains on the rail. I am going to have to build some brackets to bolt this thing in!
I guess, once again, I learn the old saying, "Never assume anything. It makes an *** out of U and Me!"

Re: New guy
 

Hard to convince the V-6 concept.

Re: New guy
 

Welcome to the group.

Re: New guy
 

Hang onto that hood whatever you do.
Or at least the turn signals.
You have an early '63, before the government mandate to go to amber turn signals.
1962 and early 1963 have the clear cats-eye turn signals. late 1963 to 1966 have the amber ones.
It is just another curiosity point... when someone comes up and argues it can't be a '63 because they are the wrong color or something...