I have just bought a 1972 GMC sprint. It has a matching # 402 CTB big block, turbo 400, 12 bolt with 3.55 gears. It also has SS guages, but a flat hood. There is one more thing, It has a vinyl top that goes all the way down the side of the bed. Everything seems to be original. Is there anyone with knowledge about sprints. I need some help.

No idea on the value, but I would love to see that vinyl top, sounds funky. Do you have any pics to post? Welcome to TC. John

Please post your VIN and complete cowl tag codes here and I'll decode them so we can see what we are dealing with here :)

the vin number is 5D80U2l507775
the cowl tag reads

st 72 53680 l 00784 bdy
tr720 a52 63 a p
05d 598 258 300421

I believe that it is a V8 custom with a 402 because the numbers match on the motor. It is all original under the hood with the original 4 brl and AC. The gauges are ss style with tach and working clock and working gauges on the sides. Has 12 bolt but couldn't find rear end codes. I know they are supposed to be on the passenger side. Auto trans but have checked that either. It also has original cruise control and tilt steering wheel with gmc on the horn button. Has red gmc and 400 emblems in the grill. Any help with Authenticating it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Charles

sounds like a nice find! welcome!

The main reason I asked about the cowl tag codes is because I've always been curious about the "extended vinyl top" that is seen on a few 1972 El Caminos. Normally, the vinyl top would cover only the roof and sail panels. But on some, there is a long stainless steel trim strip that runs along the upper bed sides. The vinyl top runs between this trim and the bed perimeter molding.

I have also seen 1972 El Caminos without a vinyl top, but with the same extended stainless trim. They had two-tone paint with a contrasting paint color where the extended vinyl top would be and with the same contrasting color on the lower body sides.
Like this one:
http://www.chevelles.com/elcamino/weeks_ec.htm
Two-tone 1972 El Caminos such as the one above show the two paint codes on the cowl tag. Usually, the main color is white. But I once saw one that had factory paint codes for Mulsanne Blue and Ascot Blue.

Recently, I just missed out (called a few hours too late) on having a chance to buy this one:
http://denver.craigslist.org/car/147556973.html

Note that this one is a 1972 El Camino with the extended vinyl top. It is a "Custom" model as well (the lower body side trim with silver paint below is a feature of the Custom model, whether or not it also has a vinyl top).

I have never found any mention of the extended vinyl top option in any GM literature. It appears that the two-tone and extended top versions were late 1972 model-year introductions. This does not appear to be an extra-cost item over and above the normal vinyl top or two-tone paint. It is unknown if the earlier cars (one 1968 and a couple 1971s) that show the extended trim were factory-built that way, or if the trim was added by dealerships circa 1972. In any case, the extended stainless trim is very hard to find.

Now, with that said, let me address your car. I have never seen a GMC Sprint with that extended stainless trim. There is a local 1971 GMC Sprint that has an extended vinyl top on it, but the trim has been replaced and is not the original stainless type - so I don't know if that Sprint came originally with the extended vinyl top or not. It is possible.

Every two-tone or extended-top car currently known is a non-SS (or non-SP) Custom model. I suspect that your GMC Sprint is a non-SP Custom model, ordered with the LS3 402 big-block and gauges. If it is an SP, it would also have the domed hood (easy to add after the fact) and the 5-spoke wheels with "GMC" center caps (those "GMC" SP center caps are EXTREMELY hard to find). Every known 1971-72 SP lacks the lower body-side trim seen on the non-SP Custom models.

The "400" grille emblem is another part that is very hard to find. Accurate reproductions are available of the 1971-72 GMC Sprint "350" and "454" grille emblems, but not the "400" grille emblem. Any 1971-72 Sprint sporting a "400" grille emblem is very probably an original LS3 402 car.

The genuine 1971-71 "GMC" grille emblems are also hard to find. They were originally white, not red. I've seen people put incorrect 1973-77 "GMC" grille emblems on 1971-72 Sprints. Those '73-'77 emblems have the wrong shape and are usually red.

So far, yours is the only reported big-block (El Camino or Sprint) with the extended vinyl top or two-tone paint.

Your VIN decodes as:

5: GMC
D80: Sprint Custom V8
U: LS3 402 big-block
2: 1972 model
L: Los Angeles (Van Nuys) plant
507775: serial number

Cowl Tag:

ST: Style
72: 1972 model
53680: GMC Sprint Custom V8
L: Los Angeles (Van Nuys) plant
00784: body sequence number (not related to VIN)
BDY: Body
TR: Trim
720: Medium Tan vinyl interior
A52: bench seat
63: Mohave Gold paint (nice color)
A: white vinyl top
PNT: Paint
05D: Assembled during the 4th week of May (1972)
598 258 300421: plant scheduling/bookkeeping codes

Note that the "SP" (just like the "SS") was an option package that could be added to a Sprint Custom V8 model. Adding the SP option would delete the lower body side trim. The build date for this car does qualify as a later model-year production. The plant codes on the last line are a bit unusual compared to other 1972 Sprints and El Caminos. The codes here do not give any indication of the extended top or SP status, but they generally wouldn't anyway.

So, the questions:

1) Does it have the lower body-side trim ?
2) Does it have the domed hood ?
3) Does it have the 5-spoke wheels with "GMC" center caps ?
4) Sounds like a nice find, do you have any pictures you can post ?

It has no domed hood, no 5 spoke wheels, and it does have the lower trim and the bottom color is a silver color. Dont have any pics as of yet but plan to this coming week.

thanks
charles

Have pictures will email them to anyone who is interested. Found build sheet for the car along with the original owner. He owned the car for 28 years. bought it from a dealer in Arlington, Texas. The car is just the way it was 34 years ago.

You can post the pictures here, if they are not too big.I f you don't know how to do that, email them to me and I'll post them.
dcarr@chevelles.com
I'd also like to see a scan of the build sheet.


It sounds like your Sprint is the non-SP Custom version. If it had the "SP" option, it would have the "YE7" option listed on the build sheet.

Congratulations on your purchase.:thumbsup:

I also would like to see a scan of the build sheet if possible. Interested if your Sprint was built before or after mine.