After covering a mere 104,000 miles, this 1968 GMC 2500 pickup needs a fourth owner. That’s right, the current owner is the third, and the first two were brothers, so do they even count as a pair? This great find was sent in by Rocco B. and is located in Arlington, Washington (just north of Seattle). It’s advertised here on craigslist and is priced at $7,200, with the seller stating that it’s not a fire sale.
GMC advertised its 1968 truck line as its most powerful lineup ever. Styling had been changed the year before, bringing both the GMC and its Chevrolet brethren right up to date. The seller tells us that this particular truck was used by the first brother to pull a camping trailer (note the substantial step bumper and hitch), and the second brother mounted a camper in the bed. The seller mentions that tie-down hooks were installed to hold the bed camper in place. We can see that some trim is missing on this side of the truck. I was surprised to find that complete reproduction sets are available, but at a price of nearly $1,000, I’d have to really want to restore the truck! Naturally, being a truck, the bed and body have their share of dings and surface rust, but the seller has already repaired the “minor” rust spots.
The remaining surface rust in the bed doesn’t look bad to me at all. The seller also mentions the recent installation of new parts, including an Edelbrock carburetor, a new electronic distributor, exhaust, tires, a fuel sending unit, and power steering hoses. It gives one the impression the truck is “ready to work.”
Seat upholstery is in order! Numerous quality kits are available for less than $400, or do the old blanket thing and be period correct!
This handwritten maintenance table fascinated me. My father used to keep a small notebook in the dash of every vehicle we had, and it would look something like this. While there are certainly gaps in the history, it’s nice to see that someone has looked after the truck over the years.
The seller tells us this is the original 327-cubic-inch V-8. Depending on the engine option chosen, it could have been originally rated between 240 and 275 horsepower. Any 327 should be plenty to scoot this truck along the back roads. Does this 2500 appeal to you?
I remember when my Dad came home with a ’68 Custom Camper 1/2 ton. He used it pretty typical for a farm truck but it wasn’t long before he realized that he needed a 3/4 ton, which he turned his ray of sunshine toward, a couple of years later. I’d have preferred him to stay with GM or Ford but he went to International, which actually worked out quite well.
I’ll agree that this is probably a 327. It will likely have the rectangular blocks on the heads which say little more than it’s running truck heads and 240 hp. The “Camel Hump” heads on the car version would give it a strong 275 hp.
Transmission is more likely a TH350 but there’s the outside chance that it’s running a TH400. Nothing wrong with either one but I tell everyone who runs one of these: “Check that auxiliary ground on the battery to ensure that it’s secure to the front header; if that ground wire breaks, the headlights will ground through the frame, the rear axle and up the driveshaft to the transmission where the electrolysis will plate all the brass onto the drums running within, basically destroying the transmission.
We got the service bulletin from GM and the very next day, the first victim came in–on a hook. Pull the driveshaft and you’ll see brass coating the slip yoke.
And it’s not just GM cars and trucks; skuttlebutt says that Chrysler and Ford were susceptible too.
This truck appeals to me in some ways although I’d prefer to find a 1/2 ton Custom Camper like my Dad had. But at any rate, you won’t work this to death; you’ll have to kill it with a stick…
This looks like a nice solid old workhorse. The 327 is great, and like Geomechs already said, a THM 350 or 400 would be fine. ( I’ll throw in a guess at it being a 400 because of it being a 3/4 ton). Its a nice find. Great write up too Jaime. Thank you!!
Not perfect, but you often see a lot worse for considerably more money. It’s apparent issue are relatively easy to remedy.
Steve R
My 1968 vintage Hollander’s Junkyard Interchange Manual says that the only automatic transmissions available in a 3/4 ton 2WD Chevy truck were a PowerGlide and a TH-400. Apparently a TH-350 was not an option.
I wouldn’t have expected that a Power Glide would have been an option, but the racers have proved over the years that they are tough. I intended to junk the Power Glide in my 62 Impala when I got out of school in 1975, but never got around to doing it. Now that I’m over 70, I hate to admit it but the Muncie’s in my other cars are a minor problem, I’m glad that I left the Power Glide.