73-87chevytrucks.com

73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Engineer on January 21, 2012, 08:47:04 pm

Title: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Engineer on January 21, 2012, 08:47:04 pm
There were a few K-20 4x4s. But not many. Odds are it is a K-30.

Either way, for 500~600 clams, I'd say you're in my friend.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: timthescarrd on January 21, 2012, 09:34:54 pm
There were a few K-20 4x4s. But not many. Odds are it is a K-30.

Either way, for 500~600 clams, I'd say you're in my friend.

I thought all K-20's were 4x4 isn't that the diff between K and C
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Engineer on January 21, 2012, 10:06:19 pm
I guess I should've specified K-20 crew cab. There were a few, not many. Most crews were 30 series.

Most 20 series crews were 2WD and not 4x4 anyway.

Since the thread topic was about crews, I assumed we were all on the same page. Lol. Sorry for not being more clear.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: timthescarrd on January 21, 2012, 11:20:59 pm
Yeah, my fault, I wasn't aware of Crew Cab 20 series. Not sure what the point there would be
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: 79k30guy on January 22, 2012, 10:22:40 am
be sure and snap some pics to show us all if you go look at it...   This thread got me thinking...  my brothers 3+3 (my twin brother, local here..  lol i have two brothers with 3+3 4x4s) his is a 76 SRW 4X4 but with a Dana 44 under the front.  I'd have to agree with engineer that the K20s were rare, so I'm gonna check his VIN and see if it was a K30 that had the Dana 60 robbed out from under it sometime in the past....   i can't believe we haven't done that yet, just for curiosity's sake....   
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on January 22, 2012, 11:46:41 am
     So I saw an ad for a 74 4+4, opened it up and is a crew 4wd single axle truck.  Did they make these in 74 ?
    http://redding.craigslist.org/cto/2794822156.html   this is the listing if you are wondering.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Engineer on January 22, 2012, 01:10:40 pm
First year for the Dana60 front equipped K-30 was 1977.

The crew started production in 1973 as a C-30. I don't know when the 3/4 crews went 4x4. Nor am I sure when the 3/4 crew came out. The 3/4 crews may have started in '73 like the C-30, but Chevy didn't start building the D60 K30 trucks until 1977.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 25, 2012, 05:53:10 pm
77 was the first year for the K30, Regular cab or crew cab.


As for what year was the first available  4x4 crew cab I'd say 75-76 .I have a 76 and its a failrly rare truck its a Silverado/Camper Special  with A/C and Cruise 350/TH350/NP203 Dana 44 front and 14-bolt rear  Most of the other 76 crew cabs I've come across have been custom deluxe , with very few options

The 4x4 crew as I was told was made in response too Alaska Pipeline project . 
Title: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on January 25, 2012, 10:40:59 pm
1976 was the first year that the Bonus Cab (no rear seat) was made.
1977 was the first year for the K30 Crew and conventional cab

GM never produced a K20 series Crew Cab/Bonus Cab.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 25, 2012, 11:40:39 pm
1976 was the first year that the Bonus Cab (no rear seat) was made.
1977 was the first year for the K30 Crew and conventional cab

GM never produced a K20 series Crew Cab/Bonus Cab.

Um ,  I own a 76 K20 Crew Cab .
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on January 26, 2012, 06:33:39 am
77 was the first year for the K30, Regular cab or crew cab.


As for what year was the first available  4x4 crew cab I'd say 75-76 .I have a 76 and its a failrly rare truck its a Silverado/Camper Special  with A/C and Cruise 350/TH350/NP203 Dana 44 front and 14-bolt rear  Most of the other 76 crew cabs I've come across have been custom deluxe , with very few options

The 4x4 crew as I was told was made in response too Alaska Pipeline project .

     I am kinda a fact person (blame it on my childhood why I have a hard time taking people at their word), where did you get this information from.  I thought the same thing about 77 and k-30 but never could get it confirmed.
     So buy your belief 75 was the first year they produced the k20 crew single rear axle ?
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on January 26, 2012, 06:42:05 am
     Blazin any word yet ?
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Blazin on January 26, 2012, 06:49:21 am
Nope!!  >:(
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on January 26, 2012, 07:57:20 am
For what its worth my 3+3's frame is a 1975 ( cab is a 90)  paid 300 for truck single rear wheel 3/4 ton 4x4 205 transfercase 4 speed stick dana 44 in front 14ff in rear. cab and box were rotted frame was perfect. Yes had to do a little fab work for proper cab alignment. I bought it off original owner
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on January 26, 2012, 11:56:49 am
Um ,  I own a 76 K20 Crew Cab .

Um, no you don't.  GM never produced a K20 series Crew Cab/Bonus Cab.  What is your VIN number?  It would have to be CKL24xxxxxx, and like I stated, the first year for 1 ton 4x4's was 1977 and first year for 4x4 crews was the same year.  If indeed your VIN is what I stated, I would love to see it as it goes against everything I have researched. 

