Spotted A Sweet Gentleman Jim

[lindstromjd]

Originally Posted by C-10 simplex

What's the whole deal behind this package?


There would never be such a package called "Gentleman" jim now because no-one is a gentleman anymore.

Originally Posted by scottco

Did all GJ trucks come with a 454 ??? I thought they did but I may be wrong ! What is different about the 79 hood??

Originally Posted by scottco

I see the difference now!! The lip around the front of the hood !!!!!

The package was meant to make a pickup a "gentleman's truck" and not just a work vehicle. I'd say it worked out quite well. After that, a lot of trucks started coming with a lot more options to make them more driver-friendly. And the "gentleman" part is all in how you were raised by your parents. Mine weren't afraid to beat my a$$ when I was misbehaving and they had taught me better.

The GJ's never came with a 454. They had a 350 with a TH350 trans, and a 3.42 rear end.

The hood is correct for the truck. Mine is the same thing and I can guarantee that it's original.

[77 shorty]

I think the GJ's could be had with a big block.. Our neighbor had one when i was about ten and it had the 454 emblem on the grill... i remember ridin past it on the bicycle all the time because he always backed in the driveway

[f.monroe]

Originally Posted by lindstromjd

The hood is correct for the truck. Mine is the same thing and I can guarantee that it's original.

Not trying to start an argument but the hood on the truck pictured is a 79-80 hood. The detail on the front of the hood did not go into production until 1979. If your truck has the same detail ,and yours is a GJ ,then your hood is not original to the truck. It has been replaced. If you ar set on an authentic restoration then you will need to find an original 73-78 hood. They are not reproduced. All repro hoods are the later 79-80 style.

I like the truck pictured . I have always liked the Gent Jims better than the Beau James . The black/gold looks better than the blue/silver.

The one pictured would drive me nuts with the square tank doors . Other than the bed sides and hood I would love to have that truck but I just bought a toy to play with.
Frank

[Dieselwrencher]

Definitely cool to see one of these still around even if it isn't perfectly restored. Some one should snatch it up and finish it!

[lindstromjd]

Originally Posted by f.monroe

Not trying to start an argument but the hood on the truck pictured is a 79-80 hood. The detail on the front of the hood did not go into production until 1979. If your truck has the same detail ,and yours is a GJ ,then your hood is not original to the truck. It has been replaced. If you ar set on an authentic restoration then you will need to find an original 73-78 hood. They are not reproduced. All repro hoods are the later 79-80 style.
Frank

Ok, so after looking at the picture about 30 times to make sure I wasn't missing anything, I finally figured out what I was missing. So the hood on that one isn't original. MAN, that took a long time of staring at it to see what the difference was. Here's a front shot of mine... it doesn't have that little detail on the hood.

Oh, and the GJ's came with a 350. The BJ's came with the 454. As far as I know, the GJ packages left very little to be messed with if you actually wanted the real package. You couldn't get engine options and have a "true" GJ package.

[f.monroe]

About the only real outwardly visible changes made between 73-80 are the grilles, front signal light colors, headlamp bezl background color, trim color in 77 ,the hood detail and the gas tank doors. There are many differences like the tailgate went through several changes between 73-87, smooth stepside fenders and some with built in side marker lights and some with gas doors, fleetside bed sides are differentas follows 73-75 or 76,77-78 and 79-87, door glass thickness (thick is the earlier years and the thinner glass is for later years), mirrors of course but everyone puts the larger 79up mirrors on most restorations, and I am sure there are more than the few mentioned. To do a year correct restoration on any square can be challenging . The truck pictured is perfectly acceptable . I like it but there are the little details that would set it apart from a high dollar resto. Looking at the truck pictured I can see more than the asking price for sure. Its a good deal for sure.
Frank