[Eskimo]

I figured I'd get more replies here...

I went and looked at a '69 Chevy long bed the other day for a potential tow rig... a few things stand out:

1: owner swapped in a 396BBC, with turbo 400 tranny. very clean swap.
2: Truck has leaf springs on the rear, and a 12-bolt. Said the leafs were stock.
3: he added saginaw power steering.
4: said he converted to discs in the front... brakes (power) work well.
5: rust here and there: bottom of the doors, door sills, right rear cab area, and tailgate.

It's a pretty cool truck, and has power for SURE.

What would you think? He's asking $2k, will more than likely take $1500..

I'm looking at it to tow my 4500-ish lb. chevy-powered FJ-40, but may tow other stuff, too... what would you think to be the safe limit? (assuming trailer brakes)

Does any of the points above raise a flag with the experts in here?

 

[Two Dogs F..king]

might wanna beef it up a bit. 1500 is a good price though.

 

[Eskimo]

might wanna beef it up a bit. 1500 is a good price though.

Is this tech? thought so.. beef up WHAT? :flipoff2:

 

[Motornoggin]

Looks like it's got good parts on it. As long as the brakes are good you should be ok. You might look at installing bags or overload springs. I wouldn't go more than 5500lbs or so

 

[ranger]

Make sure you do a good inspection for rust. Around the later 60 and early 70s they had some serious issues with rot around the kickplates, floorboards where the door seal fits, aaround the windshield, bottom of doors. I have worked on many trucks in this vintage and it is rare to find one without serious cancer. Make sure you pull up carpets and mats to check these areas.
On a good side they sell just about any body part you could need to fix it, but it can get expensive.
If the truck has factory leafs, thats a rare option for that year.
I wouldn't tow with a 1/2 ton truck, get a 3/4 or 1 ton, or uprage the axle to 14 bolt or Dana 60.:skull:

 

[Eskimo]

well I can get a 14 bolt easy enough...

and I will go back and do a mroe detailed rust check in those areas, but the windshield area looked good...

Were the frames THAT much different back then? I wanna know that I'll be safe hooking 6000-6500 lbs to it with the 14-bolt.

 

[ranger]

Alot of times the rust in the windsheild area is hidden under the seal. What happens is after time, water leaks behind the seal and rots the bottom lip. Rust develops and eventually rots through, water gets inside the window frame, pools down inside the kick board and starts to rot there. Had three trucks of the 69 - 72 vintage that all had the same problem, these were Calif trucks.
Most of the rust on these trucks is caused by bad seals, like the bottom of doors. If the seals were good, and the drain holes were kept clean, rust wouldn't really be a factor.
The majority of the vintage trucks have the track bar/coil spring rear, don't see many with leaf springs. Alot easier to modify leafs than track bars, if you wanted to do a lift.:skull:

 

[Black Dog]

A lift? It's 2WD. We are talking about a $1500 truck with a good big block, and you guys are talking like you expect the body to be perfect too .

 

[Eskimo]

well, i do want my feet to stay dry

But I'm more concerned with the weight it can pull with either the 12-bolt, or a 14 bolt.

 

[Motornoggin]

Were the frames THAT much different back then? I wanna know that I'll be safe hooking 6000-6500 lbs to it with the 14-bolt.

Frames were the same.

 

[Travis_K]

That is a really good deal for a truck with a BB. I think with how much you said you want to tow it will be fine. If you buy it, there are 2 important things you need to find out. 1. did he use big block or small block towers when he put the engine in. (affects how high it will sit in the frame). 2. what year truck did the disc brakes come from. There are like 4 different kinds, and they all have some different parts. Also, if the rear axle has been changed to 5 lug, it is not the original axle. Not that it is a big deal, but just take a look at it to make sure it is put in right. lol Trust me, I would not have said that for no reason.

 

[KWTMECH]

Having tow trucks myself, the largest issue is safety when towing another vehicle, and that means being able to stop BOTH vehicles especially in a panic situation---lot of idiots on the road that think because you are towing something your holding up traffic and thus speed around you and cut you off--- anyway, go with the 14 bolt and convert the front to 8 lug, put on a 3/4 ton master and you should be fine, along with making sure the hitch is properly rated for what you are hauling. btw that is an awsome deal with all the upgrades.

 

[6869704x4]

Does your trailer have brakes?
Another concern is the 12 bolt being a C-clip, and that old. Hauling a rig puts even more strain on the axle shafts and bearings. It should be OK while your hunting a 14 bolt. Look for a 1-ton truck 14bolt. Should have spring perches the same(or very close) to your truck. You would only have to move shock mounts.
If you find a junked out 3/4 ton 69-72, SCORE! It will have either an Eaton or Dana-60 and springs and maybe the stuff to go 8lug on the front too. Parts are getting scarce for the Eatons though.
There were also minor differences in the running gear during 67-72 so the same rules for swapping and fabbing stuff apply. I thinking you are familiar with that.
Here is a good place for those trucks.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/index.php3?s=

 

[Travis_K]

One thing, on the 3/4 ton master cylender, the front and back brake lines are the oppitite of a 1/2 ton. so, like one one the front resorvoir is for the front, and one the other it is for the back. also, if you want to convert to 8 lug in the front, the whole front crossmember fro any 71-87 3/4 ton will bolt right in.