1967-72 Tech Talk

Most of us plan on replacing our valve cover gasket whenever it must be removed for maintenance on the rocker arm assembly. After being hot and cold so many times it has permanently attached itself to the engine head and valve cover. It is planned to always have a new gasket nearby each time the cover is removed. Good News...

Feature Truck of the Month from August 2021: For this month’s feature truck we combine the talents of Linda and Doyle Groat, both loving older GM vehicles, and the discovery that they owned a very rare 1972 Chevrolet Suburban Highlander. This mix has resulted in their great memories among the special older vehicles owned, their restoration experiences, attending many car/truck...

During a local truck show in the summer of 2021, several from Jim Carter Truck Parts noticed a very special deluxe 1972 Chevrolet Suburban. It certainly stood out among the nicer vehicles in this well attended show. It is owned by Linda Grout of Chouteau, Oklahoma. You can read more on this Suburban in our feature Truck of the Month...

There seems to be controversy on the GM Original pickup bumper guards being the same for all six years. We at Jim Carter Truck Parts can only assume the rumor became strong when only the 1967-70 all chrome plated bumper guards were available. Waiting customer’s with 1971-72 pickups could only obtain the 1967-70 design so this is what they used...

Ever notice that older large GM trucks have split rim wheels painted one color? Thus, they give a more “plain” appearance. This is not the way these trucks where when new! From the factory, the narrow split rings were zinc plated. This was an important extra. It prevented them from rusting against the main wheel between tire changes. In northern...

Somewhere between the factory all painted black bed wood and the planks that are sanded and clear-coated to show the attractive grain is a “middle ground”. Look at this very attractive creation! We were so impressed with this finished bed. It gives another alternative for making a nice bed floor. Stephen Denk of Buckner, Missouri came up with this process...

When you check your truck odometer for a replacement, note the gear taper that turns the five numbered mileage wheels on the odometer assembly. Some have straight gears and others tapered.  Each have 15 teeth. The rule on Chevrolet, GMC and other GM vehicles is as follows: If the odometer gear teeth are straight cut, the unit fits below the...

With most local radiator repair shops now out of business (you can buy late model radiators for modern vehicles much less than repairing the originals) finding repairs for original brass radiators is very difficult. Shop repairing large commercial truck and farm tractor radiators still are needed but usually in only larger cities. If your older GM original truck radiator does...

Bed Alternative Bed Wood Appearance Truck Beds...Black Wood Wood Bed Strips Blazer Blazer Spare Tire Mount Birth of the Blazer Blazer Top Facts Brakes Brake Drum Wear Chevrolet / GMC Brake Cable Connector (After Market) Cab 1967 Small Window Cab Dash Repair Defroster Damage Decals 1967-1972 4X4 Decal 1971 Disc Brake Decal Door 1972 Door Electrical 1967, 1968-1972 Hazard Flasher...

WD-40 Who Knew?What is the Main Ingredient of WD-40?Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40? No Cheating WD-40 ~ Who knew! I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this...

There appears to be a rumor being spread that the 1960-72 behind the seat gas tank (with a carburetor engine) should be relocated. The major reasons said is “possible gas fumes and safety during an accident”. Here is the other side of the argument. General Motors was not stupid! Do some people today really think GM would have sold millions...

  The 1967 Chevrolet is sometimes referred to as the first that really attracted the buyer that did not need a truck just for work. It was a one of the first GM trucks that related to the country’s growing interest in pickups as a daily driver or a substitute as a first or second family vehicle. The cab and...

Even the smallest vacuum leak on an internal combustion engine can prevent it operating to the level of its capability. No matter how well you rebuild the carburetor, adjust the timing, or clean the gas tank, the engine will continue to operate below what it should even with a small vacuum leak. On older engines a quick, easy way to...

At a recent truck show a 1972 GMC Blazer was so original that several special points should be shown on the vehicle’s unaltered fiber glass top. Two dome lights are on the left interior side. This allows light for passengers on the front and rear seat. These are the same as in the pickup and big trucks above their rear...

A rarely seen view of the Blazer spare tire mount. When you preferred to keep you spare inside for security or just to lower the cost over an outside swing bracket, GM provided this special two foot mount behind the rear seat. It is secured by fasteners to the metal Blazer floor.

During these years there were no differences between the Chevy grilles of each year in the base lower price model (Custom) and the top of the line Super Cheyenne. The reason is simple! High volume reduces high prices! Most Chevrolet trucks in these years used an anodized aluminum grill housing with a plastic insert. In proportion to the mid series...