In my 27 years of working on and gathering information on, they didn't make it.  I have brochures backing this up, and if you need further proof, look at the 1976 brochure off of GM's site and look up Crew Cab, there is no K anything listed for 1976, and I am 100% confident that if you look at every other year you will not find a K20 Crew in them either.. 

This is their pdf brochure..  http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/docs/Chevrolet-Trucks/1976-Chevrolet-Truck.pdf

I am also sure you can find the same on Slosh's page...
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 26, 2012, 12:49:43 pm
I'll get back to you on the VIN, But I can tell you this the Fender badges say Silverado 20 as does the Title . I'm the second owner I bought it form the original owner who ordered it.


There is a thread on Pirate ( and on CK5) about my truck because there were many other people who thought there were no 20 series 4x4 crew cabs. Also Mine is not the only one I've seen in person and they all sport 20 Series Badges on the fenders and have Dana 44 front ends.


Your Brochures are the same ones I have, I dont put much stock in them though. Bucket Seats were available in these trucks . but its not mentioned in every year sales brochure . 

I'm on my Phone right now I'll post some pictures and try to get the VIN  in the next day or two better yet I'll start a thread its rough but but still a neat truck
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on January 26, 2012, 04:43:33 pm
Title and badges don't mean anything.  I know where a one owner truck that was purchased new is sitting and it has GMC badges on one side and Chevy on another.  I also have seen a title that was clearly a Blazer VIN and the truck being sold was a Blazer and the title said C5, not K5/K10 as there was no such thing as a C5...

Not sure what you mean by buckets, but from the factory no Crew Cabs were available with bucket seats and after 1982 no trucks were available with buckets.  The ones that I have seen that have them show nothing on the RPO sheet.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 26, 2012, 06:10:24 pm
Thats my point, just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean they don't exist. GM did alot of weird things over the years.

My 79 K30 has Buckets, and its not listed on the RPO sheet , and my 1979 sales Brochure mentions nothing of buckets , but they are factory my dad ordered the truck new




So how do you explain my truck and 79k30guys brothers truck???
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 26, 2012, 07:26:12 pm
Ok the VIN# is CKL2462114609

c = chevy
k = 4wd
l = 350 4 brrl.
2 = 3/4 ton
4 = pickup
6 = 1976 model
2 = plant (unlisted)
The other #'s are the serial #

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g190/yellowk20/133-1.jpg)


As you can see the at the bottom left  CREWCAB 4x4 in the options list , sorry for the cruddy picture and cutting of the first letter of the option code

Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Engineer on January 26, 2012, 10:02:19 pm
I'm convinced. :)
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on January 27, 2012, 06:36:57 am
     After all this confusion, I went to redding Ca. where someone listed a 75 k20 crew cab for sale  ( http://redding.craigslist.org/cto/2794822156.html ), just to look at it, it does have the 5 in the sixth spot of the vin ( he would not let me take a pic, he acted funny when I asked ).
     So know I wonder if yellow k20 is right about specials being built for the pipeline project, if so I might have to buy that one.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on January 27, 2012, 02:23:53 pm
Capt. you have me puzzled/curious now i'm going have  to get the vin from the frame as it's stamped on there somewhere. I also may have kept the title after i scraped the cab. I don't rember what the badges on the side said. So just so i understand you correctly are you saying there was no 4x4 crewcabs proir to 1977?
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on January 29, 2012, 02:36:38 pm
Found VIN# CKY245B161908  not sure what it all means.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 29, 2012, 03:39:46 pm
okay,

C=Chevy
K=4x4
Y=350 4-bbl
2=3/4 ton "20 series"
4= Pickup
5= 1975 model year
B= Balitimore Ohio assembly Plant

the rest of the numbers are the serial #
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on January 30, 2012, 10:51:40 am
Thanks Yellow20, seems like with internet and everything it would be neat if we could find someone who still is alive that actually built these things.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on January 30, 2012, 08:21:10 pm
Playing Catchup on on this.  I agree GM did strange things and nothing surprises me.  I would explain it and I am convinced that you have a 3/4T Crew based on the RPO that specifically lists 4x4 Crew Cab.  I would also agree based on the RPO that the model number lists a 3/4 Ton Crew Cab 2WD (CC20963) and that it was definitely a 4x2 that GM made a 4x4 in 1976 in 4x4 form.  BTW, a 4x4 Crew would have model number CK30943.

Also, you Plant ID is Z and it was made in Fremont.

As for the buckets, dealers could add anything to an order, it isn't listed in GM's brochures because it wasn't readily available.  The is the same thing as 12bolt rear after 1980 when they officially were discontinued in 1980, but you could order it with one up to 1982, there are tons of other things GM did crazy like this.

pholliday1, if you have the RPO that is how you can tell the model if it was a  without it....
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: yellowk20 on January 30, 2012, 09:50:20 pm
I almost didn't by my truck , I was looking for a K30 but it was such an oddity I had to have it .The guy I bought it from Ordered it from Alaska Sales and Service in Anchorage .  Had to wait nearly 4 months to get it  he used it to haul AV-GAS  for his Float plane and to pick up and drop of his hunting clients for his guide service .

