1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

What do you remember of the 1966 to 1981 Chevrolet H/J series 93" BBC conventional cabs?

(1966 Series HV70 with Detroit Diesel 6V-53N engine)

(1978-81 Bruin Series HY80 with Cat 3208 engine)

(1978-81 Bruin Series JJ90 with Detroit Diesel 6V-92TA engine - it's the light blue truck)

HOW TO IDENTIFY AN H/J SERIES

1966-1968 = Red Chevy bow tie logo on hood, C-H-E-V-R-O-L-E-T lettering on grille just below. Tonnage series emblem (70 for diesel models and 80 for gas models) is on front fender right next to the cab door.

1969-1972 = Blue Chevy bow tie logo on hood, same lettering style for grille as '66-'68. With the 1970 addition of the Series 90 (and related engines, including the Detroit Diesel 6-71 and 8V71), some models with the tilt-open hood had a different grille. Tonnage series badge (70/80/90), with the same blue Chevy bow tie and red background where tonnage series number is, is slightly re-located.

1973-1981 (except Bruin) = Gold Chevy bow tie on hood, same lettering style for grille on models with butterfly hood as '66-'68, and same grille on models with tilt-open hood as '70-'72. Same tonnage series emblem placement as '69-'72.

1978-1981 Bruin = Newer gold Chevy bow tie on hood, and grille below (on tilt-open hood models) loses the C-H-E-V-R-O-L-E-T lettering. Bruin emblem is on front fenders, and the Chevrolet 80/90 Diesel emblem is on cab door.

Starting in mid-1979, series designations were streamlined. All models in series 70/80 become J80s regardless of axle setup, and the same went for all series 90s that became J90s. So, how would one designate a tandem-axle series J90 internally in regards to the '79-'81 Bruins?

ENGINES
GMC 401 V-6 = used on gasoline Series 80 models with engine code "?" (1966-74)
GMC 478 V-6 = used on gasoline Series 80 models with engine code "?" (1966-74)
Chevy 427 V-8 = used on gasoline Series 80 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "?" (1975-81)
Detroit Diesel 6V-53N = used on diesel Series 70/80 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "V" (1966-81)
Detroit Diesel 6-71N = used on diesel Series 90 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "I" (1970-81)
Detroit Diesel 6V-92T/TA/TT/TTA = used on diesel Series 90 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "J" (1976-81)
Detroit Diesel 8V-71N = used on diesel Series 90 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "H" (1970-81)
Chevy Toro-Flow DH-478 = used on diesel Series 70 models with engine code "M" (1966-72)
Chevy Toro-Flow D-637, DH-637 = used on diesel Series 70/90 models (the latter with 93" BBC only) with engine code "J" (1966-72)
Cat 3208 = used on diesel Series 70/80 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "Y" (1975-81)
Cummins N series (NH-230, NTC-290, NTC-350, et al) = used on diesel Series 90 models (incl. Bruin) with engine code "N" (1970-81)
Cummins V-903, VT-903 = used on diesel Series 90 models (116" BBC only) with engine code "?" (1970-76)

Please feel free to reply with any additions or corrections.

Thank you,



Ben Edge

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

That's good info. I still see these trucks running from time to time. I see them at shes,too. Here are a few from a show a while ago. Fred Craig,the owner of the black truck was a great guy. A true GMC truck/Detroit Diesel fan as well. He passed away a couple years ago and his son sold some of his collection. I'm not sure if this one was sold or not. I'd love to have it!

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Take a ride in a 9500,the truck on the left in the second picture above. First,up VA211 out of Sperryville into Shenandoah National Forest to under the Skyline Drive bridge. Next,back down the west side towards Luray. The third is just what it takes to shift that 8v-71 powered 13spd Jimmy.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Good post. I used to own a '67 GMC 7500 with a 6V-53 very much like the one in the first video that you have posted and I used to drive a '71 GMC 9500 Tandem for a company.

