In this world, there are three kinds of classic GM truck enthusiasts. Admirers, owners, and all-out addicts. For native Ohio gearhead, Gary Knight, the last of these titles strikes the strongest chord. A more ardent adoration for GM 4×4 pickups and more specifically GMC Jimmy’s is hard to envision, especially when the vehicles in question were assembled during the late 1960s and early ’70s.
We first encountered Gary and his slick 1970 GMC Jimmy during the summer of 2021, when a chance run-in at Pennsylvania’s famed Bloomsburg 4-Wheel Jamboree led to a lengthy discussion about all things old school and OEM. While the brilliant blue brethren to the Chevy Blazer was indeed worth mentioning in our event write-up, we did not expect to see it or its owner again so soon.
But when we bumped into this classic GM fan at another event just a few weeks later and were allowed to bask in Gary’s enthusiasm once again. At this event, he had his other ride out and it became obvious that it was time to put a feature into play.
Gary bought the 1970 GMC topless Jimmy in 1995, when telephone books and a rolodex were the best way to look someone up. Back then, asinine asking prices over vintage GM vehicles were limited to the likes of the ’57 Chevy Bel Air hardtop. With the chassis now procured, Gary patiently waited for the fair weather of spring 1996 to arrive, dreaming of the day that he could finally remove the roof, and provide the rickety old Jimmy with the exposure it craved.
The Topless Jimmy Wearing Different Attire For The Occasion
I remembered bringing it home the day be for Christmas 1995. I could not take the top off because it was winter. So the top had to stay on till spring. Taking the top off for the first time and never putting it back on. That is the best thing I like about my truck.
Spring officially “sprung,” Gary and his topless Jimmy enjoyed all that the great outdoors had to offer, all the way up until the number of things that were damaged, broken, or missing became too much for Gary Knight to handle. Two years had passed, and Gary had finally decided that it was time to park his Jimmy for the foreseeable future, and give it the full restoration it rightfully deserved.
See Gary Knight’s GMC Jimmy Addiction
However, as we all know, this process took quite a bit longer than previously predicted. What began as a simple disassembly in 1998, quickly evolved into a 6-year restoration process, with OEM repairs and replacement parts being the primary objective. But unlike so many countless long-term builds that have gone unfinished, Gary did end up completing the restoration of his 1970 Jimmy, with the summer of 2004 marking its official reemergence.
A few notable aftermarket upgrades and stock options that were added to Gary Knight’s 1970 GMC Jimmy during that time include a tilting steering wheel, a tachometer with a working vacuum gauge, a Hickey role bar, a bikini top, an AM/FM radio, and a soft top from the 4×4 accessory brand Bestop. You will also find some rally wheels, dual exhaust, tow hooks, and BFGoodrich T/A All-Terrain rubber under each corner.
Mods made, Gary took his tastefully modded machine to all manner of classic vehicle, 4×4, truck, and local meet. It was a great time to be a truck enthusiast, as things shifted into high gear in 2007, with Gary’s Jimmy build attending its first 4-Wheel Jamboree events. It was around that time that the truck began to make appearances at events in both Canfield and Lima, Ohio, followed by lengthier journeys out of state. Over the course of the past dozen years Gary’s Jimmy builds have become a staple at numerous events and car shows, and he could not be more pleased with the memories that have been created during this span.
The GMC Jimmy Topless Is A Show Stopper
Over the years, Gary has won his fair share of awards, scored a few magazine features, and even made it onto an episode of “My Classic Car,” where Dennis Gage encountered the truck during a trip to the “Peek’n Peak Car Show” in Clymer, New York. Gary admits that despite having scored all sorts of acclaim for his dedication to the chassis, it was this 2-minutes of TV fame that stands tall as the fanciest feather in his automotive creativity cap.
Gary Knight acquired a second GMC Jimmy also from the early 1970s, and unlike the show-stopping soft top we’ve been discussing, this truck started life as an original custom built camper version in 1972.
Not only is this secondary rig a hardtop, but it’s a four-wheel camper conversion, something that Gary always wanted, but struggled to obtain. While the truck was purchased sight unseen in 2015, he says that it had to be shipped all the way over from Portland, Oregon, where it had sat for many a year, camper addition firmly affixed.
The original owners son had it locked in time capsule condition just like it had been since it was first attached in 1980.
The performance side of this truck has a few interesting additions on file too, like an Edelbrock carb and intake, a 4-speed stick shift with a 205 transfer case and 373 gears out back, and a sweet full-size spare carried on the nose. Looking officially period correct, the camper has brought a life time full of memories now for two different parties.
Once Flawless Now Flawed
But this tale isn’t just about restoring, awarding, showboating, and enjoying all that vintage GMC Jimmy ownership has to offer. There is also a sad side to this story, and it harbors a hefty amount of hope as well. Shortly after we met Gary at the summer Jamboree last year, he was t-boned while driving his camper truck. While Gary was lucky to be alive, his beloved camper truck was in really rough shape, with damage to the topless Jimmy being so extensive, that the entire frame had to be replaced… at some point.
Gary eventually found a matching donor and drove 14 hours to Iowa to pick up a frame. To protect the new chassis, it was covered in Por-15 to prevent corrosion.
For Knight and his vehicle projects, there is no real sense of urgency. Gary confesses that he currently has his hands full restoring a 1969 Blazer, which has been sitting in the shop for the better part of the past three years. We look forward to seeing the Jimmy Camper, a fresh Blazer, and hopefully weather permitting, the topless Jimmy back in shape an under the sun.
