Is a GMC truck just a dressed up Chevy truck?

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I was always under the impression that a GMC truck was just a dressed-up Chevy truck. So my question is that if that is true, what is the allure? They cost quite a bit more to start with. I am not trying to be snarky; I am really curious.
If it wasn't for the ex forcing sale I'd still have Black/Grey GMC 1 Ton 4x4, 454, 4.11's. 11 MPG uphill or down. Era of the 454SS. That truck rocked !
 
If it wasn't for the ex forcing sale I'd still have Black/Grey GMC 1 Ton 4x4, 454, 4.11's. 11 MPG uphill or down. Era of the 454SS. That truck rocked !
'89, SnugTop w/ carpet kit, cooler, custom campbox w/Coleman stove, pans,cooking yit, spices etc. 5 Gallon LPG fit under the bed. Rack in the receiver for xtras if not towing the CJ.

Trips to Idaho, Eastern Sierras. I'll never forget She B. Gimpy the pit flying thru the slider breaking the windshield/rearview off PO'd at passing dog in the fast lane NB 101 at the start of a trip. The ex was throttling her as she wasn't happy after jumping over the 7 month old in the infant seat. Whoops !
 
When I was in the Navy, and had the 440-6 tore down, some clown told me "I should just go to the Dodge dealer and order a new short block."

"Why Dodge?"

"Because they are better"

"Better?"

"Yeah, the Dodge engines are built better than the Plymouth ones."


I tried to explain to him that the short block will have a CHRYSLER corp part number but he was adamant that Dodge engines are better quality than Plymouth

lol.. one of the first places i took my 64 valiant that i had stuck a 440 in a guy who owned a 64 or 65 dart is checking it out and says he can't have a Plymouth in the garage. i was like they are the same damn thing ya jackass..
 
The early hemis were in dodges, desotos and chryslers. They were totally different motors.
Ford and mercury had similar flathead motors. Mercuries had a few more cubes and horsepower.
Some early GMC trucks had pontiac motors in them [straight 6 cyl. flathead with 2 cyl. heads.]
Up to the mid 1970's all gm products had different V-8 motors. Buick, olds., pontiac, chevy, and cadillac were all different. Mercury had a 410 which was an overgrown 390 ford. Lincoln had its own flathead and its own 462 V-8. There was a lot of stuff happening back then.
 
Dakota pick up.My sister owned 2. She still has her 2000.It's her forever truck.

Me too. 2000 R/T extended cab.

It's the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned and I can still work on almost all of it.

I'm keeping that truck until one of us dies.
 
The early hemis were in dodges, desotos and chryslers. They were totally different motors.
Ford and mercury had similar flathead motors. Mercuries had a few more cubes and horsepower.
Some early GMC trucks had pontiac motors in them [straight 6 cyl. flathead with 2 cyl. heads.]
Up to the mid 1970's all gm products had different V-8 motors. Buick, olds., pontiac, chevy, and cadillac were all different. Mercury had a 410 which was an overgrown 390 ford. Lincoln had its own flathead and its own 462 V-8. There was a lot of stuff happening back then.
When I got out of the Navy in 74, I was working in a parts store. A local kid had a brand new Firebird, with a Chev engine. He had come in looking for an air filter, and this was the days when a big huge note in the catalogs told you to get the code out of the VIN. I asked him if he knew whether it was a Ponch or Chev engine and He told me "Pontiac" and I did not double check. Came back later, "it won't fit," went out and opened the hood, I took one look and announced, "Chev." He says "How can you tell?" and said "I thought you were kidding." There were lots of crestfallen / surprised looks back then
 
There were other gotchas. The Chev 400 SB was actually a lot closer to 401, but they called it a 400, and the BB version a 401 to keep them apart. They were easily confused, and we sold lots of parts that came back because someone called out the wrong CID
 
The SAME gotcha applied to IHC engines. In the mid 70's IHC put 401 AMC engines into their products, but IHC ALSO made a 401 V8. SO THEY RENAMED the AMC engine a 400 for differentiation. BUT "smart" mechs would raise the hood, say "oh that's an AMC 401" and go order parts. Well They were actually ordering parts for an IHC 401 so THEY DID NOT FIT

I actually got into a heated discussion about this a few years ago with an avid IHC 'expert' but he called me on the phone later, and said I was correct.
 
BB chev was a "402" and advertised as a 396 in cars but a 400 in trucks.

What chevy engine was in pre-1982 body firebirds?
 
Most famously the olds 403 was used in "6.6" badged trans am's circa 1977-81.

Trans am's with pontiac engines had "400" badging.

I'm fairly certain that the 305 didn't show up until the next body style- 1982, and by then you couldn't get any pontiac engine in that car, but you could get a "corporate" chevy 2.8 or even a 151 4 cyl.

Just learned the 151 was a pontiac design.
 
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Most famously the olds 403 was used in "6.6" badged trans am's circa 1977-81.

Trans am's with pontiac engines had "400" badging.

I'm fairly certain that the 305 didn't show up until the next body style- 1982, and by then you couldn't get any pontiac engine in that car, but you could get a "corporate" chevy 2.8 or even a 151 4 cyl.

Just learned the 151 was a pontiac design.
the 151 "The Iron Duke" They put 231 Buick's in the firebirds as well.
 
The 3.8?

They did pretty much put that in everything, but I've not seen one in a firebird or camaro.

Those cars did get the 4.3 (but I think not until the gen 4 body), which was actually a pretty good engine for those and other smaller cars and even the s-10.
Funny the s-10 got that engine way earlier IIRC.

Wait, maybe I did see a camaro with a 3.8 once. Almost bought it for my mom.
 
I own a 93 S10 2.8 5 speed. I also daily a 91 GMC JIMMY (S15) 2 door 4.3 4x4 with the heavier duty trans (auto). I have yet to find a first gen 2 door Chevy blazer (not the full size now) with the heavier duty components (4.3). So, Is the GMC dressed up? If it is, its dressed for success. With saying this, I have seen a 4x4 pickup (chevrolet) with the 4.3, but not the blazer......only with the GMC emblem. Go figure.

$0.02

Also, I have yet to see a first gen 4.3 in front of a manual trans. Not saying they dont exist, just have yet to see one.
 
Pontiac had a 301
I'm referring to GM engines with common CID which caused the confusion. There was no Chev 301, even though the Z28 301 was what us kids called a 301 (punched 283) before Chev built them.
 
I'm referring to GM engines with common CID which caused the confusion. There was no Chev 301, even though the Z28 301 was what us kids called a 301 (punched 283) before Chev built them.
The Z was advertised as a 302. None of the math works out exact it seems.
 
Chevy also made a 4.3 (262) V8 as well as the 4.3 V6.
 
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my teenage dream, Colt Seavers truck! and Jodie of course.....
The AMC Cherokee and Wagoner are great looking, but lets call them SUV's.
 
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