Also check out the '67-72 C/K/T-40's-90's!' post we have going on here as well as the Tow Trucks/Rollbacks/Hauler Pics post.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

One I see that is missing from the list is a 637 V-8 Gas. They put them in GMC 9500's anyway, not real sure about Chevys.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Whole lot of good stuff here...

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Here's another quick clip:

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

This is a 1966 chevrolet series 70 with a gmc 401 v6 that my rents construction company used untill it was scrapped last year it was originally orderd and used by Nebraska Public Power District why was it ordered with a gmc engine and why were some availble with a gmc v6 i dunno?

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

My way of understanding it was that in the earlier years of '60 to '66, Chevys got Straight 6's and GMCs got V-6's. When the new style was introduced GM probably figured that the limited Chevy 292 was not as good as a choice as the more powerful, larger cubed 351, 401 and 478 V-6. This way the customer still got a "6", but a more suited one. Plus they all are basically the same truck, built by the same company. I liked it better that you could get, or more get something that one brand had and the other didn't.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Even though I have this one posted in another thread, it seems only fitting to add it on here as well:


Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970S-1980S-...-/291077707525

Does anyone remember this off of a Chevrolet Series 90 diesel? Supposedly this variation was made when they were still making gas-powered Series 90s.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Appears to be a 66/67 badge. Very very cool!

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

The red 4 by in the semis thread is a 70 series with the diesel badge, as does the long nose Chevy I posted....(ibthink) wish I was not on my phone I could link them here.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Post # 452 in the semi's thread is a 90 series with the red diesel badge.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

I would have to check some of my books to be sure, but I don't believe they offered many Gas Engines in the 90 Series trucks. If it followed the pattern of GMC, there would be the 637 V-8 Gas for sure. I believe they just mostly wanted to "brag" about the word "Diesel" more than anything. It's pretty good advertising.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

I'd believe that since the 6V92T and 6V92TT diesel engines were only introduced for the Chevy and GMC H/J series 90 conventionals in 1977, that makes only one year before they were tagged as Bruins and Brigadiers respectively.

Does anyone own a pre-Bruin Chevrolet J90 conventional with the Detroit 6V92T engine?

~Ben

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

This being a '78 model, this example would be known as a Brigadier.

~Ben

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

The 637 gas V-8 did show up in some Chevy 90 series trucks from '70 to '72. I remember that 'Diesel 90' badge on some Chevy J series trucks well into the 70's.

As far as engine codes go, 'S' was Chevy straight 6, 'M' was GMC V-6, 'G' was Toroflow V-6, 'E' was Chevy V-8 or 637, and 'J' was Toroflow V-8.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

My '70 MH 90 had the side hood badges as shown , and a small bowtie on the hood steel section above the grille .

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Were there any (pre-1978) short-hood (93" BBC) Series 90 conventionals that used the Detroit Diesel 8V71N and 6V92TT engines -- those that used the tilting hood?

~Ben

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

The Brigadier had a different Front Clip with the large square Grille. Now either the truck in the video was mis-labeled and it's really an earlier model or possibly some early '78's got the old style Clip. One guy did tell me once that '78 was a "split year" but I never proved that to be true or not.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

I'd have to get my book out to be sure, but I would say that there were plenty of 8V-71's in the short hood Chevys. Not real sure about the 92's.

Bill

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c34LvE2AXJc

Did anyone get a chance to buy one of the last Bruins ever built, this 1980 model JV80 (4x2) with a Detroit Diesel 6V53T engine (boosted to 300 hp from the factory 225 hp) and Allison MTB654CR automatic transmission?

~Ben

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

What is confusing is that the old H/J steel 'butterfly' hood and fenders were an option through 1980. Those trucks were Brigadiers but looked like the older model.

Re: 1966-81 Chevy H/J Series
 

Bob,

I have known it to be that the old 9500's became Brigadiers, but the 7500's still looked like the old style. But could you actually get the old style look as an option?

Bill