My '65 GMC

[57chevywagonman]

I just acquired a 1965 GMC truck. I am looking forward to building her up into a nice driver. She is a very solid Oklahoma truck. It is a camper special with 8 lug wheels. I am planing on installing disc brakes on the front, power steering and a hydro-boost brake booster. She is going to have a 350 Chevy V8 and either a NV3500 or a 700R-4 transmission. The truck has an early air conditioning system. I am not sure if I will repair that or install a new Vintage Air unit. I also want to add cruise control.

I have an awful lot of work ahead of me and I am hoping I can find some good advise on this forum.

Mike

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by 57chevywagonman

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I just acquired a 1965 GMC truck. I am looking forward to building her up into a nice driver. She is a very solid Oklahoma truck. It is a camper special with 8 lug wheels. I am planing on installing disc brakes on the front, power steering and a hydro-boost brake booster. She is going to have a 350 Chevy V8 and either a NV3500 or a 700R-4 transmission. The truck has an early air conditioning system. I am not sure if I will repair that or install a new Vintage Air unit. I also want to add cruise control.

I have an awful lot of work ahead of me and I am hoping I can find some good advise on this forum.

Mike

Congratulations on your recent acquisition, Mike! You came to the right place for advice by finding and joining our forum. You haven't told us yet, though, what engine is currently in your '65. If it's a V6, you'll find most of our forum members here will urge you to keep it and not turn your truck into yet another boring Chevy and detract from its value.

We're looking forward to photos and hearing more about your truck!

[George Bongert]

Originally Posted by 57chevywagonman

To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic?

I just acquired a 1965 GMC truck. I am looking forward to building her up into a nice driver. She is a very solid Oklahoma truck. It is a camper special with 8 lug wheels. I am planing on installing disc brakes on the front, power steering and a hydro-boost brake booster. She is going to have a 350 Chevy V8 and either a NV3500 or a 700R-4 transmission. The truck has an early air conditioning system. I am not sure if I will repair that or install a new Vintage Air unit. I also want to add cruise control.

I have an awful lot of work ahead of me and I am hoping I can find some good advise on this forum.

Mike

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Ohhhhh, you just said something blasphemous to us GMC Truck enthusiasts!! A Chevy 350 V-8 in place of the Big Block V-6?? Of course, it is your truck, and you are entitled to do whatever you wish with it, however, replacing the original GMC V-6 with a small block Chevy engine ruins the collectible value of the truck. What are your plans for the Big Block V-6 once you have it out of the truck?? I would stongly suggest if you go through with your swap to the 350 Chevy engine that you sell the Big Block V-6 to someone in our club who will save the engine from an unearned trip to the scrap yard. These wonderul engines are becoming rare, and all that can be done should be done to preserve those that are left. Anyway, best wishes on your plans for your truck, whatever you decide to do.

[57chevywagonman]

The truck did have a V6. It is however long gone. I got the truck from my friend who brought the truck to Ohio from Oklahoma. The truck had not run since 1993 (last registration). He tried to get her running but could only get her to run on 5 cylinders. After taking a compression test he found number four to be completely flat and number 6 to be very weak. He tore the top end down and found #4 piston to have a hole in it and #6 cylinder badly scored. He scraped the origonal engine several years ago. Wound up doing nothing with it, Selling it to another friend. He did nothing with it and sold it back. I got it with lots of new weatherstripping and brake parts etc. But no engine and trans. He did offer me a Buick 350 and TH400 trans that he originally had planed to install in the truck. However I think I would be offending fewer people with a 350 Chevy. I want to be able to drive the truck on road trips and to local shows. I have heard the old V6 was a good pulling motor however not fast and pretty poor gas mileage. What other motors might it have come with? I was thinking of modifying a set of Chevy V8 valve covers by welding in the "GMC" script from the origonal valve covers and painting the engine up to look like a factory engine. Nothing fancy but very clean and detailed.

Mike

[bigblockv6]

A 230 inline six would have also been a standard engine over the optional 305E in 65.

[bobdylan]

GMC used the Pontiac v8 thru 59. I think the 336 was the same block as 389. If I was going to do a heart transplant, I would go with a 389 with a tri power set up. The you would not be accused of using a boring Chevy small block. And would be stay closer to The GMC roots. But I can make anything over complicated and cost to much. What ever you do you will be saving another classic GMC.

[57chevywagonman]

I appreciate the thought of using a Pontiac motor, however I realy like the dependability and easy parts availability of the Chevy SB. Plus there is also the fuel economy to consider. I want to drive this thing and I am not a purist by any stretch of the imagination. If I had a good V6 I would almost certainly keep it.

It is like the old saying "Anyone can restore a car but it takes a real man to cut one up." LOL

All the best!

Mike

[bobdylan]

I did not mean to imply that is what you should do. Like I said I would make it a lot harder than it needs to be, and cost to much, and would remain a dream. You are saving a classic that is the main thing.

[TJ's GMC]

Congrats on the find. Hey, Detroit diesels get good mileage.

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[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by bobdylan

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I did not mean to imply that is what you should do. Like I said I would make it a lot harder than it needs to be, and cost to much, and would remain a dream. You are saving a classic that is the main thing.

He's saving the shell, so that counts for something. But if he really wanted to drive a classic he'd buy a $100 - $250.00 305 V6 and put it back in there where it belongs then gear it up so he can do 80 if that's what he likes. Cheap and right. Rarely do you find them both in the same thing.

Or put a SB350 in it, drop it to the frame, and put rubber band tires on it. Nobody's thought of that before...Oh wait...