History 64 GMC 3/4 experience

Have you ever owned one? What's your experience with them, V6? Synchro mesh? How does it ride on a dirt road?.
Any cool upgrades such as parts?

 

Jimi would have said nothing negative. But I've read where other's do not care so much for it's drive train.

 

I had a 69 with the 305 V6 and automatic, a/c , power steering. Pulled a semi tractor out of a mud hole. Mine was a 3/4 ton with one ton springs. I had to put a camper shell with some old engines to make its ride bearable. Fully loaded with a trailer it was great. I blew a hose and the engine ran hot.........both heads cracked, common problem......put in a 400....

 

it better be cheap!

 

It is, you know how I roll

 

It'll be rough riding on rough roads, the transmission will grind into gears other than first, the windows will rattle, at least half the gauges won't work, the steering will be loose, the seat will be uncomfortable, turn signals won't work, it will leak oil from everything, and burn oil, and idle rough.

And you didn't even post a picture yet.

(yeah, I've bought some old trucks in my life)

 

Last time I posted a picture someone up and bought it from under me.
Well thanks . I'l keep that in mind it' either that or a 4 door olds super 88

 

Oldsmobile 1957

 

I think they got about 5-8 mpg...

 

Sounds like my old 460 Ford.

 

Keep looking

 

I never thought the 3/4 ton rode or handled any worse than the 1/2 ton. In face the 64 thru 66 Chevys and GMC are very good riding and driving trucks. And I own dozens of them. Have always driven one ever since my Father bought a new 64. I would bet that 64 will ride better and handle better than squirels 59. model.

I know that V6 would out pull it. Now the V6 is a boat Anchor. It has pulling power but its a gas hogg. If the bodys solid. and the price right. Buy it and swap in a 250 six and SM 420 granny 4 speed. It will still pull but get good fuel economy. My daily work truck is a 66 GMC. A beat to death rough example I saved from a rollback headed to the crusher. and it works hard. I/2 ton 250 and granny 4 speed 336 rear gears. I aint afeared to load it. My wife has a 66 chev 3/4 her daddy bought new.292 six 4 speed and I seen her haul 7500 pounds of feed on it.

 

Its quite possible the GMC might have some of the problems you mention. However The steering and brakes can be easily upgraded by swapping in a 73 or newer entire front suspension and crossmember. all parts to fix the gauges and turn signals are easy to find brand new. The 60 thru 66 trucks can be upgraded without any fabrication. Its all bolt in parts. There are several engines I don't like and consider boat Anchors. and the V6 is on that list. A 60 thru 66 truck if the body is decent is a very viable project that will hold its value. I also have bought a truck or two in my life. In fact I still own most of them.

 

They're pretty good trucks when new, but my point was that the piece of crap he's going to buy for a good price, will need a LOT of work to make it into a nice truck.

The coil spring trucks ride better than the leaf spring trucks...but GMC had leafs in back, and a 3/4 ton without any weight on it is going to ride rough. You're very used to it, so you don't notice. Most folks do notice.

 

yet this still sounds appealing to me.

 

I only have experience, because I've done it over and over and over again

 

I looked at a 65 GMC 4X4 with the V6 several years ago. It was in great shape. It ran and drove fine but it was really screaming going over 50 mph. The 4 speed shifted smoothly, everything worked and it didn't rattle. It was a good truck but I needed something at the time to keep up on the freeways. The seller claimed 10 mpgs which was a bit of a turn off as well so I passed. He wanted 5K for it then.

 

That is going down hill with a tail wind. They never did pull anywhere close to respectable gas mileage but as others said those things have serious low end torque and that is what the farmers and ranchers around here bought them for.
They sold tons of V6 GMC trucks here locally as we had a couple of strong GMC dealers in the area in the 50's, 60's. Most of the survivors have long ago had a small block Chev V8 swapped into them when the V6 died. That isn't an oh groan swap it is a practical swap due to parts availability and cost on the V6 stuff. That makes a real nice GMC with a V6 with a great price a good deal though. Buy it, drive it until the six needs more work than you want to do, swap in a V8 Chev engine and keep on keeping on. Or put in a big GM V8 from the 70's in it for a real workhorse.

 

Most have rust. Front fenders, cowl. If you find a solid one at a good price grab it.

Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

"So-er, Are You Experienced?
Ah! Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have"

 

I know the 60 thru 63 GMC,s even the 3/4 tons had rear coil springs. I bought a 62 GMC in the late 70,s it was a 1/2 ton with a 305 and Muncie 318 three speed. Ugly ass pink color they call Coral? It very soon got a 283 swapped in with a conversion to mechanical clutch linkage. Then a ball joint needed replacing. So it got the suspension from a 73 and a dual master cyl. Broke a rear axle and replaced the rear with a 3/4 ton from a coil spring 63 GMC. then I swapped in a 5 speed out of a 2 ton. it had the two low gears. a regular granny low and super grandmaw over to the left and up against the dash. Went to 19.5 rear tires at the rear end swap. I drove that truck over 400,000 miles. longer than any vehicle I ever owned.. Went to both oceans the Gulf and the Canada border in it. wore out three small block engines. Eventually metal fatuge happened and the frame began cracking around the rivet heads where crossmembers attached. It even got the blue doors from the 63 3/4 ton

 

The chevy truck stick bellhousing will fit the GMC crossmember. The V8 front engine frame mounts will also fit . you gotta drill some 3/8 holes. Grind off the passenger side V6 engine mount it interfer's with a small block fuel pump. Very simple bolt in swap. Swappin in a later inline six is the same procedure.

 

Im a fast learner don't have to do anything but one time and I got it down pat.

 

You haven't suffered enough I take it?

 

The plus side it is a gmc/ Chevy truck so parts availability new and used will be easy
Swaps and upgrades will be cheap and plentiful

On the down side in stock form it will ride rough and be slow

If it’s not rotted out jump on it

 

I used to see a guy driving a really nice mid 60's GMC regularly for a while last year on the freeway. I definitely had a V6 since you cannot mistake the sound one makes. It was during rush hour so traffic didn't get over 50 mphs.

 

I had a '66 GMC 3/4 ton, but had a TH400 and 350 in it. Wan't a harsh ride at all, as mentioned before, rode nicer than my TF 1/2 tons I've had, and still have.

 

The low rear gear ratio is the biggest drawback on the 3/4 ton trucks. 410 & 456's where common. a 390 is about the fastest gear I ever seen in one. Larger diameter tires are a big help. The seats from 2 ton trucks have a full foam cushion and are a good choice. Replace the springs with air bags if your not tough enough for the ride. I cant tell any difference between the GMC rear leaf suspension and the Chevy coil spring rear suspension. And in 1973 the chevy trucks all had rear leaf springs. And they are usually not considered a harsh ride? Overload springs don't make the ride rougher when empty. The overloads don't come into play until enough weight is added to compress the primary leaf until the overloads make contact.

 

Thanks OldWolf you have been a major help on this thread. Thank you for all the tips and recipes to get these type of trucks roadworthy

 

Are you really gonna buy one?