We assume the increase population of these little 12 to 15 pound rodents in the past 20 years is due to stricter in-city zoning that does not allow dogs outside without some type of restraint.Beware! Ground hogs (woodchuck) are on the hunt for a dry place out of the rain to call home. They love a dry dirt floor in...

So unusual in today’s world!  When you did not order a radio in your new 1967-72 GM truck, here is what you received. A simple metal plate that pressed into the two holes that usually secured the tuner knobs.  Certainly a very rare item, as later owners have found at least a used radio to place in the dash.

We recently had a local radiator repair shop clean the rust from an older used 1949-72 Chevrolet/GMC gas tank.  They submerged it in a cleaning acid tank overnight. The price was over $75.00.  WOW!  It was expensive! Several months later we discovered an “old school” method that is a very low cost. Oh well, we live and learn. Thus done as...

Leaving your truck, car, or most all gasoline operated equipment in storage is asking for trouble!  Many of us, as hobbyists, collect more cars and trucks than we will drive at least monthly.  They sit in the back of your garage or are stored across town in a friend’s garage, barn, etc. Three to five years later when it is...

During the April 2012 Portland, Oregon swap meet, we noticed a very unusual feature on a 1972 Chevrolet ¾ ton. Five GM optional clearance lights were set on the front of the cab above the windshield. The surprise was the inverted dimples stamped at the factory. Amber plastic lenses are secured here. See photo. Could this mean you received a...

To correct the concern about seat belts not being readily available, GM added a few extras during these years. On the outer side of bucket and bench seats a sheath and spring operated roller kept the belt clean and out of sight when not being used. It kept this belt always in the same place when needed. On the center...

Though most of the first design Blazers came with a passenger seat, it was still an extra cost factory option. Originally created by GM with encouragement from the US Postal Service, it was felt they would be just right for mail delivery in a 2-wheel drive version. Most, but not all, other 2 wheel drive buyers wanted this right side...

Rebuilt Speedometers for Chevy Trucks & GMC Trucks When your older truck needs a rebuilt speedometer, think of Jim Carter Truck Parts! Our company, in combination with a specialized shop, provides a quality product that you will be proud to place in your vehicle. With most new repair parts no longer available, we obtain used speedometers from across the country...

The 1967-1972 - What's That Noise? Gaining speed after you turn onto the highway, your GM truck (1967-1972), moves toward a cruising speed equal to the surrounding traffic. As your engine reaches about 2,000 rpm you suddenly hear a low hum up front. It does not stop as the truck speed increases. If you lower the windows, play the radio...

During 1972, a unique Chevrolet promotional pickup was introduced for a limited time in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton models. This truck was designated the 'Highlander'. Unfortunately, it did not have side emblems or related name plates that would cause people to remember this special model. On the actual truck the word Highlander was only listed on the glove box...

The debut of the famous 4x4 Chevrolet Blazer was in 1969. It had little competition and stood alone as a combination off-road and daily driver utility vehicle. Chevrolet truck dealers were taken by surprise! Waiting lines soon occurred requesting this new and unique car/truck vehicle. By 1970, production was in full swing. GMC also entered the project this second year...

During the late 1970's, trucks accelerated their change from a more commercial work vehicle to one desired by the family as their everyday transportation. During 1967-1972, Chevrolet and GMC introduced names such as CST, Cheyenne and Sierra Grande to show buyers that their trucks were no longer just for work. Options that rivaled cars could now be ordered for their...

During a recent trip to Buenos Aires, this Argentina built 1971 Chevrolet ½ ton was seen beside a downtown street. Its unique features causes us to take a strong second look. The more we observed this clean little short bed, the more we saw features that were special to this South American Chevy. The driver was not available so we...

In recent years seeing the unusual Chevrolet Longhorn or similar GMC Custom Camper (1968-1972) has become a very rare occurrence. These oversize pickups, with 8 1/2 ft. bed floors, were built for work and thus there is a very limited survival rate. Most seen today started life as they were advertised carrying a vacation camper. They were usually more taken...

1967-72 Chevy Truck Model I.D. We hope the following information on Axle, Transmission and Model identification will help many of you with your questions. Accuracy was a concern as we compiled this information. Because GM made so many scheduled as well as unscheduled changes, there is much discussion about these changes. The following is used by permission from Pickups and...

These years are the 'last of the breed'! Due to the increasing popularity of the new G-series van, panel truck sales had continued to suffer since the mid 1960's. By 1970, General Motors panel truck production came to a halt. GM did not even wait until the end of the body series in 1972! This 'enclosed body on a pickup...

