Info On 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Geno · 04-01-2005, 07:21 PM

Two years ago I purchased a 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special. It's a 2500 3/4 ton longbed with a 6.7 396 V-8 and has power brakes,power steering,air conditioning and 3 gas tanks. I have been able to find nothing as far as how many of these rare trucks were made. There's alot of chevy info on the net,
but very little on this year of GMC trucks. I am looking for original specs info and how many were produced. The only info I've been able to establish is:
In 1968 Chevy celebrated their 50th year truck aniversary with a Custom Camper Special and GMC followed in the latter half of that year with would explain it's rarity and lack of information. I should be able to get my avitar picture up tommorow. Any feed back would greatly be appreciated. Thanks

UPDATE: Well, there she is boys... A 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special V-8 2500 3/4 ton 2WD longbed, and I don't know jack about it! I appreciate all the feedback. As you can see finding accurate and credible info on this babe is very difficult to say the least. Any more knowledge out there is welcome.

P.S Also I just measured the bed and it's 8ft. 3in.

shifty · 04-01-2005, 08:36 PM

Got any pictures of the truck? Pictures of the sticker in the glovebox? There's a good post in the FAQ forum about how to get pictures up in the forum if you need help with that.

krue · 04-01-2005, 08:58 PM

Welcome to the board from South Mississippi! Pics are required!

Rod · 04-01-2005, 09:28 PM

Welcome.

Longhorn Man · 04-01-2005, 09:35 PM

Welcome to the board.
The info you have there on the 50th annv. isn't too acurate. The custom camper package was just an option package on top of any truck. The 50th was a gold and white 2 tone paint, and gold and white int. The truck had to be a Custom model, or a CST.
The GMC had no special that year...they were already older then 50, since GMC was founded in 1903.
Your truck, does it have the added 6 inch extention on the front of the bed? If so, anything refered to as a longhorn is the same animal....well, cousins anyways. For info on that, (if that is indeed what you have) then click on the link in my signiture for my Longhorn Website.
You will not find production numbers for your truck, just estimates. GMC numbers were lost, supposedly in a fire...but I'm sure there are a million stories on that.
Again, asuming you are talking about the 8 1/2 foot long fleet side bed GMC, and it is a 68, then you have the lowest production number of all the years, since it was started in mid production. (march to be exact) If it was a one ton, then it'd be one of even less.
If I am remembering correctly, i think it was one GMC for every 3 chevy trucks....that is the generic rule of thumb on that.
Welcome to the board, you have landed on the best site for these trucks.
Where arte you located...and as said before...pics are required.

(not really, but we dig pics)

68w/sbc406 · 04-01-2005, 09:37 PM

welcome from portland or

**special-K** · 04-02-2005, 08:55 AM

There`s no way of telling a 67-71 Chevy VIN from a GMC.Which,I would think,makes it more difficult to sort these things out.`72s added an extra C to the front of Chevy and a T to GMC VIN.The model & options you have is uncommon,to say the least.

CE20934 · 04-02-2005, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by special-K

There`s no way of telling a 67-71 Chevy VIN from a GMC.Which,I would think,makes it more difficult to sort these things out.`72s added an extra C to the front of Chevy and a T to GMC VIN.The model & options you have is uncommon,to say the least.

Wrong.

1967-71 GMC serial numbers are significantly different than Chevrolet. Let's take two hypothetical 1968 3/4-ton trucks (both V8 & Fleet(Wide)side) built at the Pontiac plant:

1968 Chevrolet C20--CE248Pxxxxxx
1968 GMC 2500--CE2ODPBxxxxx

Let's make this really interesting & do the model numbers of the same trucks:

Chevrolet--CE209348Pxxxxxx
GMC--CE259ODPBxxxxx

**special-K** · 04-02-2005, 02:20 PM

I guess I should have said it`s hard to tell difference,not there`s no way.Most people don`t know all the breakdown of a VIN past the the first three digits.The info`s out there,just not common knowledge.But,thanks for straightening me out.The main thing is,these numbers can`t help give production figures w/o an archive anyway.

Geno · 04-03-2005, 01:06 PM

I'm working on a better picture because I had to shrink this one down considerably. Now.. Are there any other owners of this truck besides me. I've seen one since I owned it at route 66. How many of this made and model were produced. Why does this truck seem to be so undocumented?

