camper special 8400 GVW?

[oneday1]

OK..maybe a stupid question but haven't been able to find a decent answer. My 78 c15 camper special has the camper special 8400 GVW decal. What does that even mean? The GVWR is 6050. Its my understanding that the GVWR is the maximum weight allowed fort the vehicle and cargo whereas the GVW is just the weight at any particular time (not static). How then can the GVW be 2350 lbs. over the max rating? Of course the truck doesn'tweigh anywhere close to 8400 (or 6050). So what is the 8400 GVW decal for? Thanks in advance for any help.

[MusicMan70]

Welcome Oneday! This is from a 74 Data manual but gives some information on this. How about some pictures of the truck?

[oneday1]

MusicMan...Thanks a bunch that is useful info (wish I could find one of those).

However, doesn't really answer the question..or it does but I'm too daft to see it.
The terminology used in that manual might answer one question...they say GVW rating instead of GVWR so that should explain the 8400 GVW decal means GVW rating which had me confused. Except...it isn't rated to 8400 lbs. So the question remains, what does that 8400 mean?

Sorry for the poor quality photo..it's getting dark. Also, there's a few photos of the truck on here and will be more soon now that I've gotten some time and money to do some work. Fortunately haven't NEEDED to do any since I got it. :knock on wood:

[MusicMan70]

I have these plates inside driver door area that shows the GVWR. Does yours not show this?

[67RS/SSx2]

So to go off topic but what does the teepee emblem mean???

[MusicMan70]

I believe it's a reference to camping.

[willett]

I'm pretty sure it was a loophole to get out of certain emission control equipment being required on certain half tons back in the day. Same idea as a heavy half.

[willett]

Or you have badges off of a 3/4 ton truck. I'm pretty sure my k20 camper special has the same ones

[MusicMan70]

I think you are correct Willet on the by-pass on emissions equipment. My 454 does not have a smog pump or AIR fittings on the exhaust manifolds.

[oneday1]

MusicMan: I do have those plates. See photo. Yours match with the decal...mine certainly do not. Is this a case of shenanigans? The service parts identification sticker from the glove compartment show that the truck did have the camper special options (HD chassis, radiator, camper mirrors etc) so I wouldn't think a PO just threw the emblem on...but now that I see your plate has the same GVWR as your decal I don't know. My plate says 6050...my decal says 8400. WTF?

[willett]

I'm just throwing this out there, but maybe GM put the 3/4 ton badge on your half ton accidentally or because they had a shortage of 1/2 ton badges.

[oneday1]

Willett: what do you mean about emissions with the heavy half? I have heavy half and camper special decals.

And you mean my decals are from another model like 3/4 ton 4x4? That's what it's looking like huh?

[oneday1]

Willett: Just saw your previous post. You're joking right? It would seem that someone put decals from a different model on. But who the f*ck would go to the trouble of that without first addressing other issues?

[andrewmp6]

I'd go by what the door tag says vs the badges say.I think someone just put the camper special badges on it to make it look like a bigger truck.People do this all the time with cars,Take a base model car and put the top of the line badges on it.Like how many ss camaros or cobra mustangs you seen?Half of them are always fake.

[oneday1]

andrew: yeah it seems like it. I do believe it has a lot of the HD equipment but not really sure about this camper special 8400 lbs stuff.

[willett]

Heavy halves were created to fit through a loophole.
I don't remember exactly how the story goes, but the reason for heavy half trucks to exist was way back in the infancy of emission control regulations trucks over a certain gvw were exempt from all of the horsepower robbing crap (aka emission control evap,egr,etc..) For other reasons GM still had to sell the upgraded trucks as half tons so they had the upgraded gvw but half ton power trains, and a heavier duty rear-end

[Keith Seymore]

GVW and GVWR are the same thing.

GVW = Gross Vehicle Weight
GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight rating

In either case, it is the maximum vehicle weight including base weight, passengers and cargo.

The amount of cargo the vehicle can haul is called "payload" and is the difference between GVW and one of the "curb weight" ratings (there are several curb weights depending on the topic of discussion: Base curb, EPA curb, etc).

K


K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by oneday1

OK..maybe a stupid question but haven't been able to find a decent answer. My 78 c15 camper special has the camper special 8400 GVW decal. What does that even mean? The GVWR is 6050.

Here is the generic info packet for a '78 C/K pickup. This will show all the generic options available for your model year, including GVW and powertrain options.

http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs...olet-Truck.pdf

Put my vote down as a 6050 GVW truck that somebody put camper special emblems on (not the factory).

K

[willett]

Hey Keith, since your here what's the proper story on heavy halves?

[oneday1]

Keith: Thanks a ton. That pdf is amazing! Answered my question and more. Definitely a PO stuck those emblems on.
Willett: Yeah, that weight limit for emissions is 6000. 6050 is greater than 6000 so good to go. Would love to hear the story behind that as well.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by willett

Heavy halves were created to fit through a loophole.
I don't remember exactly how the story goes, but the reason for heavy half trucks to exist was way back in the infancy of emission control regulations trucks over a certain gvw were exempt from all of the horsepower robbing crap (aka emission control evap,egr,etc..) For other reasons GM still had to sell the upgraded trucks as half tons so they had the upgraded gvw but half ton power trains, and a heavier duty rear-end

Your assessment is dead on accurate, from a technical perspective.

Also - there is a Marketing advantage, in that they now would have a package they could charge additional money for - and - it "sounds bigger".

Like changing the badging from "200" to "2500" (although in this case there was no technical change to support the difference in emblems).

K

[79 silverado]

All of this of course missed the obvious possible answer, actually make that probable answer:



The Dealer that got the truck added the emblems to help move it off the lot.

[Keith Seymore]

Sorry - double post.

K

[nekkidhillbilly]

somebody was hauling heavy with a half ton and slipping by dot by pretending its a 3/4? poss commercially used and had to go through scales.

[oneday1]

Thanks all!

Anybody want these? Will post in the classifieds as well but figured I could end this thread with a nice resolution.