Dave Plummer is hardly the first enthusiast who went looking for one model of vehicle, only to shift gears and end up with something else, but his story is an interesting evolution, nonetheless. “I had been searching for years for a ½-ton 1967-’72 big-block short bed GMC Sierra Grande—a ‘muscle truck’ of sorts—but never found one. In the meantime, I stumbled onto this one-owner ¾-ton Longhorn, and for about half a second contemplated shortening it,” Dave explained. However, the heavy-duty, distinctive nature of the long GMC quickly reeled Dave in, and a return to original condition ensued.
Much of the motivation for a stock restoration hinged on the GMC’s well-preserved condition. Credit for that goes to original owners Fred and Jessie Klotthor, and athe Klotthors’ extended family, and grandkids fondly recall riding and sleeping in the camper on the GMC. We’re told there was even an intercom fitted between the camper and the truck cab, and while that doesn’t sound high-tech today, some would have considered it cutting-edge in the day.