Longhorn Man · 04-03-2005, 03:45 PM

Is your custom camper the extended bed, or just a simple option package? Both were marked the same on a GMC.

Geno · 04-03-2005, 11:02 PM

It measures 8ft 3in.

Longhorn Man · 04-03-2005, 11:15 PM

is the option sheet still on the glove box door?
If so, what does it say for wheelbase?

Geno · 04-04-2005, 10:37 PM

The truck has a bed measurement (taken from the outer lips) of 8ft. 3in and inside of 8ft. 0in., so I believe it's a standard long bed. It says CUSTOM CAMPER right by the door handles. It says 2500 V-EIGHT located near the rear of the front quarter panels. It has one fuel tank sits behind the cab's BENCH SEAT and two squared rectangle saddle tanks underneath one on the driver's side and one on the passenger's side. It power brakes, power-steering, along with air-conditioning. A 6.7 liter/396 big-block ( which I found out by replacing the starter the engine is CHEVY ). A turbo 400 3 speed auto-transmission.

SO ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO OR HOW I CAN GET SOME ON A 1968 GMC CUSTOM CAMPER 2500 LONGBED PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS DIFFICULT RESEARCH. THANKS .

Geno · 04-04-2005, 10:42 PM

The truck has a bed measurement (taken from the outer lips) of 8ft. 3in and inside of 8ft. 0in., so I believe it's a standard long bed. It says CUSTOM CAMPER right by the door handles. It says 2500 V-EIGHT located near the rear of the front quarter panels. It has one fuel tank sits behind the cab's BENCH SEAT and two squared rectangle saddle tanks underneath one on the driver's side and one on the passenger's side. It power brakes, power-steering, along with air-conditioning. A 6.7 liter/396 big-block ( which I found out by replacing the starter the engine is CHEVY ). A turbo 400 3 speed auto-transmission.

SO ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO OR HOW I CAN GET SOME ON A 1968 GMC CUSTOM CAMPER 2500 LONGBED PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS DIFFICULT RESEARCH. THANKS .

Longhorn Man · 04-04-2005, 10:49 PM

All a custom camper option package is springs, HD tires, and a sway bar..that's it.

This is chevy paperwork, but GMC is pretty much the same.

Longhorn Man · 04-04-2005, 10:51 PM

Also, the only GMC engines installed were the 305 v-6 and the 351 v-6....ALL the other engines were chevy

Geno · 04-04-2005, 10:59 PM

Thanks bro, but an option package or not why is the GMC info so hard to find
(NOTE: although I apperciate the document it still CHEVY paper work. Pretty much the same but yet harder to come by. Don't get me wrong..To me the truck is invaluable and the less 68 GMC's I see the more unquie driving it is.

Geno · 04-07-2005, 10:25 PM

ANYBODY ?? I am looking for some spec info and the number of how many GMC CUSTOM CAMPERS were produced in 1968.
Out of nearly 400,000 post in this section someone must know something?
And thanks to the guys who have already posted some info..and LONGHORN.

Longhorn Man · 04-07-2005, 10:31 PM

THere are a few stories. of floods, or fires or what ever, but the records were suposedly lost for GMC.
Even if they weren't lost, since you have the option package of custom camper...and not the custom camper model (longhorn) then there would be no real break down on the production numbers sionce they never kept track of option packages.

Geno · 04-07-2005, 10:41 PM

So does this make it a little more rare? Can you make me a list of questions like wheel base measurements or what ever you need to help me figure out exacly what is is I'm driving ? Thanks bro.

Longhorn Man · 04-08-2005, 07:31 PM

after rereading one of your responces, I already figured it out.
The inside measurement of your bed is 8 feet. I missed that when i read the outer measurement which i didn't recognise, i am usd to dealing with inner dimentions...6 1/2 feet for short wheel base, 8 foot for lon whel base, and 8 1/2 feet for longhorns. (then there is also the 9 foot stepside one ton too)
The 8 foot dimentions you posted means it is a LWB 3/4 ton truck, and the custom camper name plate indicates the option package I mentioned in the previous reply.

