Calling All Two-Tones

[1960HDGMC]

Here is a 1960 GMC Color Chip Set from GMC. I just got this. It has a line pointing to each color that goes to Olympic White, for Two-Tone jobs. It also features a Black color chip. Most aftermarket paint companies did nor include a Black chip in there sets, if they mentioned that color at all. I have another thread going about the color chips for 6066 GMC trucks. It goes into some detail as I try to sort all the year modes' colors out. Does anyone out there have other year color chips that are from GMC, and not the paint companies? GM

[gmccollector]

Originally Posted by 1960HDGMC

SuWeet GMCCollector,
Love them Two-Tones. Did the Mesa Tan 1/2 ton truck get different spear up front right, or is the original just flattened out? Also, is the inside of the bed all White and are the fender wells also White, or Black? If you have one, please consider adding a shot of the bed floor area. I had to wing it on paint placement inside the bed, when I painted my truck. You have a nice pair of awesome looking GMC trucks. There cousins look nice too. I got a soft spot for the 60-61 GMC trucks. Thanks for posting them, GM

Why Thank you 1960HDGMC ! That half ton , well the previous owner threw out the old stainless because of a few dings and realized later he wasn't going to find it again ! Then he put the 62-66 style aluminum trim in its place. I've since collected all the correct stainless for the truck. Both Mesa Tan trucks are white interior beds with white inner rear wheel housings all still original paint. Need to check the build location but I believe both are western built trucks. I have one other 1960 that's Mesa Tan and a custom but its not a two tone and its inner bed is body colored with body color inner fenders .Both these trucks have been in storage for at least 10 years and I cant get at them for pictures, sorry. The 3/4 ton will soon have its original wheels and hubcaps back in place also. The Red 66 has the black inner fenders. Thanks, Jon

[1960HDGMC]

Thanks Jon, I have a theory that there were different standards and practices during any given production year, from plant to plant. I believe some plants did slightly vary on paint breaks and even colors. There are plenty of original wheels on trucks that are different from more commonly seen wheels. I believe these different wheels were sent to southern plants, as I have yet to see them on known western/Pontiac built examples. Does not mean there were none, I simply have not ran across any to date. The White paint going across the top of your tailgate I have seen a time or two. The GMC paint regulations for 1960 do not call for it, and the pictures in the paint regs do not show it. But they exist. I have seen yours and a couple of others. I think whomever was spraying these trucks any given day, might have taken certain artistic liberties with the paint breaks. I do not know a lot about trucks, but I know vintage guitars like there's no tomorrow. Been playing/repairing/studying vintage instruments since I was fresh out of diapers. I can tell you that the biggest maker of guitars in 1959 was Gibson. Gibson guitars were given standardized paint jobs. But there are a couple hundred known originals that received variations, even though they were standard production models. It is documented that this happened on several batches of instruments. The powers that be were PO'd to no end, but the rare Darkburst 1959 Les Pauls are treasured today for there variants, beauty and rarity. Point being, I believe all big outfits painting stuff in the 1950' and 1960's would be expected to deviate to some degree, if only occasionally. I have heard of factory painted BLUE GMC engines. I have seen White letters on tailgates that were "supposed "to be Aluminum. I bet the western sprayer guy thought the white should go across to tie the back of the bed together. It looks logical looking at your picture. GM

[gmccollector]

I was able to confirm 2 out of three 60-61s , one I cant get inside , two have the "C" for Oakland plant. I've researched these a little and it seems Fremont and Oakland had white rear inner fenders. It might explain the white on the top of the gate on these two also. It seems as if Midwest trucks received the black inner fenders. If you look in the 1960 GMC Data book which I'm assuming is more of a Detroit area book , it shows in one of the pages a 1960 without the white paint on the top of the gate. It also states in the painting regulations that the rear inner fenders are to be black. Were there two different Data books or different painting regulation guides ? I'm not one of the theorists that believes in random , I think I will just do it this way today , unless there was a specific reason. Like the recent 1962 GMC 1700 mile truck , it came with a special order color , that I know existed . As for tailgate lettering , has anyone found a factory white lettered gate ? I have several other GMCs and takeoff tailgates , so far all are argent silver paint. Also in the Data book is a small paragraph on "special paint" to fill out a GMC paint chart and submit that with the truck order. The Blue engine comment , I've heard that, but never seen it. Wheels for 1960, I've only seen two styles for 6 lug , all with clips but different center hubs. Interesting stuff for sure and lots to learn !!

