Hello and a question :-)

[daxloves]

First of all, Hello! I'm a new member with a 62/69 GMC pickup!

I say 62/69 because the chassis is a 62 3/4 ton but the body is a 69 1/2 ton. Long story short, 69 had a good body and the rest was toast and the 62 was a great workhorse that my uncle decided needed a tree on top of it :-) So it became a 69 on the outside.

Ill post pics soon when I can get some pics.

The question I wanted to ask is this. I am planning on doing the 73-87 front cross member swap onto my 62 and was wondering if the 73-87 3/4 ton front ends are the same as far as being able to bolt up? This truck is not for show and still needs to be able to be the workhorse it is now, just with better brakes and cheaper parts :-) so a 3/4 ton front is a must.

Also wondering how the change from torsion to coil in the front will affect load distribution. As it is now the front is lower than the rear and as you add weight the truck actually levels out.

So I guess the true question is what donor vehicle would you recommend I get my front end from? I plan to do power disk brakes and power steering BTW.

[markeb01]

Howdy again, provided a thread on your other post regarding the suspension change, but it doesn't address any of the 3/4 ton issues. Perhaps someone else can provide that information.

[daxloves]

I hope so. If 1/2 ton fronts are all that can be done w/o a lot of troubble then thats what it will have to be. A truck that cant stop for nothin with a load is no better that one that cant take a load at all

[daxloves]

Hey markeb01, just noticed that your in spokane valley. Im just 80 or so miles north of ya in kettle falls near colville. Nice to see someone from my nic of the woods!

[jonzcustomshop]

I don't know from experience... but from what I have read on the board, the later crossmember swap into a 60-62 will work, just that you have to redrill all the holes, except 2 of them.
I think that the 3/4 crossmember is the same as the 1/2 ton 63-87, just heavier.

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum daxloves

The C20 front suspensions are the same as the C10's as far as the crossmember attachment. So there's really no difference between switching to a C10 or C20 suspension.

On the '60-'62's you will need to drill most all new holes for attachment. I've not done one, just repeating what I've read of others' experience.

[daxloves]

Good to hear so far. If filling old holes and drilling some new ones is the worst of the swap then I think it will be a lot easier that when I swapped body's! Thanks for the info. The donor hunt begins tomorrow morning.

BTW, any specific year better than another as far as the donor is concerned?

[Captainfab]

Any '73-'86 C20 pickup or Suburban should work for your application. I left out the '87 since I've heard that they have the rubber bushed control arm shafts as the C10's do. The steel bushings would be better in your application....IMO.

Originally Posted by daxloves

BTW, any specific year better than another as far as the donor is concerned?

[daxloves]

Thanks for the info!

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by daxloves

Hey markeb01, just noticed that your in spokane valley. Im just 80 or so miles north of ya in kettle falls near colville. Nice to see someone from my nic of the woods!

Yep not all that far, in fact my wife used to live in Colville many years ago before we met. We've been there many times on day trips just for somewhere to go. Perhaps we can bump into each other at one of the Newport car shows in August or September (can't remember exactly when they're held). We're also registered for the Spokane Goodguys event in August. My good knee recently went away so I'm staying pretty close to home until that gets better.

[62gmc910]

When you swap to the newer C20 crossmember you need to use the idler arm mount from the newer truck if you go to power steering (Captainfab makes an adapter) the 60-62 idler bracket sits too far to the right and can cause an over center condition when turned sharp to the left.

[daxloves]

62gmc910, Thanks, I'll keep that in mind as I go.

Looks like I have found my 3 possible donors. Still have to look at them on Monday to see what shape they are in and pick the one I want but they are 3/4 tons and the wrecker only wants $150.00 for everything including PS pump and box and brake booster.

Got the brakes and clutch working today so it can go and stop again

Took a few pics today. Its not he prettiest truck out there but the work it does well makes up for it.

"EDIT, took out pics as they are now in build thred >HERE<

[daxloves]

Checked the parts yard and looked at the 3 trucks they said they had. 1 was a 4 wheel, another was missing from the yard and the third was only half there.

I did find a '78 GMC Sierra Classic Suburban with a 15 on the badge with everything I need. Does this use the 3/4 ton front suspension?