New guy

[hubarlow]

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!

[TJ's GMC]

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.

[bigblockv6]

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, 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

[TJ's GMC]

Originally Posted by bigblockv6

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, 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

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

[bigblockv6]

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, being the longest produced of all the GMC family of 60 degree V engines.

[Cayoterun]

Originally Posted by bigblockv6

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 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

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.

[Sonic65]

Originally Posted by hubarlow

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.

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

[HOTRODJOHN]

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.

[TJ's GMC]

Originally Posted by bigblockv6

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, being the longest produced of all the GMC family of 60 degree V engines.

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

[hubarlow]

Originally Posted by Sonic65

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

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.