Two 1960 GMC Trucks, on the left is an F-model, on the right an L-model.
What I have found in doing the research here is that GMC Trucks are hard to pin down as
to what year it is & the best way is to look at the date on the title, but some have
the wrong year on them, due to a truck being rebuilt from a total wreck, or built as a
motor home, & some got sold at later time & were titled for the year sold.
Even the Serial Number can leave one guessing at the year.
Two 1960 GMC Trucks, on the left is an F-model, on the right an L-model.
I can Translate your VIN (vechile Identifcation Number) for you & narrow down just
what year your truck should be, please goto the VIN Number Conversion Page
of this site to find more info on this.
Basic GMC model series designations increase numerically as capacity increases. The first two
digits of the four digit model designation system indicate the basic series model while the last
two digits represent the wheelbase. More correctly, in 1960 the intent has been to have the last
two digits represent a code for determining the CA dimension. Due to the variety of cab designs &
vehicle types, however, this coring system is not 100% consistent. Wheelbase designations range
from 01 (60" CA) to 29 (228" CA) increasing by six inch increments. It is readily apparent that 02
wheelbase designation denotes 66 inch CA, 03 denotes 72 inch CA, etc. A simple method for computing
the CA dimension is to subtract 01 from the wheelbase designation & multiply this figure by 6. Next
add this result to 60 inches for the correct CA. Exception to this rule include cowl, forward control
& light duty 1000-2500 models, plus some slight variations in a small number of heavy duty models
with special vocational CA dimensions. Additional identification of model other than 105
inch BBC conventional four-wheel models is given by prefix letters as follows:
A = Air-Hydraulic or straight Air brakes, B = 90" BBC or B-model, D = Diesel Engine,
H = Heavy Duty, (in 1966 H = H-model), I = Inline Engine, K = All Wheel Drive,
L = 72" steel tilt cab, P = Forward Control Chassis, PB = Forward Control Chassis with Body,
S = School Bus, V = Vacuum-Hydraulic Brakes, W = Tandem Rear Axle.
X = Special wheelbase.
What the VIN on a US built GMC Should Look like:
This what we know about this truck from the number, It's 1963 Model 4000 72" Steel Tilt Cab,
with a 145" wheelbase. It was truck number 4371 off the line for "G" series trucks.
The first letter in the second set is the truck Series. GMC used a "series" letter in the VIN
number, & you can narrow down the year of a GMC truck this way. If there was no major change
made in a truck, the series letter stayed the same, like on a school bus chassis. This 60-66
body style was first built for the 1960 model year, the first series letter is "N" & was used
in 1960 & 1961. In 1962 GMC changed the hood & dash on the trucks, the series letter used for
1962 was "J". 1963 saw the torsion bar front end replaced with coil springs & the rear coil replaced
with leaf springs. The series letter for 1963 is "G". The next major change came in 1964 with the
restyle of the cab, & the option of a inline six engine, the series letter for 1964 to 1966 is "F".
There was not any more major changes for this body style. But there was a series letter "E" used on
some 1965 truck (have not seen any yet) & "D" used on some 1966 truck.
So here is a brake down of the series letters;
N = 1960-61, J = 1962, G = 1963, F =1964-66, E = 1965, D = 1966
The next group of number is the Serial number or unit built number, all series at all plants
started with 1001, or 10,001, we are not too sure as to which years & plants used the 10,001
numbers, but it looks as if they all did in 1966.
The last letter is GVW class.
This GMC Truck Service Parts Identification tag is off a 1963 L-model. This tag will be mounted on
the inside of the dash compartment door or on the inside of the left door. This tag includes, in
addition to model designation & serial number, model or part numbers of axles, transmissions, &
engines. Wheel, spring, & brake information is also shown.
Vehicle rating Plates for "B", "L" & "F" models. For models 1000-3000 see
GMC Light Truck ID page.
Location; "B" model left hand inner cowl, "L" model left hand door hinge pillar, "F" model left
hand door, "S" "P" model located by body builder.
The 3500 to 7000 Conventional Trucks looked much like there smaller pick-up brothers. They used
the same basic cab, same hood same grill, & the fenders looked the same other than the large
wheel flares. The larger trucks also had a running board under the cab.
The Hoods on the 1960 & 1961 GMC's were nearly identical, with the two large ovals in the leading edge
of the hood, integrated with a gap across the entire front of the hood. They had the opening coved
with a wire mesh. Small rectangular park/turn lights were placed on the wire mesh off center to the
outside, one could say the lights looked to be floating in the pods. 1962 through 1966 had the same
hood. 1962 & 1963 had clear front turn signal lenses. 1963 through 1966 used amber lenses. From what
I have found in doing this page is that 1963 had both clear & amber lamps. 1962-1966 parking lamps
were tapered on the inner edges, had no surrounding bezels & clipped into the openings. For more on
GMC hoods, Check the GMC Truck Hood ID page.
The Grilles on GMC trucks of this generation remained the same for the seven years. They were the
dual headlight design with the light assemblies housed in pods. The upper, lower, & inner edges
were raised, giving the head lamps a recessed look. The two pods had a horizontal bar connecting
them. Under this bar the flattened block GMC letters were suspended. 1960 through 1966 used the
oval-shaped "G" & "C" letters in the grille, with the letters being either all chrome, or all painted.
I have not seen the squared-off letters in the grille, with red reflective plastic pinstriping
running through the letters, like the ones found on the Pickups for 1966 on the 3500 & up trucks.
The Cab was changed in 1964 in that the A post now had a forward slop. The 1963 & older a slight
rearward slop. The 1960 though 1963 GMC's had the wraparound windshield, 1964 through 1966 had
the more rectangular flat windshield. This was also the same cab style used for the B-Model.
The front end on the B-model was the same on all years, the cab changed in 1964 as it was basically
the same as the cab used on the pick-up. These trucks could have the V-6, Twin-Six V-12 gasoline,
Toro-Flow diesel, Detroit Diesel engines. The GMC B-model used the same basic cab as the Conventional
trucks, but the GMC B-Model front clip had a look only a true GMC man could like.
For more GMC B-Model info <~~~ Click there.
The tilt-cabs or L & F models were the same for their entire life span. They also could be
had with a sleeper & the F-model with extra storage bins. The L-model could have the V-6,
Twin-Six V-12, or V-8 gasoline, Toro-Flow diesel, Detroit Diesel engines. The F-model Twin-Six
V-12 or V-8 gasoline, Toro-Flow diesel, Detroit Diesel engines. The L-model lasted well into the
late 70s, & the F-model was replaced by the Astro.
For more GMC L-Model info <~~~ Click there.
The F-Model was nicknamed "Crackerbox", you can see why here.
For more GMC F-Model info <~~~ Click there.
In 1966 GMC offered the New Conventional trucks, They came in both 92" & 114" BBC. It also came
with a Tilt or butterfly hood. GMC got the jump on the new body with the big trucks but still
offered the old style Conventional trucks as well. Also you could get a Steel or Fiberglass hood.
These where the "H" & "J" Models.
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