Inliners International Forums General Discussion Truck Talk 60-66 trucks (giving up on modern GM)

It's occured to me that I've given too much money to GM and really not happy with what I'm driving. (2003 Silverado - 4.8 w/5 speed - too much fluff - too much denial of options for daring to order one with a stick)
So I'm thinking an early 60's Chevy panel truck, or Suburban, or pickup would suit me. Specially when you consider there are three 64 Chevelles in the garage, two sixes and one bent 8.
I'd have to be able to tow the wagon to the strip, which is less than 20 miles away, but I think a good 292 can handle that.
Is there anything to watch out for in those 60-66 model trucks? (besides rust!)
There's the obvious change in engine design, and gen. vs alt.
Anything else that was a major change that might make it difficult to get a truck up and running and keep it on the road?
Suspension, brakes, etc?
It seems like the 67-72's are better covered in the repro catalogs.
Thanks.

Couple of immediate thoughts. 60-62 trucks had torsion bar front ends. Good riding suspencion, but discontined after 62. 60-63 had wrap around front window, expensive to replace. I prefer the 3/4 ton because the brakes are better even without power. The 3/4 tons also usually cost less. I've pulled several trucks, one a 1 ton with big utility box, for 150 miles. My 292 is stock and not the best condition, but runs goos. Worse case on a 20 percent grade (Altamont pass) was 35 mph in third gear. The big six just pounds away. Most all of trucks had factory rearend geared at 4.56. I run a 4.11 posi. Hope this helps


Larry
68 C20 327 daily driver
63 C20 292 Camper truck
65 C10 ? Custom Cab AC,PB,PS,$flasher

Larry wrote:
"Couple of immediate thoughts. 60-62 trucks had torsion bar front ends. Good riding suspencion, but discontined after 62. 60-63 had wrap around front window, expensive to replace. I prefer the 3/4 ton because the brakes are better even without power. The 3/4 tons also usually cost less."

Thanks Larry, that was the kind of thing I was looking for.
Sounds like looking for a 64 wasn't a bad idea after all.
Though mostly started with the thought that:
"wouldn't it be cool to tow the 64 Chevelle wagon
to Maple Grove with a 64 truck"?
Nothing against the older sixes, but all my stuff revolves around the 194-292 series so want to stay with that.
Don't need to learn about torsion bars either!

I have owned several '64-'66s over the years. I love them. The only weak point to me is the handling. They all understeer and plow really bad all the way through '72. I don't know what they did different from '73 up, but they drive much better. It looks to me that a '73 up front suspension would be virtually a bolt in operation. Disc brakes and power steering to boot. Joe

I've read (here) the front ends upto early 80's will bolt in, with an extra hole or two.

Joe, I'm curious. I haven't noticed any real understeer in my C20s. Did your trucks have an antiroll (sway) bar on them. I had a Volvo P1800 that almost killed me a couple of times when it plowed into corners, but then I don't try to imitate Sterling Moss anymore either.


Larry
68 C20 327 daily driver
63 C20 292 Camper truck
65 C10 ? Custom Cab AC,PB,PS,$flasher

I've got a 67 C-10 that handles much better than my 68 Camaro! Of course, it's been lowered 4"in the front and 5" in the back and has power steering to boot. Also, about 4 years ago I installed a 77 C-10 front end on it for the disc brakes. I prefer the rubber bushings as opposed to the screw in control arm bushings. Not a difference in terms of handling better, it's just that I prefer rubber for its installation ease and service life.

Btw, yes, the later year FE will bolt right up with an enlargement of one hole on each side of the crossmember. I chose to leave the original crossmember in.

Not sure if I've helped out with your initial question though.

I found that increasing the caster slightly( positive) and decreasing the toe-in helps the trucks greatly---Paul

Larry, no, no sway bar. Of course it probably didn't help that one had a 409 and one had a 396. But, even the factory big blocks thru '72 were terrible. Joe

its my understanding that positive caster helps straight line wandering and negative caster helps cornering.Spec sheet usually says plus or minus a degree to help dial it in to customers reqirements,good heavy duty shocks and sway bars help too,did you know that the nascar rear suspension on the road race cars built for Watkins Glenn and similar tracks is a direct copy of the early chevy truck?true story.

I got a 1966 chevy truck with a 292 it runs good. it will run depending on weather and carb setting.

I also have a '65 with a 292. One of the easiest and best updates is to put an HEI distributor from a later truck in it. Will definetly help with the wet weather duldrums. Also, a rebuilt carb for that truck wouldn't be very expensive (about $90. up here in Canada so you should be able to get it cheaper down there) unless you pick up a kit and rebuild it. Which trans does it have? Mine is using a T-5 from an S-10

A front sway bar makes a world of difference in the handling. Also a late '80s Camaro rear bar is a bolt on rear coil spring suspensions on '67-72. I suspect the 60-66 coil rears are the same.

Tom

A front anti-sway bar should increase understeer if no rear bar is used, all it does is decrease the roll in corners which is more a comfort thing than performance.

About 2 months ago I decided to forego a modern truck and bought a '66 C10 for my daily driver. The truck I found has a new 350 GM crate motor, 700R4 overdrive trans, Vintage AC, power steering as well as all new paint and interior redone. In order to safely pull a trailer I recently added a front disc brake conversion kit to it.

The handling is not bad, but not as good as a modern truck. It just takes getting used to. The addition of a front anti-sway bar would be a good idea.

I now have a truck that is safe, powerful, cool and a blast to drive. I drive it 65 miles to work and back every day. I have no regrets about giving up a modern truck for the simple life of a '66.

Steve

Not to start the good verses evil debate, but I went the other way. I had a 72 Chev Cheyenne 1/2 ton with factory 402 and a/c. Sold it to my father and bought a new 02 GMC SWB regular cab. I had the 72 for over 15 years and loved it, but the 02 was better in every way, other than the debatable exterior looks. Only warranty issue was one broken plastic vent. It was a great truck.

Well; I like the 30s & 50 trucks personally.

All the 30s ones need is 12V & Bendix brakes, that's stock on the 50s ones.

I've got all the fancy stuff on my 74 Impala wagon.

As Walt says "my 2 cents."

JM.....

I've always found better deals on the 3/4-tons and stepsides. The status quo preference for the fleetside and SWB trucks escapes me entirely. I especially like the look of the long stepside boxes. Many folks have never seen one before (or never bothered to notice.)

The repro parts game is more limited for the 60-66 era, but these trucks have almost nothing in the way of upholstered goods. I have always been able to get brakes and whatnot at the local parts stores. The few things you can't get can be easily updated. GM trucks from 60-87 are very mechanically similar.

I don't believe the 292 was available until '63. Some 3/4 and 1 tons had the optional Detroit No-spin (locker). IIRC, 1-tons used leafs instead of coils, 5.13 gears, and sometimes a 9-foot pickup box.

find yer '60-'66 truck parts.

http://www.stovebolt.com/links/parts.htm

http://woogeroo.home.mindspring.com/autolinks/trucks/ctgparts.html

I agree,older is better.Not interested in a new truck that comes with standard equipment I don't want,or need.My 69 C-20 ain't purdy to look at,and I ain't never towed nothin' with it.But, the ol' 292 is definately a "GIT-R-DONE" kinda motor.Anytime she sees a hill, I just pushes the go pedal down, no problemo.She goes...and without havin'to downshift,to boot! Can't say anything about a '60-66 except...if it's a Chevy,can't be bad.