Cameo trucks

I have owned a Cameo for 45 years, and want to clear up the window issue. GM built the Cameo, Chevrolet, and the Suburban, for GMC. Almost all the cabs had the big back window, but GM built both trucks with the small window.
I had the chance to buy a GMC Suburban from a recycler back in 1973, and thought he was pissing in my boots because it had the small window cab. I went home and did my research, but when I went back to buy the truck, it had already gone through the crusher! I was so despondent that words can't describe how I felt. I was able to salvage the rear bumper ( with some crush damage ) and that was all. The guy felt so sorry for me that he gave me the parts. If I remember correctly, they made 316 Suburbans, one for every dealer in the US.
Bob

 

In 1967, when I rebuilt my 55 Cameo for the first time, I couldn't get the tailgate latches, but I did own a parts book and found that the Corvair van used the same latch on some models. I ordered them from the GM dealer and found that the latches weren't long enough. I welded a piece onto the latch, and am still using the same units to this day.
Bob

 

Anybody know the fuel pressure to a 57 chevy truck 283 with a holley 600 suppose to be at?

 

I swapped four engines, 283, 327, a 350HP 396, and finally a 454, into my 55 Cameo over the years.
You will find that if you stick with the stock positioning of the engine, you will need to bang the firewall back on the driver's side. The other problem I have had, is that I have had to modify the back two LH header pipes so they hugged the block to clear the steering box.
Another problem was that I had so much torque that the frame would twist and crack the radiator. I don't drive it hard anymore, but I am going to mount the rad so that the frame can twist without stressing the rad.
At one point, I was running a 3/4 ton rear end with 4.57:1 gears and a Hone-O-drive overdrive tranny behind an M21. It used to launch, or make smoke, my choice, and still get good mileage.
Bob

 

I've bee watching this truck for years and finally got a lead on it.. In preparation to making an offer on it I've been trying to figure out what it's worth/what important parts to make the difference between it being complete and not. From what I can see 99% of the important Cameo specific stuff is there (Cameo script on the side of the bed seems to be missing?). Apparently it has run in the past few years, but just around the house.. I'd use the term "runs" loosely. If its a solid as it looks I'm considering saving it and just cleaning it up mechanically, and get it road worthy to enjoy. What is a 57 Cameo in this sort of shape roughly worth? I see prices all over the place and not much recently in "original" condition like this.. so I don't want to get raked over the coals!

Any help from you guys would be appreciated!

 

It's true that there is nothing in the VIN that will show if a truck was originally built as a Cameo. However, Cameos were built in all of the Chevrolet assembly plants, including 55's.

I've read that all of the Cameo truck beds were built in St. Louis, where all Corvettes were built at the time. The beds were then shipped out to the other assembly plants to be installed on the truck chassis.

My 55 Cameo was built in Janesville Wisconsin. The VIN starts with H255J...... The J stands for Janesville. When it was first torn apart for restoration, it was very obvious that it was an original Cameo, since 1955. It was white and red from the factory, and even had the word "ivory" hand written on the underside of the hood.

 

i believe only the suburban cameos had some small back windows...

 

here's mine, this is my 11th and final cameo!! its a 55 out of Palm Springs, ca. it only took me 10 yrs to do! lol

427/ 500 hp, th400, 57 olds rear w/ 3:23 gears, dodge dakota front end, 4 bar rear, pie cut hood(7/8"), rounded door corners, functional cowl induction, 56 suburban cheater tubs, 56 suburban gas tank, vintage american 5 spokes (15x6 and 15x10)

 

Wasn't the "small window" called "sport window"??

 

i understood that all 55's were white with red trim, all 56's were white with red trim or red with white trim , in 57 and 58 they got an assortment of colours.....

 

Finally stumbled on a 1955 that has factory deluxe trim w/small window (this is a GMC). Trim to be factory and not added (1ton truck)

 

I believe a Cameo was the first fleetside truck Chevy built

 

it's a Cameo not a Fleetside.

 

i think mickeyc is speaking in general terms, not specifically to the model "fleetside" released in 58 and he would be correct.

 

I bought a 1955 GMC big window stepside with a 1956 gmc suburban carrier small window that appears to be original and not driven since the late 70's. It confused the heck out of me being a small window gmc suburban carrier instead of a big window and I was working on swapping beds between the trucks, but now after reading this conversation, I am thinking it might be correct as an original small window gmc suburban carrier. What to do? Either way I love this truck(s) but would hate to ruin an original super rare small window suburban if it is truly that. I wish there was a way to confirm it either way, any ideas??? Thanks, Cory in Morgan Hill, CA

 

Here's my Cameo. Anybody notice anything different about the front fenders?

 

there were a lot of small window GMC Suburbans made, probably correct

 

This is what a restored 56 Cameo looks like. This one is rather unique, having both power steering and power brakes from the factory. As well as the 265 V8.

 

55 cameo , originally from Ojai Calif, found in Palm springs,Calif. in 2001.....

truck w lites by 5w32 posted Aug 16, 2010 at 2:26 PM

 

rear shot

 

Love Cameos. Looks like some confusion between 55 and 56. Side chrome was below the fender line on a 55 and above on a 56, the V8 was below the line on a 56. 57 side chrome was the only one to designate 3124 as I remember and had only a V behind it. I had a few 56 big window's but always wanted a Cameo.

 

this is my 11th Cameo,bought my first one in 1975..... all have been 55 or 56, i like the clean lines of those years

 

Good to see some life in this thread again. Great looking Cameos.

I managed to get rid of those wheels from the 80s and made a few other minor changes over the years.

Mike

 

The difference between a Cameo bed and the fleetside is that the fleetside is an all steel box. The Cameo uses the same bed as the stepside box without the fenders and the Cameo sides are made of fiberglass and added on.

 

Here are pictures of my 55 big window short box step side all original (Aside from paint color) Pontiac 288 (156hp) with HMatic and 1956 small window GMC Suburban Carrier Pontiac 317 (180hp) that have me confused. I was going to swap beds but above is again confirmed that the 56 GMC Suburban Carrier (cameo) did sometimes come with a small window, not the big window. Does anyone know how many were built of each, big window versus small window? I can not find more than one suburban carrier picture with a small window on the internet, so not sure about this, it seems to be rare or not real? I am going to build both trucks but started on the 55 as it is real clean with only minor cab corner rust and a bunch of dents... So excited to get the first one done, already have body and drivetrain out, frame blasted and painted, with front end likely done this weekend before starting on the rear end...

 

While it is true Cameo bedsides will fit stepside boxes with some mods,The Cameo inner bedsides have different embossings(beads) in the sides,reliefs cut out out of the end rails for the cables,and many subtle differences.Love the Gentleman's pickup.

 

My truck has a model number on the plate on the cab that says 1324. I can't even find a model 1324, just lots of info on 3124
The past owner found the rust free small window cab in the prairies.
Does anyone know what that is?

 

how about a picture of that plate?

 

@57Len

Take a look here