[1960HDGMC]

Hey Jon, I learn something about these old trucks every time I visit this forum. Always interesting to try and sort it all out. I will post a couple pictures of 1960 western trucks on a car hauler. They were taken literally on the west coast. I believe they were GMC in house pictures. They show the White inside area of the pickup bed. However, on the same truck the tailgate is all body color, no white. If there were official variations from plant to plant(or even Eastern/Trans-Mississippi), I would think they would have come to light in period bulletins by now. Again, just because I have not run across them, does not mean that they do not exist. I am always looking, just out of general curiosity more than anything else. But the few pieces of original GMC sourced material on this subject that I have read, have only supported the standard paint breaks. I wish we could find a GMC painter from the period and ask him or her. Till then, I will keep digging. GM

[1960HDGMC]

Here are a few other rear views of 1960 GMC trucks(first picture is a 1962 GMC Custom). I have a shot of a load on a western train heading towards the mountains,but I can not locate it. I believe it also includes rear view of these year trucks. I will keep looking. GM

[gmccollector]

Thank you for posting those pictures GM, and please do not take what I say the wrong way in previous posts. Just to hard to type thoughts and ideas sometimes. But let me ask you this , a staged photo op like the car hauler, looks to be west coast, what are the VINs on those trucks ? My meaning to this is , without a VIN and plant code from the specific truck and paint combination , isn't it speculation as to where it was actually built at that point ? Not trying to argue , just trying to see if there's something more substantial to the debate. I know they came both ways , just looking for the reason why ? Was it a plant variation or was it a change in procedure ? Only way I can see a true explanation is documenting original trucks . Maybe post your plant designation with your original paint combination . Like you said , Would love to see some GMC bulletins on this , GMC Literature , true data, is pretty scarce compared to Chevy.

[Onuma]

Man...that carrier truck hauling all of those shiny-new pickups has me drooling! So much awesome in one picture.

[1960HDGMC]

No sweat. I agree that it is hard to converse with any eloquence and nuance by way of typing. I never take any academic discussion personally. That would hamper earnest inquisition, and would not serve to further our craft. I believe the GMC in the coastal truck pictures are western. But I found these pictures with no literature, so this thought is at best extrapolated conjecture based on circumstantial evidence i.e., an educated guess. But it is all I have to go on. If the paint break evolve during a series year, I would expect the serial numbers to be high or low for each variant. The white topped tailgates may be products of one or more plants. The fact that my early production truck did not have it does not prove that none were produced at Pontiac. I do not suspect that any were, but only from lack of evidence to date. To really sort this out, the discussion requires a pool of extant original trucks with serial numbers. My truck was number 1493 produced at Pontiac. I am lucky to have the original owner here in town to talk with. I also grew up inspecting the truck almost weekly, as our town barber was near the Harley shop where my truck lived. But I do not even know if Pontiac ran separate serial number series for big truck and coaches, or if they all shared one series of numbers. Told you I am no expert, haha. I am leaning towards a western plant ("C" code") variant, probably exclusive to the one plant, likely without a separate set of paint regulations. I may6be wrong, but that is my best guess based on what I have gathered to date. I hope to find a "smoking gun" set of paint regs that calls for the white top. I am beating the bushes looking. Thanks,GM

[1960HDGMC]

Originally Posted by Onuma

Man...that carrier truck hauling all of those shiny-new pickups has me drooling! So much ******* in one picture.

I agree, its sicknin, The picture raises as many questions as it answers concerning the 60 model trucks. One of my favorites.