RTech Fabrication is known for its restorations of Chevy trucks that Chevy never made. This 1966 Chevy crew cab dually is yet another wild phantom truck no one has ever seen before. By keeping the visuals as close to how Chevy would have done it in 1966, and applying modern drivetrains and conveniences underneath, RTech does another masterful fake-out we wish Chevy built back in the day but never made.

This mashup began with a 1966 pickup that has been lengthened to become a crew cab. There were Chevy crew cab bodies in the 1960s but they were made by outside coachbuilders. Chevy never made a factory crew cab. Also, the RTech crew cab was made by using the front left door for the right rear door, and front right door for the left rear. Though quite novel, we don’t believe any coachbuilder manufactured crew cab bodies in this manner.

Extra bracing and ample amounts of 16-gauge sheetmetal were used to create the body. All of this was mounted with hydraulic mounts to a 1972 Chevy dually chassis with an 8,300-pound  GVWR 175-inch chassis. Extra steel tubing was added to the frame for extra support.

Chevy made a dually in 1966, but never with a bed. It only made chassis-cab versions for customers to have aftermarket bodies built behind the cab. Because of this RTech handled the 8-ft fleetside bed the way a dually is done today. They took step-side fenders and added them to the bedsides to cover the added width of the dually tires/wheels. Yes, it looks like a factory dually. No, Chevy never offered a dually with a bed until 1973.

Chevy Never Made It Or Did It?

The goal of all RTech creations is to keep the cosmetics close to how Chevy might have done it if they did it in the day. So, colors, interior fabrics, and details are straight out of 1966, with a wink.

After the body fab, the 20-foot long pickup was covered in Lucent GM Light Green with a chrome grille, silver-painted bumpers, retractable running boards, and a Warn 12,000 lb winch. 

Underneath everything is state-of-the-art starting with the engine. A 5.9-liter 12-valve Cummins diesel was sourced out of a 1996 Ram. A turbo and custom intercooler was added. Internally a Competition Cams cam, Mahle pistons, ported and polished head, BD Diesel intake manifold, Dynamite Diesel injectors, and four-inch Flowmaster exhaust all provide some extra grunt.

Looks Wild, Drives Like A New Dually

The New Venture Gear 4500 five-speed manual transmission with twin-clutch transfers the power. Heavy-duty axles are a Dana 60 in front and Dana 70 in the rear. Bilstein 5160 remote-reservoir shocks and Skyjacker leaf springs suspend the truck.

Rollers are 37-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers hugging 20 x 8.25 American Force wheels. Steering is handled by an Offroad Design linkage working with a 708 Saginaw steering box swapped with Red Head gears. 

For the interior, RTech used period green vinyl combined with 1966-type reproduction fabric for the 1966 GMC Sport Trim bucket seats. Dakota Digital gauges mimic stock-appearing units. The all-metal stock-looking dash houses HVAC controls, cruise control, Bluetooth-compatible

RetroSound head unit controlling Kenwood amp and speakers, and custom window switches in the door panels. A Hull Manufacturing compass handles navigation chores.

If you’re a truck junkie or not you have to appreciate the quality of the build, and the blending of old and new. We can’t wait to see what RTech will come up with next.