04-01-2005, 07:21 PM	#1
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	Info On 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special Two years ago I purchased a 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special. It's a 2500 3/4 ton longbed with a 6.7 396 V-8 and has power brakes,power steering,air conditioning and 3 gas tanks. I have been able to find nothing as far as how many of these rare trucks were made. There's alot of chevy info on the net, but very little on this year of GMC trucks. I am looking for original specs info and how many were produced. The only info I've been able to establish is: In 1968 Chevy celebrated their 50th year truck aniversary with a Custom Camper Special and GMC followed in the latter half of that year with would explain it's rarity and lack of information. I should be able to get my avitar picture up tommorow. Any feed back would greatly be appreciated. Thanks UPDATE: Well, there she is boys... A 1968 GMC Custom Camper Special V-8 2500 3/4 ton 2WD longbed, and I don't know jack about it! I appreciate all the feedback. As you can see finding accurate and credible info on this babe is very difficult to say the least. Any more knowledge out there is welcome. P.S Also I just measured the bed and it's 8ft. 3in. Last edited by Geno; 04-03-2005 at 12:57 PM. Reason: avatar up

04-01-2005, 08:36 PM	#2
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,376	Got any pictures of the truck? Pictures of the sticker in the glovebox? There's a good post in the FAQ forum about how to get pictures up in the forum if you need help with that. __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

04-01-2005, 08:58 PM	#3
krue Designated A-hole! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 36,450	Welcome to the board from South Mississippi! Pics are required! __________________ "If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is!" Being stupid ain't illegal. We're Still Debt Free Except for the House!!! www.daveramsey.com 70 GMC SWB Stepside project "Green Booger" soon to be 6.0l/4l80e 93 S-10 "Poppaw's Truck"

04-01-2005, 09:28 PM	#4
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Welcome. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

04-01-2005, 09:37 PM	#6
68w/sbc406 Got Light Emitting Diode? Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newberg, OR Posts: 2,485	welcome from portland or __________________ 1968 1/2 ton 2wd lwb 6 lug disc and bags up front. Next c notch and rear bags '02 Chevy Silverado LT ext cab short bed 2WD 5/7 drop on 22's(the family car) 1993 Cherokee work ride/weekend wheeler

04-01-2005, 09:35 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Welcome to the board. The info you have there on the 50th annv. isn't too acurate. The custom camper package was just an option package on top of any truck. The 50th was a gold and white 2 tone paint, and gold and white int. The truck had to be a Custom model, or a CST. The GMC had no special that year...they were already older then 50, since GMC was founded in 1903. Your truck, does it have the added 6 inch extention on the front of the bed? If so, anything refered to as a longhorn is the same animal....well, cousins anyways. For info on that, (if that is indeed what you have) then click on the link in my signiture for my Longhorn Website. You will not find production numbers for your truck, just estimates. GMC numbers were lost, supposedly in a fire...but I'm sure there are a million stories on that. Again, asuming you are talking about the 8 1/2 foot long fleet side bed GMC, and it is a 68, then you have the lowest production number of all the years, since it was started in mid production. (march to be exact) If it was a one ton, then it'd be one of even less. If I am remembering correctly, i think it was one GMC for every 3 chevy trucks....that is the generic rule of thumb on that. Welcome to the board, you have landed on the best site for these trucks. Where arte you located...and as said before...pics are required. (not really, but we dig pics)

04-02-2005, 08:55 AM	#7
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,863	There`s no way of telling a 67-71 Chevy VIN from a GMC.Which,I would think,makes it more difficult to sort these things out.`72s added an extra C to the front of Chevy and a T to GMC VIN.The model & options you have is uncommon,to say the least. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-02-2005, 02:20 PM	#9
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,863	I guess I should have said it`s hard to tell difference,not there`s no way.Most people don`t know all the breakdown of a VIN past the the first three digits.The info`s out there,just not common knowledge.But,thanks for straightening me out.The main thing is,these numbers can`t help give production figures w/o an archive anyway. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-03-2005, 01:06 PM	#10
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	well.. I'm working on a better picture because I had to shrink this one down considerably. Now.. Are there any other owners of this truck besides me. I've seen one since I owned it at route 66. How many of this made and model were produced. Why does this truck seem to be so undocumented?