The first year of the 1967-1972 series of trucks had various characteristics that were unique to just the first year. For the perfectionist doing an exact restoration, 1967 GMC trucks are always a challenge. Because the 1967 GMC trucks sold in smaller numbers finding one with most of its original components is unusual. Even rarer is locating a GMC Super...

Ever wonder why GM pickup rear bumpers became an option for so many years? Jim Carter Truck Parts wanted to know also. Here are the facts:Beginning in 1951 these bumpers became an extra cost option and have remained this way for so many years on most pickup models. The reason relates to trucks being mostly for work. Though protecting the...

GM trucks titled prior to the mid-1950's were usually registered using the stamped engine number not the body digits pressed in the door ID plate. This practice has created many problems in later years as states became stricter in titling. Unfortunately, many older vehicles outlast their engine and owners rarely rebuild the originals. To save time and certainly expense, a...

Even before the 1920's, light commercial hauling using panel trucks had found a loyal growing customer base. With increasing numbers of small businesses and the population gradually moving to the cities, the panel truck found a place in our society. By the 1930's, most all truck manufacturers had designed a panel body to fit on their existing pickup truck chassis...

Jim Carter Truck Parts viewed so many older salvage yards to find so much of this data by accident! It was just there! There couldn't be an easier place for a tree to grow. If you don't move your truck for a few years, trees will find it. As they grow wider, the truck bends to fit! Here livestock cannot...

The door window is cranked up tight in the cloth channel and off you go on your daily errands. Suddenly, the glass begins to slowly lower as you drive over side roads or contact a rough surface. In comes cold air, rain, and wind! Even the window handle turns. What's this all about? Do you tape the window closed or...

Sometimes overlooked by mechanics and restorers is a small vent in the rear axle housing. This part is necessary to keep internal pressure equal to the outside atmosphere. Thus, as the internal temperature of the differential warms during use, any expanding heated air is vented and no pressure occurs. This saves wheel and pinion seals from leaking. Check for this...

What an unusual seat on the 1967-68 Chevy/GMC pickups!  It was standard equipment on the “top of the line” Chevrolet CST and GMC Super Custom pickups. The seat consisted of two bucket seats and a much smaller center cushion referred by many as a Buddy seat.  It allowed for a third passenger or the back cushion could be lowered horizontally...

  GMC Super Custom Interiors offer the ultimate in comfort and style, including plush bucket seats with vinyl covering and matching center seat console. The GMC Super Custom also includes appearance and comfort options from special horn button to carpeted floor.

One series of the famous "drop out" GM differentials was used between 1946 and 1972 on 3/4 and 1 tons. The complete assembly (often called a pumpkin) will interchange during these years with no alteration. The highest gearing in this series is the 4.10 ratio and is found in most 1967-72 3/4 tons with automatic transmissions. Therefore, those "low gear...

When you notice your head, tail and dash lights are often dim, sometimes even flicker on a rough road, check your cab to frame ground cable Because the 1967-1972 cab and radiator supports are separated from the frame by rubber mounts. GM used a small mount woven wire ground strap that by-passes one cab mount. This insures electrical flow even...

  Contrary to what almost all Chevrolet truck parts dealers list in their catalogs, the 1969-1972 headlight bezels were not alike. Though today all are reproduced in bright-anodized aluminum. This is actually only correct for 1971-1972. The 1969-1970 bezels were black stamped steel even on the most deluxe models. This color is necessary to blend with the two horizontal black...

  The cargo light above the rear window on the 1969-72 GM cab was a factory option and is mostly seen on the more deluxe trucks. This light is controlled from a switch beside the interior dome light and is wired so it will not operate while the truck is in the forward gear. This prevents the bright 21 cp...

  When viewing older GM cars and trucks we see both colors of park light lenses. There seems to be no consistency that gives us the proof of what is actually correct, however, it is easy as remembering a year. Beginning in 1963, the Department of Transportation new federal regulations required park lights to show an amber color, to be...

Jim Carter Truck Parts seat cover kits are produced with an emphasis on originality. The materials are top quality for many years’ service. Seams, ribbing, etc., are based on original seats. We recommend that installation be done by a professional upholstery company. However, if you wish to do it yourself, here are several important steps to follow: 1. Seat springs...

Four Speed Backup Light Switch - They Did Exist! The first design of the 4-speed synchronized truck transmission, introduced in 1948, was used through about 1965. About mid series, when the dealer installed backup light increased in popularity, a special switch was attached to the base of the floor shift lever. This was the only location possible as there is...

