I just bought a stock 71 GMC and am wondering how much lift is required for 44" tires.  I want to keep the lift to a minimum.  

i would say 8" with some fender trimming or 10" without would be your minimum lift requirements.  

No 8" inc with some trimming wont fit 44s, he will need at least 10 inc lift with lots of trimming or a 12 inc lift with no trimming, the 8 inc lift will require massive surgerey to the fenders, more hole then fender.  

well i was just thinkin since i fit 35's with 4" and 44's are only 9" taller that he would need to make room for 4 1/2". i thought 8" lift with trimming would give him that.  

don't forget now, that the 71 has round cutouts in the fenders already, unlike the jolly roger's rectangular cut outs there. I've have had 36" gateway buckshots on my stock 69 without triming. with a 4" I had 38.5 gumbo's on it. sure they rubbed a little, still they fit.  

see thats what i thought. i've seen plenty 73-87 chevys with 8" lift and runnin up to 42" meats without alot of trimming. and since i'm the kinda guy who likes the biggest tires (ground clearence) tucked under the smallest lift (center of gravity) i think you can fit 44's ubder 8" or 10" like i said previously, maybe even less with the info mud just added?  

what were those little battery powered trucks in the 80s,not zipzaps not tonka they were round a inch or two long ,great big tires and went over anything!cool look , i was wondering bout a 67 long bed i had a millenia ago that had coil springs and 4 footlong trailing arms, be cool to build up a soa conversion with built in traction bars.  

stompers!

yep, the 67-72 2wd's had rear coils, now days they'd be great thanks to the new shock technology.  

hmmmm a new project for the year, who gonna be first, Wait last time i said that it was already done , So who will post first!!! a old skoolish giant oversizedcoilovershocked early chevy waggin??  

I'll spend all that money on the jeep,.....I'm out  

mudb8-.:
stompers!

yep, the 67-72 2wd's had rear coils, now days they'd be great thanks to the new shock technology.

Actually it was coil on 2wd well before 67 as the the older body style that the 67 replaced was coil too. I had a 66 3/4 ton 2wd and it had coils and massive aux leaf spring overloads from factory. They consisted of 3ea 3/8 inch thick leafs to a side in a stack. They were like a leaf spring cut in half when "center" end of half bolted to frame with about a 1 inch bolt behind rear axle and the other end contacting a pad on axle control arm bracket when a load was applied. It was wickedly stiff on aux springs and one time I remember hauling a truck load of oak fire wood that was stacked above cab a bit and out on to the tail gate which was down. It had 10 ply 7.50-16 tires on split rims and running 80 PSI they were flattening out a bit too though suspension wise it was carrying it fine without dragging its butt. I wish I had put it on a scale then. Hauled that load 50 miles too without any problems and it had a 250 6 cyl in it too and old Eaton/Rockwell 12 inch rear axle in a 4.57 ratio. The suspension design had a weakness though in that the control arm were made out of two stamped "C" channels riveted together and they tended to rust badly between the mated surfaces riveted together and arms would fail with age. Otherwise it was a sturdy and simple design. If you put that kind of load in a new 2500 HD, it would been on the ground in rear. as I am guessing is was around a 4k load or a bit better. Heck with a 72 GMC I had I once hauled a 3500 pound tractor in the bed of the truck 200 miles! It did not sag and handled well (got some strange looks on Interstate though as I was passing car even on hills) and that would overload a modern 2500. Todays truck they are more concerned with ride and looks than they are with "beef".  

yeah, the early 60's, the old man bought a 67 that had the huge over load leafs and airbags in the front and rear stuffed in the coils that thing is a lumber wagon with the bags aired up, he still has it. I'm pretty sure one of the coil sprung pu's dad had was a 62, I'm not sure how early they came along, I'd guess though with the body change in 1960,  

Yes there was a body change in 1960, one in 67, another in 73 and then in 88, 99 and 07. 73 to 87 was the longest run GM ever had on a body style/frame on a P/U  

heck, lets go back some more while we're at it......
58-59 share 4 headlights and more fleetsides, late in 55 till 57(57 having it's own grill) singles and a full rear window option, and we can't leave out the cameo, 50-55 teardrops and 5 window cabs...lots of chrome.. the 40's is where I get confused without doing some searching with all the side hinged hoods.  

SnoMan:
Yes there was a body change in 1960, one in 67, another in 73 and then in 88, 99 and 07. 73 to 87 was the longest run GM ever had on a body style/frame on a P/U

the best designs usually stay around a bit longer huh?