1969 Custom 30 Tow Truck restoration

bobs409

 
Administrator
I don't want to deny someone else the back breaking work pleasure of restoring an old tow truck. :D No more for me. Maybe a 1950's ice cream truck or a short school bus, that would be cool! :deal
 

Iowa 409 Guy

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 15
The grille threw me, didn't look very close....too cold out. And, I ain't as old as youse guys.....:poke:poke:happy
 
Last edited:

bobs409

 
Administrator
Thanks Don. Now they just need to find a buyer willing to pay. That's the downside, a much smaller market for a tow truck. The price gives me more hope on mine though.

A few oddities I noticed without really "tearing into it". :D

It has 72 door panels.
Vacuum gauge (from what I learned, was only available in large series trucks)
I can't see any roof clearance lights. ALL 1 tons would have these stock. (unless I'm just not seeing them in the pic)

Defects: big crack in steering wheel, dash pad looks like it might be lifting on driver side. A cheap (and ugly) aftermarket seat cover? What is that hiding? Not something you would want to see in a high dollar truck IMO.

Buy mine, it's nicer! :D :p
 

62impala409

 
Supporting Member 1
That seat cover does suck, but I recall that ALL of the pickups had that same type of cover back in the day, mine included.:eek They even have a rifle scabbard sewn in the front panel. Those plastic seat covers didn't last very long. BTW, those a 400 SB emblems on the fender.:scratch Leo
 

tripower

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
It has 72 door panels.
:D
That is because it has 72" doors. The 67'-71 doors are different and the 72' panels will not fit because of regulator location. You can tell they are 72' doors by the screw that attaches to the wing window assembly. 67'-71' do not have this screw and as a result the doors crack there.
That seat cover does suck, but I recall that ALL of the pickups had that same type of cover back in the day, mine included.:eek They even have a rifle scabbard sewn in the front panel. Those plastic seat covers didn't last very long. BTW, those a 400 SB emblems on the fender.:scratch Leo
The 400 emblems are fro BBC not SBC because the engine was a 402 BBC. Even in the late 69' and up Chevelles they were 402's but still called them 396's.
 

62impala409

 
Supporting Member 1
That is because it has 72" doors. The 67'-71 doors are different and the 72' panels will not fit because of regulator location. You can tell they are 72' doors by the screw that attaches to the wing window assembly. 67'-71' do not have this screw and as a result the doors crack there.

The 400 emblems are fro BBC not SBC because the engine was a 402 BBC. Even in the late 69' and up Chevelles they were 402's but still called them 396's.
Dan, I remember the Chevelle deal with the 402's that were left with the 396 emblems, but that was a marketing issue. They didn't want to dump the SS396 ad campaign. The reason I thought this truck is a SB is because I remember a friend of mine had a Chevy pickup about the same vintage back then with a 400 SB and was having problems with his cylinder heads cracking and overheating issues.:scratch. I figured they could put 402 badges an a truck. I may do a little more research on this one. Leo
 

k9hotrodder409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 15
When I worked for Chevrolet back in the day the 70 Impala had a 400 Cubic inch "SMALL BLOCK !!" Not a big block 402. The Chevelle DID NOT have fender #s that said 402. They all said 396 . The 400 small block was also in the C-10/20/30 trucks. I've. physically seen them.
I'm just sayin !!! :coffee
:crazy:happy:cheers
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
From my experiances working on those vehicles,if it had the 400 emblem on the fenders,it was a 402 bigblock powered vehicle.The 400 in smallblock vehicles had no fender emblem on them at all.
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
When I worked for Chevrolet back in the day the 70 Impala had a 400 Cubic inch "SMALL BLOCK !!" Not a big block 402. The Chevelle DID NOT have fender #s that said 402. They all said 396 . The 400 small block was also in the C-10/20/30 trucks. I've. physically seen them.
I'm just sayin !!! :coffee
:crazy:happy:cheers
My sister currently has a factory 400 sb in her 70 monte carlo , as i overhauled it years ago .I have seen them in pickup's also as k9 mentioned !:D:D:D
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
I've even sen them in vans.One of our governments undercover groups that who's cars I used to maintain had a couple of one tons that had them in there.
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
I can confirm the big block trucks did have the 400 emblems. I had a parts truck a few years ago with them. (too bad it had a crappy 307 when I got it!) :doh
 

tripower

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I have been a Chevy Fan for years and owned several of the 67-72 trucks many 71-72 with the 400 badges and all were factory 402 BBC. I know 75' was the first year for 400 sbc in 4X4 and I think maybe 73' for 2x4. I have never seen a 67'-72' with sbc 400.
 
Top