72 GMC Sierra K2500 - New Project

[scgmc72]

Just wanted to share my new project with everyone. 1972 GMC K2500 SWB 396 BBC. It is on the transport truck headed to me now. I am going to date code the 396 when it gets here because the seller said he thought it was out of a '69 Chevelle. Any thoughts, advice, or suggestions would be appreciated.

[DarkFlounder]

Just out of curiosity, can you post a pick of your SPID when you get it? Curious to see what other 72 K2500 Sierras got as options.

Beaut of a truck ya got there. Planning on painting mine white as well.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by DarkFlounder

Just out of curiosity, can you post a pick of your SPID when you get it? Curious to see what other 72 K2500 Sierras got as options.

Beaut of a truck ya got there. Planning on painting mine white as well.

Welcome to the K/20/2500 club! That a very nice four eye you've got there!

[cooperhw]

Nice new truck you got there.

My best advice would be to drive it and enjoy it for a while before (if) you tear it to pieces to make it perfect. Looks like a dandy to me.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Cool truck!

If you're on facespace we have a rather large GM truck club in upstate SC. We just had our fall picnic. I think over 100 people attended with +/-80 trucks. We're centered around Greenville, but try to hold events from Anderson to Spartanburg. You're a little ways away, but not crazy far.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/UpstateGMtrucks/

[FlameOut]

That's a nice looking truck! Always like the looks of the GMC's Only thing I'd do is add some mirrors and drive it

On another note, and I may be and probably am completely wrong, but I thought as far as the Chevy goes, you couldn't get a 3/4 ton in a swb. How many of these SWB GMC K2500's were built? When I was looking, I wanted a K20/K2500 SWB but could never find one, so settled for the K10. I do like your truck though

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by FlameOut

That's a nice looking truck! Always like the looks of the GMC's Only thing I'd do is add some mirrors and drive it

On another note, and I may be and probably am completely wrong, but I thought as far as the Chevy goes, you couldn't get a 3/4 ton in a swb. How many of these SWB GMC K2500's were built? When I was looking, I wanted a K20/K2500 SWB but could never find one, so settled for the K10. I do like your truck though

That's correct. No SWB 3/4 or 1 ton trucks from GM. I can't tell from the pics if it's actually a long or shortbed. It's always so deceiving without a step or fleet bed on there.

[leddzepp]

That truck was on CL here in So Cal for a long time. Glad someone bought it.

[scgmc72]

Thanks all for the replies. I will do my best to gather the info for you as soon as it gets here...& I'll check out the SC GMC Club. I'm fine with it whether it is a SWB or LWB. I also can't tell from the pics without the stock bed on it.

[57taskforce]

It looks like a long bed to me.

[Krex]

Subscribed

[scgmc72]

Does anyone know if there is a way to determine the original info on the truck by the VIN#?

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by scgmc72

Does anyone know if there is a way to determine the original info on the truck by the VIN#?

http://outintheshop.com/vin_decode.html

[scgmc72]

Here is the VIN#: TKE142Z515649

Would this be a K1500 or K2500?

[scgmc72]

Huh....Looks like this isn't a k2500 after all. It's a 1/2 ton. Would that help or hurt the value? Thanks again for the help!

[LukeandI]

It has the 8 bolt axles, so someone may have put a 1/2 ton cab on a 3/4 or 1 ton frame with the correct running gear( OK),or, a heavier set of axles / springs on a 1/2 ton frame and cab.(Not as OK) Either way it doesn't help the value. Most guys buy the heavier truck for hauling or packing, and expect it to be heavy duty. You will know soon enough when you see the frame and difs. More knowledgeable guys on here can help you identify the frame/difs. Cheers

[scgmc72]

This is what I was told by the Seller when I questioned him about the truck today: "It's a 3/4 ton with a short bed. The VIN# is for the cab, the Chassis is from a different vehicle b/c it's a 4wd and the VIN# for the cab is for a 2wd (w/ a 350)." This is why he said it was listed as a "Custom Vehicle". Sounds like a Frankenstein! I'm going to need one of you guys to help me figure out what in the world I purchased.

[Krex]

Check for a frame marking near the power steering box and send us some photos of the frame. Also measure the frame under the bed and the wheel base

[67ChevyRedneck]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=570059

The cab vin Decodes as a GMC, 4x4, V-8 Gas, half ton, Pickup, 1972, Fremont, CA plant.

You need the glovebox SPID to determine if it was originally a long or shortbed, the VIN does not designate that.

So, the cab was originally a 4x4 1/2 ton. Maybe he's wrong and just the axles were swapped.

It's also a "pickup" instead of "cab and chassis" so that cab would have originally had a regular pickup bed.

And once again, GM never made a 67-72 3/4 ton short bed. Ever.

Production Numbers:

http://outintheshop.com/prodnum.html

As long as all of the work was done right, I wouldn't worry about it. Has it arrived yet?

[57taskforce]

As far as frames and axles go: gm only made 3 4x4 frames for these trucks:Blazer,shortbed,longbed. There is no difference in half or 3/4 longbed frames. The differences for those two are in the the springs and axles. The long bed frame is a bit beefier than the blazer and shortbed frame. If it is indeed a shorty you need to figure out if it's a long bed chopped down or a true shorty frame. If it's a chopped longbed, as long as the welds and prep/finish work (frame notch, and fishplate) are satisfactory I'd drive the wheels off of it and never look back. What axles are under it? D44 would be a stock front axle with a Dana 60 or Eaton ho52 being stock rear for a 3/4 ton and a cooperate 12 bolt would be stock 1/2 ton.

[scgmc72]

Transport company just called. It is supposed to be here tomorrow evening. My gut feeling is that it's the 1/2 ton 4x4 (hopefully shorty), but the axles are throwing me for a loop. If it's 3/4 ton with a 1/2 ton cab that would make sense...but in that case it sounds like 1 of 2 things. It's either a LWB or it's been chopped on. We'll see shortly!
Thanks again for the knowledge & advice.

[LukeandI]

Either way it works out, it is a great looking truck. With those axles and flat bed you are good to go to work. I put a yard of gravel in our K10 with short box and it barely dropped the ass end down..it was a smooth ride home for a change :-)

[scgmc72]

OK. Truck is here. It's in a little rougher shape than I thought, but it's here.
It is a SWB. The Frame does not appear to have been modified.

It does have the 3/4 ton 8-Lug Axles. The body doesn't appear to have been original to this frame.

Looks like the cab may be from a 4x4 LWB 1/2 ton that came with a stock 350.

I've included the pics of what I could find spec wise...but I am still trying to find where in the world the code is on the engine block so we can see what it came out of.

[scgmc72]

Sorry....here's the full SPID

[DeadheadNM]

June 1972 - late into the model year. Looks nicely optioned. Does the frame VIN not match the cab?