67-72 1/2 ton question

My Grandpa is restoring one of these, not sure on the exact year. But I was at his shop the other day and it's a regular cab longbox. I am a little perplexed as to the suspension, it has leaf springs in the rear and it's got 5 lug rims. Weren't the 1/2 tons 6 lug originally? Did the 3/4 ton have leafs in the rear? My thought is it's a 3/4 ton converted to 1/2 ton with squarebody parts.

I thought those years were all coils in the back and pretty sure they were 5 lug

Here's the skinny.

1967-1970 C10's were 6 lug. Halfway through 1970 they switched to disc front brakes and 5 lug, or at least that's the story; I've never seen a 1970 with factory 5 lug but I'm not saying they don't exist. 1971-1972 are disc brake with 5 lug.

The Chevys typically had coil rears; GMC's were leaf. This was the last generation of trucks where there were any significant differences between Chevy and GMC, though the trucks were still almost identical.

I'm not a 67-72 expert; I knew more about 60-66 where there were more differences between Chevy and GMC...but I've forgotten tons of that stuff by now.

Richard

halfton came that way two some came like that majority are all coil sprung but i got a buddythat had one had a hell of a time trying to find a frme after he wrecked it because he want it orginal not ad on with bolts so took a while to find one they are rare

I have had both I had a 72 and a 67. Prior to disk brakes being installed you could order what Chevy called a "heavy half ton" which meant you got rear leaf springs and 6 lugs suppose to be a more heavy duty set up, but a normal half ton was coils in the rear and 5 lugs, GMCs are alot more common for finding the rear leaf springs.

Low - not to confuse it though, like you said "prior to disk brakes" meaning prior to 1970 ("and a half") there were no 5 lugs. All the half tons were 6 lug, no matter what.

Richard

I put airride and wheels on a 66 Chevy reg cab longbed about 6-7 years ago and it was a 5 lug with drum brakes. It also had the link bars in the rear that streched under the cab with coils.

Ya, I had a 69(which the same grandpa gave me) way back and it was six lug.

Absolutely, without question, modified to 5 lug. Where they got 5 lug front drums from, dunno, maybe a full size car. Most people convert 'em to disc and the 5 lug is a byproduct of that. Seen plenty with 5 lug up front from a disc conversion and still have the 6 lug rear out back. Also seen the opposite, someone blow up the rear end, sub a later model 5 lugger in there, and still have 6 lug front drums.

In the mid to late 80's I ran a used parts biz for the 1960-1966 generation GM trucks, owned several as personal vehicles too (and also one 1959) and like I said while I've forgotten tons of stuff about them over the years, but there are some things you never forget.

Richard