From Derek K – I found this 1973 Super Cheyenne in an old man’s back yard in Arkansas. The license plate went out in 1985, some 30 years ago. The owner said it got horrible gas mileage and he drove it behind his house and parked it. Had a horrible camper on it which amazingly saved the interior of the bed. Never to be moved again until today. It is as I said, it’s a 1973 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 10 with factory big block 454, half ton, Fleetside. It has optional Bucket seats, air conditioning, power brakes and power steering. It currently has 83k original miles on it. The truck is in need of body repairs, but floors are as solid as the bed is.
It sat under a lean to next to fertilizer which is likely what has eaten the passenger side door up. There are said to be about 43k Fleetside Shortbed pickups made in 1973, of those roughly 7% were supposedly Cheyenne Supers and only a small percentage of those were big blocks. Due to a fire, a lot of the actual production numbers were lost, therefore it’s hard to be sure on exactly how many were made with these options. It is estimated at around 1,500 or less, or so I’m told. I was able to purchase it for a whopping $400 bucks…
Super cool find.
Chevrolet was the best-selling truck in the U.S. until 1977, so I’d be a little dubious about the rarity of any particular model unless I was given ironclad proof–which, according to the story, is no longer available.
What I will say is that there are very few nowadays simply because there are very few ’73 and ’74 Chevy pickups left at all due to major rust problems that cropped up very soon in their service lives. I can remember Chevy owners coming to my father’s body shop with serious rust in tailgates and rocker panels in trucks not even a year old. He took to keeping a pair of replacement rocker panels in stock because he changed so many. The doors and roof panels were also problem areas. This truck did not need any fertilizer fumes to help it rust–it’s in its DNA.
The doors on this bodystyle would universally sag (too heavy) and it’s difficult to adjust them because two bolts on the top hinge are in the doorjamb in a tight spot, and the third is under the dashboard inside the truck in a tighter spot. The front suspension is weak and lower balljoints wear out fast. The 454 is a massive gas guzzler–one of my friends bought an almost-new 454 Suburban during the ’73 gas crisis for practically pennies from its desperate owner.
You can see I’m not a fan. But don’t put me down as a Chevy hater. The successor to this model (’86 on) is a much better truck, and if I really wanted a 454, I would take this one’s engine and put it into the newer truck.
That’s a rare truck! Not worth as much as the 67-72 or 81-87 but definitely still worth saving! Cheyenne Super package, bucket seats, big block and short fleetside bed are very desirable and RARE! It probably has factory tach too. Are you going to keep it and restore?……..or sell it?
Bought a used 73 Super C in 74. PRETTY Truck.. Green-white, tan inside. 350 Full time 4 Wheel drive. Big gas hog. Couldnt keep transmissions in it. Was having RUST issues by 76″.. Shipped that truck.. Even had a cap like this one. I do think this truck may be a little in the “rare” side with these options. I never seen one of these with buckets and a console. Awesome find!
I have a 1984 Silverado, half ton, reg. cab-long box with a factory 6.2 diesel ,auto, power steering assist brakes. Don’t know if it’s rare or not, but every time I got parts they say- it’s a diesel? . After 12 years I am taking it to a local on line auction and see what it goes for. It also has a snow plow on it.
If anyone thinks the ’73 Chevy w/454 was hard on gas, the ’74 was worse. Smog controls really got into full swing in those (2) years. We sold a 6500 3-ton and a Sierra Grande 1/2 ton to the same guy and he claimed that the 6500 got better economy. However, there was a non-approved way(s) to vastly improve the performance and economy of that stifled Rat motor. Re-curve the advance to something like the Police Interceptor; go up (1) size in main jets and raise the metering rods up. Timing chain set off a ’70 Chevelle and it ran very well and the mileage improved well into the double digits.
That aside, I’d love to take on a project like this one. Restore it bone stock with the exception of the aforementioned tuneup. Good and reliable, and it will even burn that crap they call gasoline today although it might dissolve the float…
If that old man was surprised that a 454 in a half ton pickup got horrible gas mileage, he must have been living in a cave. By the mid ’70’s, gas mileage and performance was in the toilet for everything. Try what geomechs suggests and see what happens.
A 1973 Chevrolet with solid floors would be nothing short of a miracle. Those trucks rusted starting from new.
Back in the day, this was probably the nicest truck you could buy. It seemed, the ’70’s began the shift to fancy pickups. I notice on TV auctions, these always seem to have a lot of interest, (probably, because so few survived) Gas was still kind of cheap in ’73, so the mileage wasn’t really an issue, American’s wanted more power, and even in it’s castrated form, this was one of the most powerful trucks you could get. If you are still one of the folks that pull cabin-cruiser boats or 75 foot Airstreams, and today’s vehicles aren’t doing it for you ( and gas still is not an issue) this will haul your toys, no problem. I think many panels are reproduced for these, and probably wouldn’t take much. I was always a Ford truck guy, but this was a nice truck.
I want to buy this truck ( baby blue Chevy truck)
I have a black version of this. I have bigger rectangular mirrors. Mine has the bench seat, no tach, factory air, tilt wheel steering, 3:42 limited slip, turbo 400. I am the 3rd owner. Paid 12oo. I’m keeping her. The next time someone says 1979 Dodge Lil red express was the fastest truck from it’s era, I give them the “who ties your shoelaces for you” look. This truck has more torque and horsepower in stock trim. Plus, unbeknownst to a lot of folks, this truck can corner with NO body roll. I have taken exit ramps at 80 mph. I hereby challenge the Lil red express truck. And,why stop there, the Ford Lightning. I am naming my truck the APEX PREDATOR. It is highest on the food chain in the animal kingdom. It doesn’t get hunted. It hunts. It is good for drag racing and road course. If you wanted a muscle car that can corner, this is it. It is a truck but the weight is needed for traction. No regrets here. I’m a ’68 body style Nova guy. Dream car is 1969 Yenko Nova. But I will most certainly accept this truck as a substitute. God bless you.
is this still for sale