I got this truck from my dad when I was in highschool. I was told my grandpa originaly bought it in 1965 and it was a 1963. He ran a spray service and used the truck for spraying. They told me that the chemicals rotted out the cab and the bed. So when I got the truck in 1998 it had a '65 cab, 292ci, and a flatbed. I found a 64 gmc bed for it. I also replaced the 292 with a 327. After looking on this site in the "truck years" and looking up info on the 60-66. I'm not so sure if my truck ever was a '63 and its just a '65. It does have the same cab, and grill as a '65 and what years came with the overload "half" leaf springs on the 3/4 tons? Some pictures of my truck. http://www.mychevytruck.com/mygallery.asp?id=3419&album=6946
Is it a 63 ? Quick test. Does it have torson bar front suspension ? Yes =63 NO =64-65-66. The rear overload springs were an option on the 64-66 trucks. DVal
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jan-27-03 AT 06:06 PM (CST)]If it has overload springs then it can't be a 63? What do the torsion bars look like? I'm not to familiar with the parts in the front suspension. Thanks
Torson bars are round tube-like goodies that extend from the control arm BACK to the frame about even with the firewall. I'm not positive about the overload springs on a 63 or earlier. I'll check in the service manual when I get home tonight and answer later. Heck, I could be wrong about the torson bars, they were definatly on the 62, but now you have me second guessing myself.... DValentine
Guages and dash are definitely not a 1963, which was the last year with the large humps for guages and speedometer on the left and the glove box on the right. But I guess the whole cab could have been dropped... Some 1963s, like mine, apparently, have different emergency brake cables on the rear than later trucks.
I did look and it doesnt have torsion bars But I do know the cab is 65, but I'm still uncertain about the chassis because like you said, 62 last year for torsion bars. I looked in my ##### truck catalog and it says the overload springs are for 63-66. I guess its not a big deal if its a 63 frame, but its confusing to tell people its a 63 and they see the 65 cab.
Hi Eclipse, There's two ways to tell exactly what year the frame + truck is. On the frame on the drivers side, looking straight down on top of the frame rail under the hood up by the firewall. And on the cab the first letter in the vin is the year of the truck. If it's a 1965, the first digit should be a 5. David
I don't think it matters too much as to whether or not the truck is a '63. Granted, I would want to know what year my truck started out as too, so check the number that David said to. The '63 and '65 should have the same frame and and everything else but the cab and grill. The '65s came with different rear ends than the '63s. I think GM used one type of rearend from '65 to '70 and the other from '63-'64. An Assembly Manual would answer all questions in this area, as rear axle numbers were different for every year, even if it was the same rearend and ratio. Hey, my '65 is registered as a '64 and has a '61 hood and grill and I shaved the emblems(the only really obvious evidence that it was in fact a 1965). The next owner(if there is one) should be really confused too. Good luck and truck on. --TrustyRusty
