1961 K1001 GMC Suburban year and code series don't match

[Ledslinger]

Looking at VIN/Serial Number Decoder on 6066gmcguy, My 1961 GMC K1001 Suburban should have a 7th digit N for 1961, but it is J which indicates 1962.

Is my truck titled incorrectly, and has been since it's first titling?

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by Ledslinger

Looking at VIN/Serial Number Decoder on 6066gmcguy, My 1961 GMC K1001 Suburban should have a 7th digit N for 1961, but it is J which indicates 1962.

Is my truck titled incorrectly, and has been since it's first titling?

One possible explanation is that your truck is indeed a 1962 model, but was first sold and registered in late 1961. Back in those days automakers typically first released their new models in the fall. And different states used different criteria when deciding how to register a new vehicle.

Does your truck have the '60/'61 style hood, or the '62/'66 style? That could provide a clue.

Welcome to the forum! We'll be looking forward to seeing photos of your truck. K model Suburbans are rare indeed. Total produced each year in the '60s was only in the low hundreds.

[Ledslinger]

Thanks Ed. Pretty sure the hood has been replaced so that feature doesn't tell much. My understanding was later style hoods were used as replacement, and that is what my truck has.

I'm the second owner of my truck, the original being the University of Missouri Geology Department. It was used at the university's field camp in Lander Wyoming that I attended in 1978 where I purchased the truck in a silent auction.

My file has some procurement information, so I may have date of purchase. This could substantiate if purchase date may have caused an actual 1962 to be titled as a 1961.

I knew K Suburbans were rare, since I've never seen another GMC one since I've owned mine. I've seen one Chevrolet K in person. There was K GMC Suburban in the Mel Gibson movie "Man Without a Face"

[Ledslinger]

Looked at procurement information by the original purchaser in my file, it says after competitive bids, the purchase was made on July 26, 1961 to Mountain Motors in Lander Wyoming. Delivery was to a Columbia Missouri GMC dealer.

If new model rollout was around the beginning of September, that only left about a month left of the 1961 model year for an order made in late July. So it could have been made in September and was actually a 1962. It could also have been that the university licensing process wasn't as official as a normal private purchase, which could have contributed to mistakenly calling it a 1961. If it is mistakenly a 1962 model year truck called a 1961.

The owner's manual is dated 9-1961, which if original suggests September or later delivery, which could further indicate 1962 model year.

It makes sense they had it delivered to Columbia, Missouri to the university, instead of to Lander, Wyoming where the field camp is, because the field camp season was over, and there was no reason to have a new truck sit out there all winter.

Interestingly, the head of the Geology Department that oversaw the purchase in 1961, his statement was part of the affidavit to procure a title when I bought it in 1978.

[Funky61]

Welcome Ledslinger!

Sounds like an interesting and rare burb.
Would love to see some photos

[Ledslinger]

Looking at list of "1962 GMC Owner/VIN Listings" on the 6066gmcguy page, presumably the earliest trucks produced have the lowest Assembly Line Production Number, and are at the top of the list. My Suburban's Assembly Line Production Number puts it just behind #2 on the list in the earliest trucks produced in 1962.

It being early 1962 production fits with ideas of why its been erroneously listed on paperwork as a 1961 its entire life.