The date that Napco started to produce conversion units is a little foggy.
I have heard stories of trucks being converted as early as late 1949, but
the earliest documentable truck that I have ever heard of is a 1951 Chevy
3/4-ton owned by Butch Gehrig of Odell, OR. Up until late 1954, all the
conversions were done on 3/4-ton and larger trucks due to the enclosed
drive shaft on the 1/2 ton models. GMC started to produce trucks from the
factory (using Napco components) starting in 1956. Chevy followed in 1957.
The two were identical systems other than the availability of a V-8 and an
automatic transmission on the GMC trucks. The Chevy could only be ordered
with the 235ci-six and a four-speed manual (although there was nothing
stopping an owner from ordering whatever he or she wanted in a 2-wheel
drive truck and then having a Napco Powr-Pak "upfitted" by the dealer).
Both Chevy and GMC went to a totally new chassis in 1960 and Napco was left
out of the new design due to the independent front suspension on the
two-wheel drive trucks and a 4-wheel drive specific chassis on the 4-wheel
drive trucks. Napco did hang around for a few more years, but there main
business shifted to the heavier trucks, 1-1/2 ton and larger.
Kevin Lake
56 GMC Suburban/napco
----------
> From: GremlinGT@aol.com
> To: oletrucks-digest@autox.team.net
> Subject: [oletrucks] History of Chevy 4-wheel drive wanted...
> Date: Sunday, May 23, 1999 9:36 AM
>
> Ok, so Napco did Chevy's early 4x4 trucks...when did this start, and
when
> did did GM start producing their own 4x4 setups in the factory? I thought
57
> was the first year for Napco production, but don't know when it stopped
and
> GM was doing it's own production. Thanks for any enlightenment,
>
> Jerry Casper
> '55-2 Suburban, 2-wd
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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