I do love me an old pickup truck, and this one is a gem; I mean a GMC. And not just any old GMC, but a 3/4 ton, 4×4, four-speed manual, hi-low transfer case, with an 8′ Stepside bed and the legendary GMC 60 degree V6. Does it get any better than this?
I’m guessing at its year, as I can’t find any real difference between the ’64, ’65 and ’66 Jimmys. Maybe someone else can. And although these look a lot like their Chevy cousins, back then there was a genuine difference…under the hood.
The legendary GMC V6 resided in these, instead of Chevy sixes and V8s. I covered the story of the GMC V6 in depth here, so I won’t repeat it all here. Unlike the odd-fire Buick 90° V6, this one was a proper 60° design.
It was designed for serious truck work, built beefy and with plenty of cooling capacity to handle the tough loads that the larger trucks placed on it. The one in this pickup is probably a 305 cubic inch version, but displacement went all the way to 478 cubic inches. Oddly, there was even a V8 version with 637 cubic inches, with twin balance shafts to compensate for its uneven-firing and vibrations, due to its 60° block. They were all relatively low-rpm engines, with some versions producing their maximum power below 3000 rpm. The M “Magnum” series that appeared in the mid-sixties had bigger ports and valves, and less constricted exhaust headers, and are the most powerful and desirable of the family.
And there was the really legendary 702 cubic inch “Twin-Six” V-12. Its story is here. It’s essentially two 305 CID V6s, sharing one large block, but using two sets of V6 cylinder heads. It churned out 275 hp at 2400 rpm, and a mighty 630 ft.lbs. of torque at 1600 rpm. It was used in large trucks and fire engines, and became a favorite for stationary pump sets. It essentially knocked the truly legendary Hall-Scott gasoline engines out of those roles, as it was much cheaper and still held up well.
One half of the biggest and gnarliest gasoline truck engine in the land is at the beck and call of this driver, as well as a tough four-speed truck transmission and transfer case. And I’ll bet it doesn’t have power steering.
This one is working up some nice contrasting color patina.
When I was thinking of getting an old pickup almost 30 years ago, I vacillated between a GMC/Chevy or a Ford. But I wasn’t too keen on the fact that GM was still using wood for the beds in their trucks.
It does go bad, especially in our climate. Meanwhile, my Ford’s tough steel bed is still going strong.
There’s only one downside to this truck: it must ride like a bucking bronco. Back then, 4×4 trucks had extra stiff springs on their jacked-up chassis, and this is a 3/4 ton. Even the half-ton 4x4s rode hard. Oh well; nobody’s perfect.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
More GMC 60 degree goodness:
CC 1963 GMC V6 Pickup: The Very Model Of A Modern V6 Truck Engine
Good article. Thanks.
Pretty sure it is a 64. Dual headlights. 65 and 66 had single and sleaker hood and turn signal light.
The 66 GMC,had the square letters in the grill,the 702,is two 351 displacement block’s cast together,60-65 GMC light duty trucks ran the 305 A,B,C till 63,from 63 till early 69 the 305 E was the Engine that was available, with the 351E being the option from 66-68.
It’s a bruiser for sure! I can see a snow plow on that baby decades ago.
Yes ;
It could be better : a short bed .
-Nate
I never could understand the shortbed attraction. I’ve never owned one. Even my 2018 Silverado is a reg cab 8′ box.
100% 8 Ft bed all the way.
Next thing ya know, someone’s gonna say 4 doors would make it better.
😉
This is some guys local daily. Too bad things can’t be this tuff and this simple today. Note the patch in the lower front fender typical rot spot for these trucks. 4.11s means 55mph at 2500rpm that’s all you want in this truck. My only correction is the V12 is 2 351s not 305s.
That one chacks all the boxes. Just about impossible to tell a ’64 from a ’65, but a ’66 has squared off ‘GMC’ letters in the grille.
The springs on these old trucks were so stiff that when empty you’d wonder if there really were any springs. There’s a reason only tough guys drove them.
Harkins back to Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. He talks about his new GMC truck with big powerful 6 cylinder engine
At least the bed has *real* wood.
Thank you for taking me back in time. My favorite truck of all time. The 1960-66 GMC V6’s.
From 1981 to 1983 I worked for a central Illinois town parks and recreation dept after graduating from college.
We had the exact twin of this truck, albeit in half ton form – same color. As the lowest guy on the totem pole this was typical my assigned vehicle, which I didn’t mind. As you can imagine, as the oldest vehicle in the entire city’s fleet and subject to almost 2 decades of abuse it didn’t have a single undented piece of sheet metal.
But the thing was an absolute beast. Granny low would take this thing up the steepest grades without strain and this truck out-pulled newer Chevy and Ford pickups with v8’s and automatics.
Ever since then I’ve dreamed of owning a similar truck. Alas, family, finances and limited storage space have prohibited it. Someday…
These GMC V6’s are absolute torque monsters. As was mentioned these trucks ride like TRUCKS. Minimal creature comforts. Of course I was in my younger 20’s then so that didn’t matter!
What a great truck! I’d love to have one of these (and also would love to have a reason to have one of these) but I fear the suspension would do me in.
Lovely to see in such appropriate surroundings.
These also have a different dashboard than the Chevy. That would go away in ’67.
At the tool and equipment rental company I worked for in the early 70’s, we had 2 GMC 16 foot box trucks each with the 305 v6. I recall them being very smooth, quiet and torquey. I was impressed especially when comparing them to the 330 CI Ford v8’s in other trucks, also good engines.