Glad to see you up and moving about and getting back engaged. We have missed you and can’t wait to see you back out doing what you love and spreading knowledge again!
Another video, another day closer to seeing you back at the yard. For now, we'll have to suffice with these re-runs. As was said last time: SPID stands for "Service Parts ID" (IDentification). Yup, the GMC trucks of this vintage were unique creatures. That's "West Coast" mirror where you stumbled a bit on the RPO description. I think SR might mean "Senior" type mirror. Notice the style of the RPO codes. Later on, the extra digits would be dropped. So, C41002 would eventually be shortened to "C41" which is still the style of RPO codes GM uses today. Another thing of note is that this has "Special" paint so it may have been a fleet color or some sort of unique paint code not on the standard paint chart. Ford does this today and it's called "DSO paint" (District Special Order). A lot of those paint codes would start with "W" on a Ford versus their normal two digit paint codes. You have to order a small group of say five trucks to get "special paint" from them. Correct, the 305 V6 was used through the 1974 model year and then it was dropped. Correct, also front bumpers are extended for various applications that are installed up front (fire and rescue for hose bed bumpers, PTO installations, winches, capstans, etc.). GM knew that these trucks would be used for various vocations and that's why they offered various "upfit" options to make it easier. That still holds true today. No, 21,000# is a little more than 10 tons (2,000 # per ton), but that's not the payload capacity. That's the total "bank" of weight that you have in the rear. Any weight of the components (axles, springs, etc.) all takes away from that "bank". The total bank minus the curb weight is the payload capacity. The vehicle can never weight more than the GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) or the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), or it is overloaded. The springs could be rated at 21K, but if the tires, axles and all other components are rated less, the decal on the door jamb for the GAWR and GVWR is rated at the lowest rated component or the "weakest link in the chain". I have caught many mistakes over the years by both OEMs and upfitters where they make errors on these ratings. I recently caught an issue on some Ford F-550 chassis whereby the vendor made an error and forgot to order them with the "68M" Payload upgrade package. When you do that, you get an 18K GVWR, not a 19.5K GVWR which is the maximum that you can get for an F-550. Hard to read the VIN on the SPID, so without the full VIN, we can't win, but the "M" denotes gasoline V6, 57 is the general model/wheelbase of the truck (this one is 191" according to the SPID), 0V for cab and chassis, possible B for Baltimore, MD assembly (hard to see and it ran off the label when it was originally printed), C for 1967 model year, and the rest is the production sequence. The Baltimore, MD plant operated from 1935 to 2005 and the Astro and Safari were the last vehicles assembled there before it closed.
That's right!! We are here for Steve!! He is the encyclopedia Britainca of cars!! Get better and we know that when your ready you will have more of a great thing again!!
Promise us all that you’ll start wearing gloves when you get back out in the yards! (a mask when crawling in and out of interiors, too) Hope you’re feeling much better soon
I had a 60 GMC school bus with the 305 V6 and 5 spd. That thing had a lot of power and had an outrageous top speed for a school bus. More than once I had it well in excess of 90 mph.
I'm so glad for you Steve Magnante that you are pulling through your illness. Thank God and GOD BLESS YOU and your family, sir! Stay healthy and happy.
My buddy had an old GMC school bus with a V6 converted into an infield bus to take to NASCAR races. Fully decked out with a platform on the roof and all the gear it wasn't getting to Michigan international speedway very fast. He later replaced it with a 1972 International bus with a 348, I believe, V8.
From one masshole to another, I pray for your quick recovery. I had a 64 8 ton GMC dump with a 401 V6 it loved rpm and topped off at about 50 miles an hour downhill with a tail wind. Had a 5 speed with a split. ✌️🇺🇲
V6's aren't just for Chevy Citations. Then a Citation is immediately visible in the background. Pure comedy gold! The Cohen Brothers couldn't have done that better.
Steve I'm glad to see that You're doing better I really love the junkyard crawl and the wealth of knowledge you have on those classics is amazing but most importantly we all are wishing you a full recovery
We grew up in my dad's 6400 351 V6 tandem axled grain truck. It also had a stock rack for hauling cattle. 25 plus years of service with very little trouble. Btw the two speed axles on these trucks was engine vacuum operated. This required an additional tank as a reservoir to operate it. Simple strong and very reliable.
I drove a 5 ton, 12 foot dump with the 305 for a couple of years. The engine and truck were bulletproof. Unfortunately, the 5 speed tyranny wasn't immune to owner neglect. I told him I needed 5 minutes and 2 bucks to put some gear oil in it. He insisted waiting until tomorrow. Tomorrow was the last day that truck drove. What a shame. It had a lot of years left, with the right owner
Hey great video Steve. Glad to see you are recovering. Hope you ar back in full action soon. How about covering the FORD N Series trucks made from 1963 to 1969. They were about 2 ft shorter than a F series heavy truck but longer than a cab over. They were replaced in 1970 by the Loiusville L series My father and my uncle bought one N600 3 ton each in the summer of 1969 for farm grain trucks. I just purchased my fathers 1969 N600 back from a neighbouring farmer who bought it at our farm auction in April 1979. It is still licenced, runs and is still in pretty decent shape for a 55 yr old truck. Very similar specs to the GMC in the video. I intend to turn the floor of the grain box into a tiltable car hauler deck with a winch to haul the 69 F100 we purchased at the same time that I still drive.
Hey Steve! Glad to see you back! Hopefully you'll be back to 100% soon! Good lord, 702ci V6! That's crazy! I bet the pistons are the size of dinner plates. Anyways, I'm glad you're getting better.
Thanks again for the content Steve as well as the memories. Back in the 70's I worked as a truck technician for a beer & wine distributor in Southeastern MA. We had a bunch of GMC 7500's and 9500's in the fleet and some had the 401 & 478 V6 engines. They were rugged and reliable workhorses. Always went out way overloaded but got the job done. Take care and get well soon.
I own one of those, I use it for delivering lumber to my business. The spark plugs like to attract gunk and the 305 doesn't have enough power but its super reliable.
When I worked at Pepsi in the early 70's, we had a ton of these as route trucks. 305V6. Inside the so called glove box was the fuse block on the left side. Surprisingly they had a lot of torque.
I had a 73 c50 Chevy with a 292 straight 6 that look like that truck but it had a normal pickup truck style hood another note is that you notice that says 305C they had different 305 v6s I had a pickup truck with a 305e
Glad to see you back, Steve. Do you think the encephalitis was caused by, or aggravated by the various bugs and such in some of the cars you crawled around in the junkyard? I've had at least one old car that had been inhabited by dogs, pigs, etc, and they were pretty nasty.
