Most prized truck related possession?

[Ironhorse]

Hard to say for sure other than the truck itself. Have always wanted a 67-72 4x4 and when this one came up for sale just had to have it. It was really rough shape, rusted and beat up but couldn't resist. Replaced a LOT of sheet metal.
Now after all these years since buying it in '85, have added factory tach, factory tow hooks, factory tilt, true factory truck am/fm. Even with those additions I'd have to say just the truck itself. Love the lines and body style is timeless.

[special-K]

I feel the same way about my '72. I get people offering to buy it and I tell people "I've always had at least one of these and this one's my keeper". So any part on it is included and that N.O.S. steering wheel is always there for it if I want to use it. I have other things set aside for it waiting for their day... probably once it's restored. If I decide I want a Fenderside, I'll switch beds. If I decide I want pure stock, I'll change it to that. If I want it lookin' tough and equipped for anything I'll put a winch and bumper on it. If I want a different color I'll paint it. I see it as my last 67-72 3/4t 4wd... unless I hit the lottery!

[hooverfish]

I like my nos license plate frame I found on ebay, from an old dealership in downtown Louisville.

The license plate is a repop but I like it too !

V. V. Cooke was the 'high performance' dealership when I was a teenager in the mid sixties. Couple of guys from my high school had new corvettes and would take them there (2 hour drive) to get their tune-ups.
One fellow was headed to Louisville in his fuelie one day and hit a bridge abutment in the center of the interstate (not surrounded by guard rail back then). Never knew how fast he was going but the newspaper documented the engine block traveled 300 yards after separating from the car. Driver got a memorial book case in the school library with his name on it. Different times back then.

[Coley]

...hmm, I'm not 100% sure but I would have to initially guess at finding my intact factory build sheet behind the gas tank cardboard dust cover...that and both the original dealer license plate frames in California.

Apart from that....I'll have to give it more thought, lol.

Coley

[CG]

Originally Posted by special-K

I feel the same way about my '72. I get people offering to buy it and I tell people "I've always had at least one of these and this one's my keeper". So any part on it is included and that N.O.S. steering wheel is always there for it if I want to use it. I have other things set aside for it waiting for their day... probably once it's restored. If I decide I want a Fenderside, I'll switch beds. If I decide I want pure stock, I'll change it to that. If I want it lookin' tough and equipped for anything I'll put a winch and bumper on it. If I want a different color I'll paint it. I see it as my last 67-72 3/4t 4wd... unless I hit the lottery!

I’m at a weird point in my life and I would happily sell any and all of my trucks if a semi decent offer was made. Contemplating one on my C30 right now, it wasn’t even for sale.

But I will always keep my keep on truckn license plate frame and my foot gas pedal

[StingRay]

For me probably the two sets of buddy buckets I've scrounged up and the virtually perfect near NOS black 72 deluxe door panels I got from Hugger CST many years ago after the "NOS" set I got off eBay turned out to be used junk.

[michael bustamante]

Originally Posted by Jason Banks

What is this 67 Only Tach you speak of?

well the gauges themselves aren't one year only but the fascia is. 67 is the only year that the wipers say "wiper" and not wiper/washer" and I think im learning that the silver border with the textured middle is a 67-68 only deal also but im not sure on this

[michael bustamante]

Originally Posted by Coley

...hmm, I'm not 100% sure but I would have to initially guess at finding my intact factory build sheet behind the gas tank cardboard dust cover...that and both the original dealer license plate frames in California.

Apart from that....I'll have to give it more thought, lol.

Coley

oh yeah I forgot about this, this is one of my favs too. my sheet was still completely in tact and it shows the dealer it was sent to new was in the small town of "Tacos New Mexico"!!
it should have read "Taos"

[special-K]

I have a Keep On Truckin' plate frame, too. Bought it new and have taken it off each truck it was on when it sold. On my '72 the top of the plate slips up behind the tailgate. Can barely see the stickers and no room for a frame.

Yep, that '72 is this cowpoke's pony. I'm going to ride 'er off into the sunset of my life. As things are now I would never be able to replace it if I let it go and I can't imagine life w/o a 3/4t 4wd 67-72

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by special-K

I have a Keep On Truckin' plate frame, too. Bought it new and have taken it off each truck it was on when it sold. On my '72 the top of the plate slips up behind the tailgate. Can barely see the stickers and no room for a frame.

Yep, that '72 is this cowpoke's pony. I'm going to ride 'er off into the sunset of my life. As things are now I would never be able to replace it if I let it go and I can't imagine life w/o a 3/4t 4wd 67-72

K, That makes you the Original Mr Natural.

[lintcollector]

Thanks for the responses on this, it's been fun to read the stories behind the parts. I hope to have favorite parts on my build, right now it's anything I don't have to fix/replace.

[CG]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

K, That makes you the Original Mr Natural.

I wonder how many of us actually got this?

And special-KMA Ive got a K truck just sitting beside my shop if you are in need of another =)

[special-K]

...

[flashed]

My most prized thing is not really a thing at all , its the memories of me and my wife cruising around in that old beater truck before it was restored ,She named it Faded Glory because it was somewhat rusty and what paint was left was weathered . And then cruising in it after it was restored til she died . She had me sell her 68 Malibu to have some cash to start restoring my truck . She loved me and my old truck .

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by CG

I wonder how many of us actually got this?