The 1967 Chevrolet and GMC trucks are noted for numerous one year only features. As the year progressed, engineers made several changes they felt were an improvement over this first year design. For reasons unknown, dash knobs were redesigned. The following pictures show the correct 1967standard knobs with 1.23 inch diameter serrated edges. Compare these with the 1968-72 knobs having...

What's this bad rap some people give the GM pickups with in-cab gas tanks? For 35 years GM protected these tanks from collisions by double wall reinforced cab metal, doors, and seat riser frames. The 1937-46 pickups even secured the tank under the seat and surrounded it on three sides by the welded to floor heavy gauge metal seat riser...

  The 1968-1972 hazard flasher unit is not self canceling as in 1967. The only way to cancel the later hazard flasher is to pull the knob out. This feature was incorporated into the 1968 truck so that the hazard flashers could be operated when the vehicle is being used for slow speed operations. It became a problem in 1967...

  One might assume that because the 1967-1972 cabs are the same, there is also no difference in the doors. Yes, they will interchange, however, there are several visible door differences for 1972. During this year only, a countersunk hole exists in the interior door panel several inches from the wing vent vertical post. A Phillips screw here helps prevent...

  This original, well worn, glove box decal was recently uncovered in a salvage yard. It relates front hubs on a four wheel drive and how to engage and disengage them. Our 67-72 experts have never seen this decal. Can anyone tell us if this was a factory decal or just added later when replacement hubs were installed? Please contact...

  Mix very cold days, almost 60 years, and the design of the original safety glass windshield and look what sometimes occurs. You can still see through the upper part of the original windshield. However, the large separations are there to stay.

  To comply with Federal safety standards, GM first equipped their truck cabs with a padded dash during the 1967-1972 body style. Though a practical and attractive addition to the vehicles interior, most original dash pads show their 40 plus years of use. Exposure to summer sun and winter temperature extremes have caused fading, cracking, and most even have pieces...

  On the 1/2, 3/4, and 1 tons, the small rear window was a standard feature during 1967. A large panoramic rear window cab was an extra cost option. Beginning in 1968, the small rear window cab was discontinued except in the 60 series two ton. In this larger truck the small window continued to be standard through the end...

  It was during the 1967-72 years that General Motors began offering more style to their pickup truck line. Though most still considered a truck as a work vehicle, a growing segment of pickup buyers were being strongly influenced by trim and accessories that even rivaled many automobiles. For the first time on GM fleetside pickups, decorative trim became available...

  In recent years, the 1969-1970 Chevrolet non-metal grille insert has been sold as one item. This is not the way they came! Each of the two years used a grille insert of a different design. The 1970 style is now the one you receive when you order either year. Thus, a pure 1969 insert is becoming very difficult to...

  The main cross grill stamping making up the 1967-1972 GMC grilles may at first appear the same but they definitely are not. The more noticeable difference is the large GMC letters stamped in the center of the 1967 grille (one year only). Therefore, these three letters are not placed on the hood front as during 1968-1972. Between 1967-1970, the...

To make the base fleetside tailgate just a little different from Chevrolet, GMC kept their letters body color and surrounded them in a contrasting color. On Chevrolet just the letters have the different color. 1967-1972 GMC (above) 1967-1972 Chevrolet (above)

  How did this happen? Strange but true. The 1971-1972 right front Chevrolet pickup fender has one of its two 350 emblem holes punched incorrectly. This causes the horizontal emblem to slope down at the rear. The left fender is correct. The person that owns this all original 1972 truck states that all 1971-1972 Chevrolet trucks have this unusual feature...

Using a specialized gauge to show wear levels on brake drums is the best way to indicate wear, however there is a visual method.

The common practice of replacing the original differential with a newer high speed assembly usually brings up another question: How do I connect the late model brake cable to the original brake system?

One of the most unusual features of the 1967-1972 series of trucks is the unique placement of the 1969-1972 Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy radio speaker. Unlike the pickup, Suburban, and large trucks; the radio speaker is not under the top of the dash. In fact, the dash does not even have grille slots to allow sound to come from...

Prior to 1941 in GM pickups, the bed wood of choice was oak. The change to yellow pine occurred at this time and it was used until the end of the wood bed floors in 1987. This southern yellow pine is a hard wood and should not be confused with softer white pine.

The following article used by permission of the writer: Robert Hensel, Technical Advisor Coordinator for the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America.  Bob passed away several years ago but his GM truck certainly lives on! I do not know of any book that gives the engine colors for all Chevrolets. I have found it here and there in many Chevrolet letters...