Short Bed Shop Truck: 1977 Chevrolet C10
We have been talking about getting a shop truck for Barn Finds HQ. You never know when you might find a a flathead or a motorcycle that needs moving. Old Dodges seem to be the most economical, but a C10 is still on my bucket list. This particular truck seems to fit the bill. It has a small block, short bed, and little rust. Take a look here on eBay and let us know if you approve.
These square body pickups have really grown on me. My dad owned one when I was a kid and it never seemed like anything special. Those big squared off fenders just made it hard to reach the engine during tuneups. This one has already been lowered and I’m okay with that. The whitewalls and grill might be a little much, but they are easy to switch if they bother you.
That seat cover looks just like the one dad had. I’d probably go with a vinyl upholstery kit and some new foam though. Other than that, things look pretty good in here. There are some auxiliary gauges hanging under the dash and the seller mentions headers and Flowmasters so perhaps there’s a little oomph hiding under the hood?
More photos would be needed before I’d hand over the kind of money the seller is asking. That rust over there along the edge of the bed makes me nervous. There aren’t any photos of that engine either. The 350/TH400 combo is the way to go though. It would be cheap to maintain and upgrade… Plus if it ever loses compression, you could just yank it out and drop a crate engine in there. This really could be the perfect multi-purpose classic. You could haul a lot more than just parts!
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Comments
Thank you, Jesse. I can’t help but think you post these just to make me feel good. As usual, being the owner of one of these, I just don’t see $9,000 dollars worth of truck here. Mine is a ’77 GMC shortbox with a camper top, same condition, only a 4 speed, and quite frankly, I don’t care for it. Just too rough around the edges to drive everyday, and this truck will be no different. I think these people are trying to create a market for these that may or may not exist. Most I’d ask for mine, would be $3g’s, and would feel guilty at that.
Post information or email me at jparello (at) yahoo (dot) com as is like to see what your truck looks like.. unless the “rough around the edges” comment involves rust..
A little rust means alot of rust
“a flathead or motorcycle that needs moving” . So pedestrian!
How about an early Hemi or a 348/409 residing in an old dump truck? How about the old farmer who has “some engine with three carbs that came from Uncle Joe’s old Pontiac”? Uncle Joe hauled ‘shine back into the day.
Leave the bikes to the American Pickers guys.
It’s true. Pontiacs were best for hauling shine.
Maybe the price being asked is high but it seems like a pretty good vintage truck to start with. I like the chrome smoothies with the baby moon hubcaps but the whitewalls would have to go or spin them black side out; whitewalls don’t look right on a pickup. I would have a little concern about the rust in the bed though it doesn’t look terminal. I’d also want to check under the stainless trim along the cab and bed as well as the wheel arch trim as they can hide rust. Get a stock grill and re-cover the seat. I like the color combo but I’d want to paint it as I’m not in the patina camp.
Nice truck but try to work the seller to reduce the price.
These pickups looked their best with the tu-tone paint set up. It may sound unreasonable, but that’s one thing I would insist on.. 9k is a little pricey, more like 4500-5500 depending on engine condition and a view of the underneath of the truck. I am a Ford guy, but I have always liked Chevy trucks
I bought my 83 C10 at Carlisle five years ago. 68k miles, crate 350 from the south, still has the original paint on frame, well optioned. I waited until the end of the day and the guy was aching to move it along and not have to bring it to Hershey. He wanted $15k but after some spirited discussion and walking away only to be stopped and asked: “do you have cash”, did we settle on $11,500. Looking back, it was a great buy and the value of these era trucks continues to climb. Not alot to be done on this to get it nice but the price seems a few grand beyond a good deal.
Thats a beauty Scott! Must be more going on behind the scenes at BarnFinds that I am aware of to warrant a truck. I am thinking desktop computer is about it. I was going to send my 3 storys in for that writers gig you are looking to fill. If there is real work involved, I am out. All kidding aside, I’d go with a Dodge. Small motor, 4 by 4. Best of luck with your hunt!
The more I think about it, for Barn Finds it should be a Dodge Lil Red express or whatever they were called. The one’s with the stacks. Thats a Barn Find rig!
My kind of truck, although the wheels and tires would have to go and be replaced with stock wheels with dog-dish hubcaps. 350 SBC with a 400 auto? I need to see that, at least on anything smaller than a heavy 3/4 ton; they all had TH350 transmissions as far as I know, even if they had the F44 package. The headers would be gone faster than anything else, if that truck came my way. A good set of cast manifolds will flow all the exhaust that engine is capable of pushing out, even with a mild streetable buildup, and get the heat out of the engine bay…
Is this 900.00?
Way overpriced. Same think on Craigslist would be less than half that.
In my neck of the woods (Nashville/Middle TN) these are everywhere for $3-5K. Even found a shortbed Silverado in nice shape for $5500.
Send them up north, we don’t have many and they get top buck up here!
Two wheel drive shorties don’t exist here
That is understandable and expected.
That’s the cost’s I would expect 3-6 k
My Dad had either a 76 or 77 and rust ate that thing alive. IMO it didn’t make a whole lot of difference what brand it was, all of them seemed to use metal that rust ate up without hesitation. This was in the Midwest and the only ones I remembered that the body didn’t self-destruct was those that were Ziebarted from the start.
Michigan truck …I’d be scared.
Cut springs to lower ? strike 2 !
Hm. The engine would have to look like this to even CONSIDER approaching a price like that. And probably not even then…
I swear it seems every adult in the USA has owned some rendition of this pickup, they were very good durable and EXTREMELY RUST PRONE!!! The vast majority of these ended being a good engine and drive train with no body left!
I would take that 1970 Ford F-100 from Montana over this Chevy any day for probably less money.
The Brand say it all, Cheap Ford.
Or you could help Jeff out and buy this. That would be a cool BF rig also. https://barnfinds.com/exclusive-1960-willys-pickup-project/