I've replaced the front axle, trans and t-case, Bed and 3-doors  with units form an 81 K30 .

Since I've had mine I've come across about a 1/2 dozen other 75-76 K20 crew cabs that were Pipeline trucks , But they were all in really poor condition from rust and extreme use .
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on February 04, 2012, 08:57:52 am
Sorry Capt no rpo I acutally stopped by scap yard looking for cab hoping it was still there been awhile since i scrapped it. Still have title to 1975 crewcab anyone looking for a title to a crewcab that was never built LOL
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: knightrider84 on February 06, 2012, 10:05:22 pm
hey guys, just had to check my VIN, and for what it's worth:
C= chevy
K= 4x4
L= 350 4bl
2= 3/4 ton
4= pick-up
6= 1976
Z= fremont plant


just saying....
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: knightrider84 on February 06, 2012, 10:07:52 pm
and there is no denying its got four doors and two bench seats!!!
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 07, 2012, 07:29:56 am
hey guys, just had to check my VIN, and for what it's worth:
C= chevy
K= 4x4
L= 350 4bl
2= 3/4 ton
4= pick-up
6= 1976
Z= fremont plant


just saying....

  http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,22864.15.html       This really needs to go away, in this thread Capt. explains that GM produced 2wd versions that they converted into 4wd 3/4 ton crew cabs for some reason.  Who knows why, maybe yellowk20 is right, they made them for Alaska pipe line, Capt. says to go with rpo on truck, not just with vin #.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: pholliday1 on February 08, 2012, 12:51:11 pm
"this really needs to go away" ? why? This forum is for open discussion. I think it's great that we have an open topic. The truth is we don't know for 100% what the most accurate answer is. In all reality capt. most likely has hit the nail right on the head. We may never figure out all of the "y"s to this question, but do we really have to stop talking about it?
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: thirsty on February 08, 2012, 01:36:35 pm
"this really needs to go away" ? why? This forum is for open discussion. I think it's great that we have an open topic.
I think he meant go away from Blazin's thread about him getting another square and into a new topic about K20 crews.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 08, 2012, 07:30:39 pm
"this really needs to go away" ? why? This forum is for open discussion. I think it's great that we have an open topic.
I think he meant go away from Blazin's thread about him getting another square and into a new topic about K20 crews.

      That is what I meant, it's not cool (at least in my book) to high jack someone else's thread, even if it is along the same topic, I think it should have it's own thread like thirsty said.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on February 08, 2012, 07:44:44 pm
That was a pain, but it's split now.  If I missed something, let me know.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 08, 2012, 08:48:00 pm
     Thanks Capt.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Otez Fedor on February 09, 2012, 01:15:04 am
and like I stated, the first year for 1 ton 4x4's was 1977 and first year for 4x4 crews was the same year.


76 Chevy K30 Army , made in Canada, 350/TH350/NP203 Dana 44 front and 14-bolt rear


(http://s58.radikal.ru/i159/1105/0b/7d49a9ba7458.jpg)
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 09, 2012, 06:29:47 am
and like I stated, the first year for 1 ton 4x4's was 1977 and first year for 4x4 crews was the same year.


76 Chevy K30 Army , made in Canada, 350/TH350/NP203 Dana 44 front and 14-bolt rear


(http://s58.radikal.ru/i159/1105/0b/7d49a9ba7458.jpg)

     We had to split this topic off another one so we wouldn't high jack someone's else's thread.  We are talking about crew cab 4x4 and when they went into actual production.  Sorry for the confusion, but nice truck.  Are you planning on restoring it ?  looks like it would make a nice driver.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Hollowman on February 10, 2012, 04:36:08 am
I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but since you seem to know a lot about the VIN numbers here, what does this mean? CCL16AF103229, from 1980.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 10, 2012, 08:12:30 pm
     CCL16AF103229    C=CHEVY,  C=2WD,  L=350V8,   1=1/2 TON,  6=BLANK NUMBER,  A=1980,  F=FLINT(ASSY PLANT),  103229=SEQUENTIAL SERIAL # 
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Hollowman on February 11, 2012, 07:58:06 am
Thank you! Later I found a homepage with complete VIN numbers for all different years, etc, and it says that the 6 means it's a Suburban or "Sport Van"!  8)
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: bake74 on February 11, 2012, 08:08:07 am
Thank you! Later I found a homepage with complete VIN numbers for all different years, etc, and it says that the 6 means it's a Suburban or "Sport Van"!  8)

      Good to know, I didn't find that so now I know.
Title: Re: K20 Crew cab maybe?
Post by: Captkaos on February 22, 2012, 11:59:30 pm
The VIN breakdown in on our Homepage:
http://73-87chevytrucks.com/VIN.htm