Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Short Bed Survivor: 1963 GMC C1500

This sweet little truck was built for durability by GMC in 1964 and features the optional large rear window. It is located near Dallas, Texas and is listed here on eBay with a current bid of $5,100.

This truck is equipped with the 305 cubic inch V6 engine. It produced 150 horsepower at 3600 rpm and 260 ft-lbs of torque at 1,600 rpm. You will notice the red plaid valve covers on this engine which was exclusive to 1963. According to GMC engineer, Don Meyer, the early engines got poor gas mileage and the engineering department were running tests to improve the engines and used red wallpaper on some of the valve covers. The marketing department saw it and put it into production.

While not restored, the truck looks pretty clean. The seller does admit that there is some rust in the outer cab sill and floorboards which is normal on these trucks. The truck is claimed to be original with a new cored original radiator. The three on the tree sends power back to the 3:54 gears in the rear end.

These GMC trucks are not that common these days, as most were worked to death. This one can be driven as is or restored using its original equipment, which makes it extra special.

Comments

  1. Avatar Don H

    Really nice truck👌

    Like 4
    • Avatar Big_Fun Member

      I thought someone tried a modern aftermarket carbon fiber overlay kit on the rocker arm covers. Surprise on that one! Interesting factory feature that I would not have known about if I wasn’t on this site. Thanks,BF!
      Simple math;this GMC at cruise night + hood up = fun!

      Like 15
      • Avatar big mike

        I have a 63 in my stable currently, and when I first looked at it, I got on to the seller because he said nothing had been touched on it from the day their Dad had bought it brand new. I was later told the story of the overlay on the valve covers.

        Like 3
  2. Avatar geomechs Member

    I think I’m in love! This is a really nice truck. I would keep it as is and put it to work. Eventually get the paint and bodywork done but continue to use it as is. The V6 was never a speed demon but a workhorse. Speed doesn’t mean a lot to me anyways although I keep hearing comments from other parts of the car asking me to speed up so we can get there on time.

    Like 16
    • Avatar Bill

      I can relate to your speed up comment. The older I get the slower I go. The reverse seems to be true for my wife. I also agree. It’s a great workhorse truck

      Like 8
    • Avatar PeteMcGee

      Only thing better would be a front drive axle and a transfer case lever!

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Mr.BZ

    Dad gave me his 64 GMC p/u, 305v6 and 4 spd, when I was in my 20s. Years later, I drove it down to AZ to give to my son and it got 17 mpg at 70 mph for the whole trip. Bulletproof drivetrain, just a wonderful truck!

    Like 10
    • Avatar Daniel Blancher

      I a little confused. My 1963 had the front glass wrap around to the A-piller.and my friends 1964 front glass was stright, his A- pillar was on a angle not straight up and down. Still a nice truck

      Like 1
    • Avatar Shane

      That’s better fuel mileage then I get in my gmc envoy.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar TimM

    Sweet truck in really good shape!! It’s hard to find a truck in this kind of shape cause they were work horses of there day!!

    Like 2
  5. bobhess bobhess Member

    Just running across one of these trucks is rare much less finding one with most of the metal in it. Must not have been paying attention then but seeing the V6 in it was a surprise. Getting smarter by the day.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar art

    Did not know about the plaid valve covers..they’re wild. Love the truck.
    Many moons ago, I had a 1964 Chevrolet red and white, long bed, 283 and automatic. That was a neat truck.

    Like 2
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      I was a kid when I first saw plaid valve covers. I thought they were someone’s weird way of personalization, like others chroming them. But the owner was an old rancher, and the last thing he would worry about was what his engine looked like. I soon saw more than that, so I began to realize that this was a trend from the factory. It’s kind of a shame that so many have long been sanded off…

      Like 3
  7. Avatar YOTA73

    Nice Truck. I would keep as is.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Gary C

    Several personal firsts in my dads ‘63 GMC. I learned to drive in it, had my first wreck in it, and “had” my first girlfriend in it. I got every one of the 150 hp out of this truck power shifting the snot out of it, and it lived. —such a distinctive exhaust note.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Vudutu

    Ok, I have now seen it all, plaid valve covers.

    Like 7
    • Avatar big mike

      I think they look better than stripes.
      Does this plaid make my valve cover look big!!!

      Like 6
  10. Avatar Daniel Blancher

    I a little confused. My 1963 had the front glass wrap around to the A- piller.and my friends 1964 front glass was stright, his A- pillar was on a angle not straight up and down. Still a nice truck

    Like 1
    • Avatar David G

      Daniel Blancher, The ’64-’66 trucks had the angled a pillars and non wrap around windshield. Quickest way to tell a ’64-’66 truck at a quick glance, as well as to spot a ’63 and earlier from the later models.

      Like 2
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      ’60 to ’63 used the super wrap-around windshield with the ‘knee-bumper’ curves in the A-pillars. In 1964 GM changed it to a more moderately curved windshield with straight doors. The object of the game was to limit one’s chances of smashing his/her knees when getting in. And I know that part; I banged my knee many times…

      Like 3
  11. Avatar Johnmloghry

    The year was 1964. The month January, I had just flunked out of high school. My Dad promptly put me on a grey hound bus from Redding, California to Tacoma, Washington where one of my older brothers was a foreman on a farm in Sumner, Washington. The owner also owned a drug store in Puyallup, Washington so he only showed up at the farm occasionally. He hired me to work with my brother on the farm that’s when I first saw his 63 GMC pickup. It had the 305 v6 4 speed manual and positraction rear differential. I remember mentioning that I liked the truck and him saying it gets lousy gas mileage. So that became my forever image of the 305, a gas hog.
    God bless America

    Like 5
  12. Avatar Del

    Wonderfull little truck already over 10gs.

    I would save the 6 on a stand.

    But swap it for a V8

    Like 2
    • Avatar PeteMcGee

      Agree 100 percent. The romance of the V6 fades quickly. A nice 283 would be perfect.

      Like 0
  13. Avatar ctmphrs

    Too bad it’s got that boat anchor V6

    Like 3
  14. Avatar DAVID KENIRY

    i have a 63 gmc short 6 lug styleside
    big window 4×4. project. new wood
    4 bed all new moulding’s from classic, rebuilt frame ,new spring’s, brake’s, diff’s & transfer case cleaned in & out, new front & back windows. rebuilt 7.4, 4 bolt
    454″, rebuilt performance t400, reupolstered frt seat, much more
    2 many project’s.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar NOAH SANVILLE

    Love the whole line of gmc v6’s. I personally have the 305a version of the smallest gmc v6. Everyone here is correct, they dont get the best gas mileage, BUT if you want to be the only person who has one at the local car show then this is for you. So many people have given comments about my truck. When I tell them it has a v6 the old timmers love to tell me storys of how they pushed snow with them back in the late 60’s and 70’s just leaving it in 2nd gear and pushing snow across the country bc of the insane torque. Just the uniquness and the weirdness of people not knowing what it is, is the cool part for me.

    Thanks

    Like 1
  16. Avatar Chris Londish Member

    That rocker cover treatment is new to me not even mentioned in the official GMC history ” The First 100 years”

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Ken

    I would keep this truck bone stock. For the people who whine about the fuel mileage, who cares? It’s not like any sane person would use this truck as their daily driver anyway. I’d drive it on weekends and take it to shows.

    As far as working it, I need a stump pulled in my backyard, and this torque monster can do the job.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar PeteMcGee

    Have seen many plaid valve cover trucks, here’s some info on them. http://6066gmcguy.com/GMCplaid.html

    Like 1
  19. Avatar the one

    Lots of swaps out there, Why?

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to Ken Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.