And special-KMA Ive got a K truck just sitting beside my shop if you are in need of another =)

There are probably not many of us left who actually had a driver's license when these trucks first came out. So some exposition is necessary for the younger viewers. R. Crumb, an artist involved with Zap Comix, originally drew the character, Mr Natural in 1968. He coined the thing, "Keep on Truckin' " (originally from a blues song by Blind Boy Fuller [c. 1937] "Truckin' My Blues Away." A reference to the cool way his girlfriend walked down the street.)
Keep On Truckin' got to be a big thing, bigger than Crumb was ready for. Thru a legal loophole, it was found that R. Crumb had not properly copyrighted "Keep On Truckin' " and without need for licensing, the market went wild with Truckin' swag. In 1970, the Grateful Dead cut "Truckin' " about their on tour experiences.
Eventually, Crumb got legal copyrights to his thing back, but then the IRS came after him, for back taxes on royalties he never got.
Crumb was offered $100,000 by Toyota for their Keep on Truckin' ad campaign. He would not sell out.

[dmw319]

when I bought my truck the previous owner took very detailed logs of all maintenance and wrote them down in a small notebook and he kept it up since the early 80s to 2012 when I bought it. that notebook is special!

[MJN]

Probably would have to be the pair of front tow hooks, pair of NOS Spicer K20 hub dials and a NOS K20 front hubcap.

[special-K]

I like Flashed's best.

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

There are probably not many of us left who actually had a driver's license when these trucks first came out. So some exposition is necessary for the younger viewers. R. Crumb,.....

Yep, and Hot Tuna did that song on their first album. Remember that?

https://youtu.be/UWxJOht2yRE

I may have a bigger favorite. Can I have a dozen? I have a cab I bought from Bill's Bowtie in Rose Hill, VA in '05. It's the spare cab for my '72 at this point, although was originally bought for another truck I no longer have. It's the ultimate K/20-K2500 cab, high hump a/c, cab light original paint

[jabborabbo]

Originally Posted by dmw319

when I bought my truck the previous owner took very detailed logs of all maintenance and wrote them down in a small notebook and he kept it up since the early 80s to 2012 when I bought it. that notebook is special!

This ^ also...I bought my ‘67 from the original owner - he kept meticulous maintenance records - he even greased that truck on schedule!

[Willys47]

The Tailgate would be mine, but no one else would want it ecept my son

[weim55]

That's a tough question for sure but I can say I get a bit sentimental every time I put my fingers on this key to twist the ignition. It's the original key to the truck that was always used from day one and somehow never lost by the original owner. Although I have no idea of the actual mileage the son thought it might have been on it's third engine rebuild maybe somewhere in the 400,000-500,000 range. Think of how many times that key has been twisted to start the truck. Absolutely the most worn original key I have ever seen and it still works!
( The ignition switch is so worn an old nail would probably work
While the old truck is a gem in itself something about this key just makes me smile and think of the guy that took such great care of this old girl long ago.....

Steve weim55 Colorado

[special-K]

That is very cool. Has to be the most worn-in key I have ever seen. Wore the chrome right off and then some. I guess the key and ignition have worn into each other. I wonder if it would start any truck or only yours. I know it's not uncommon for one of those keys to fit many. My '63 Riviera was stolen and recovered pretty much unharmed. But the loser tossed my keys. He ran the gas out of it and it had a locking cap. When I picked it up from the State Troopers barrick I brought all the old GM keys I had and one fit the ignition fine. Can't recall what I did about the cap. I think the police helped me out with a locksmith

[projectking]

Originally Posted by special-K

That is very cool. Has to be the most worn-in key I have ever seen. Wore the chrome right off and then some. I guess the key and ignition have worn into each other. I wonder if it would start any truck or only yours. I know it's not uncommon for one of those keys to fit many. My '63 Riviera was stolen and recovered pretty much unharmed. But the loser tossed my keys. He ran the gas out of it and it had a locking cap. When I picked it up from the State Troopers barrick I brought all the old GM keys I had and one fit the ignition fine. Can't recall what I did about the cap. I think the police helped me out with a locksmith

Weim, that sure is cool!!!

My service truck had 2 busted locking caps inside it, one complete with a broken key in it!

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by weim55

That's a tough question for sure but I can say I get a bit sentimental every time I put my fingers on this key to twist the ignition. It's the original key to the truck that was always used from day one and somehow never lost by the original owner. Although I have no idea of the actual mileage the son thought it might have been on it's third engine rebuild maybe somewhere in the 400,000-500,000 range. Think of how many times that key has been twisted to start the truck. Absolutely the most worn original key I have ever seen and it still works!
( The ignition switch is so worn an old nail would probably work
While the old truck is a gem in itself something about this key just makes me smile and think of the guy that took such great care of this old girl long ago.....

Steve weim55 Colorado

Lets see the truck that goes with it!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by CG

I’m at a weird point in my life and I would happily sell any and all of my trucks if a semi decent offer was made. Contemplating one on my C30 right now, it wasn’t even for sale.

I've been through that. I once had 9 trucks running, and more projects sitting. And parts galore. I'm down to the running '72 that needs cosmetic restoration and the '67 stalled project. If I had a few more I'd be willing to sell because it would generate enough money to buy something super nice. I don't know life w/o a 3/4t 4wd 67-72 and don't like anything else more, that I feel I can run around everywhere in (love older 4wds even more actually). So I have what I want and feel I could not afford to replace it. The shortbed I'd like to get done and enjoy, too. I'm content with having the last year nice from factory K2500 Sierra and a first year built to my specs 2wd Shortbed. I used to have everything in between, but more minimalistic these days. I also have other neglected interests I'd like to pursue more while I can. Even with vehicles, I'd like to get into older stuff more. Been so stuck on these 67-72s for so long I have to look back at all the other vehicles I have always wanted. So if there will be other vehicles, they won't be 67-72s... though always a temptation.

On topic, I have an extensive collection of all things 67-72 GM Truck. From literature, to toys/replicas/promos, anything related to them. I'd like to set a room up as a museum with it all. If I ever sold that it would have to be everything for one lump sum, and I don't see that happening. Are there others as sick? (who would pay it's worth?)