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1968 GMC 1500 Truck - Blueberry BeaterA GMC Built Sweet enough to Eat From the September, 2008 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road By Fred Williams Photography by Fred Williams
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Even with the mesh floor,... Even with the mesh floor, the bed is still able to haul the bare necessities-a tow strap, a Hi-Lift, some tools, and a custom fuel cell. The rear of the stepside bed was shortened just behind the fenders to reduce overhang from anchoring the truck during trail rides. When you think of wheeling fullsize trucks, you exPECT big-block power to get the beast moving and heavy axles to keep it trucking. Well, Chris Godfrey didn't get the whole message. As it turns out, Chris is a diesel mechanic with a penchant for vehicles built by the General. He's owned a Chevelle and an older Firebird, but he also owns a Dodge diesel with a straight-six Cummins, and maybe it was a mixture of these that convinced him to leave the torquey 292 straight-six gas engine in this '68 GMC when he found it. Chris discovered the truck in a field near his home of San Luis Obispo, California, and he was not only able to buy the truck but also get it running well enough to drive home with only $200 out of his pocket. Of course some folks would consider this time for a restoration or repower, but Chris figured that the 1/2-ton longbed stepside would make a great trail rig. One night after a bit too much bench racing he and some pals fired up the torch and slashed the rear overhang of his truck to make it just a bit more trail-friendly. Over time other upgrades were made to his sky-blue ride-1-ton axles, bigger tires, and tricks for suspension and visibility-but the engine never left. This truck really stood out to us for these reasons: It's built to wheel, it doesn't have any unneeded extra stuff, and with its bright paint and knobby Swampers it just looks fun to drive.
Drivetrain
Engine: 292 straight-six
Transmission: SM465
Transfer Case: NP205
Front Axle: Dana 60, 5.13 gears, Ox Locker
Rear Axle: Corporate 14-bolt, 5.13 gears, Mini spool
Suspension
Springs & Such: Deaver rear leaf springs with Rancho shocks, recycled front leaf springs with Fox Shocks
Steering: Crossover with Off Road Design steering-box brace and Sky Manufacturing steering arms
Tires & Wheels: 38x12.50-16.5 on steel wagon wheels
Other Stuff: Custom half doors, steel grate bed floor, bed bobbed, pipe bumpers  White steel wagon wheels are...  White steel wagon wheels are so out of style that they are now coming back, and we dig 'em with the tall skinny 38-inch Super Swamper TSLs under Chris Godfrey's beater GMC. It's not every day that we stop and check out a truck parked along the side of the road, but this truck hooked us with its bright paint and pulled us in with its rock-simple build recipe. The front is a Dana 60 stuffed with 5.13 gears and an Ox Locker. The front suspension is a hodgepodge of leaves Chris had lying around assisted with some Fox Shocks. The steering has a crossover drag link with Sky Manufacturing arms putting the tie rod behind the differential, while the box itself is secured with an Off Road Design brace.  Who in their right mind would...  Who in their right mind would keep the heavy old 292 straight-six in their fullsize wheeling truck? His name is Chris Godfrey, and the engine seems to do him just fine. Chris figured out that he already had it, it ran, and it's unique when everyone else is running V-8s. Chris did soup it up with a Holley four-barrel, Hedman headers, and a factory HEI distributor.  Underneath is a Deaver leaf-sprung...  Underneath is a Deaver leaf-sprung rear 14-bolt fed from an NP205 transfer case bolted to an SM465 four-speed manual transmission. But noteworthy are a few weight-saving measures done to boost the power-to-weight ratio of the old GMC. The heavy rear drums were swapped out and replaced with a disc-brake kit from Sky Manufacturing, and the rusty floor was replaced with a steel grate, making a giant storage basket without adding weight.  The cab has been kept simple...  The cab has been kept simple with a big comfy bench seat, beer-tap shifter knobs, and a cool half door-perfect when your wheeling rig is a fullsize truck. And it's fun to come home from every wheeling trip, so Chris had his friend Chris Bishop build a 2-inch-diameter tube cage in the cab of his classic ride.
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