04-03-2005, 03:45 PM	#11
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Is your custom camper the extended bed, or just a simple option package? Both were marked the same on a GMC.

04-03-2005, 11:02 PM	#12
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	..... It measures 8ft 3in.

04-03-2005, 11:15 PM	#13
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	is the option sheet still on the glove box door? If so, what does it say for wheelbase?

04-04-2005, 10:37 PM	#14
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	Geno's thread The truck has a bed measurement (taken from the outer lips) of 8ft. 3in and inside of 8ft. 0in., so I believe it's a standard long bed. It says CUSTOM CAMPER right by the door handles. It says 2500 V-EIGHT located near the rear of the front quarter panels. It has one fuel tank sits behind the cab's BENCH SEAT and two squared rectangle saddle tanks underneath one on the driver's side and one on the passenger's side. It power brakes, power-steering, along with air-conditioning. A 6.7 liter/396 big-block ( which I found out by replacing the starter the engine is CHEVY ). A turbo 400 3 speed auto-transmission. SO ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO OR HOW I CAN GET SOME ON A 1968 GMC CUSTOM CAMPER 2500 LONGBED PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS DIFFICULT RESEARCH. THANKS .

04-04-2005, 10:42 PM	#15
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	Geno's thread The truck has a bed measurement (taken from the outer lips) of 8ft. 3in and inside of 8ft. 0in., so I believe it's a standard long bed. It says CUSTOM CAMPER right by the door handles. It says 2500 V-EIGHT located near the rear of the front quarter panels. It has one fuel tank sits behind the cab's BENCH SEAT and two squared rectangle saddle tanks underneath one on the driver's side and one on the passenger's side. It power brakes, power-steering, along with air-conditioning. A 6.7 liter/396 big-block ( which I found out by replacing the starter the engine is CHEVY ). A turbo 400 3 speed auto-transmission. SO ANYBODY WITH ANY INFO OR HOW I CAN GET SOME ON A 1968 GMC CUSTOM CAMPER 2500 LONGBED PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS DIFFICULT RESEARCH. THANKS .

04-04-2005, 10:49 PM	#16
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	All a custom camper option package is springs, HD tires, and a sway bar..that's it. This is chevy paperwork, but GMC is pretty much the same.



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04-04-2005, 10:51 PM	#17
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Also, the only GMC engines installed were the 305 v-6 and the 351 v-6....ALL the other engines were chevy

04-04-2005, 10:59 PM	#18
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	thanks.. Thanks bro, but an option package or not why is the GMC info so hard to find (NOTE: although I apperciate the document it still CHEVY paper work. Pretty much the same but yet harder to come by. Don't get me wrong..To me the truck is invaluable and the less 68 GMC's I see the more unquie driving it is.

04-07-2005, 10:25 PM	#19
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	anybody ?? ANYBODY ?? I am looking for some spec info and the number of how many GMC CUSTOM CAMPERS were produced in 1968. Out of nearly 400,000 post in this section someone must know something? And thanks to the guys who have already posted some info..and LONGHORN.

04-07-2005, 10:31 PM	#20
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	THere are a few stories. of floods, or fires or what ever, but the records were suposedly lost for GMC. Even if they weren't lost, since you have the option package of custom camper...and not the custom camper model (longhorn) then there would be no real break down on the production numbers sionce they never kept track of option packages.

04-07-2005, 10:41 PM	#21
Geno Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Bernardino, CA Posts: 57	ok So does this make it a little more rare? Can you make me a list of questions like wheel base measurements or what ever you need to help me figure out exacly what is is I'm driving ? Thanks bro.

04-08-2005, 07:31 PM	#22
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	after rereading one of your responces, I already figured it out. The inside measurement of your bed is 8 feet. I missed that when i read the outer measurement which i didn't recognise, i am usd to dealing with inner dimentions...6 1/2 feet for short wheel base, 8 foot for lon whel base, and 8 1/2 feet for longhorns. (then there is also the 9 foot stepside one ton too) The 8 foot dimentions you posted means it is a LWB 3/4 ton truck, and the custom camper name plate indicates the option package I mentioned in the previous reply.

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