This C10 definitely has a lot of issues that will need to be addressed, but when was the last time you spotted an original Super Cheyenne out in the wild? These things have always been desirable, but over the past few years they’ve become collectors items that typically receive complete restorations so that they can be hauled around on a trailer or parked away in a garage. This isn’t the best optioned Super Cheyenne we’ve ever seen or the nicest, but it’s a short bed with a 350 V8! You can find this project here on eBay in Trinity, North Carolina with a current bid of $5k.
The last Super Cheyenne we’ve featured was in slightly better condition and sold for over $14k. It also happened to be offered by the same seller as this one. Clearly they specialize in flipping Chevys, but they seem to be upfront about what they are offering.
A number of engine options were offered in the C10, ranging from an efficient 250 inline 6 all the way up to a powerhouse 402 V8. This one was built with a 350 V8, which is a nice balance of power and driveability. It won’t blow the doors off, but it’s enough grunt to keep up with modern traffic! And there are endless options for getting more power out of this engine. It’s said to run and drive, with some recent work performed.
I can see the appeal of these trucks, they are practical, easy to drive and look fantastic. What I can’t understand are values, which have been steadily climbing even for rough projects. I don’t see this one fetching as much as the other, but it could go for something close to it. So why do you think these trucks fetch so much these days?
I have owned many of these. All long boxes. Didn’t realize the Cheyenne Super came in a short box. Looks like a great truck. Last one I had I sold in about 2007 for $500. A friend had over 400k miles on his when I met him in 1990. Great trucks.
I had a friend in the 80’s with a short bed Cheyenne Super special order with the 402.
What is a 402? I thought I new about all chevy motors. Is this a pickup truck only motor?
Big block 400
I thought they used a 400 and it was a small block?
There was both a big block and a small block……the guys call the big block a 402 but chev called both of them a 400.
wow, I never even heard of the 400/402 big block. Only 400 bb I know is the Pontiac 400
Have you heard of a 366? That is probably the best Chevrolet big block ever built.
402 is a .030 396 big block.
400 is a long stroke small block.
Good trucks. Some problems with doors shaking apart but otherwise OK. Easy to work on; easy to get parts for. I’d take this one, clean it up and drive it. Looks like some rust in the floor but relatively easy to fix. The 350 will run forever although it won’t get very far between gas stations in stock form. These were the first with the super leaned out fuel ratios and retarded ignition curves. I’ve seen a lot of these get on the shy side of 10, however, a tweek on the advance curve and enriching the mixture helps them out tremendously.
Hi geomechs, I think just about everybody has had good experience with these. For a while, they were as common as stone fences in NY. ( lots of stone in NYS) It’s kind of funny, people that generally know very little about trucks, think new pickups are just the nicest things,,, until there’s a problem ( not so happy now, eh?) Everybody could fix these, if needed, yeah, it still was 1972, but you didn’t need to read the owners manual to figure out how to move it. ( or how to work the heater) Around this time, trucks were just starting to gain steam as a viable everyday vehicle, and truck makers threw everything they had into these. Bottom line, just a good ‘ol truck.
As a Ford truck guy and a previous owner of a Chevy K10 the 67 to 72 Chevy trucks were some of the best looking trucks GM made.
Some of the best of the brand. My dad would commonly put 4-500,000 miles on them in just a few years in with his truck company. We have one like this that is being restored for one of my sons to drive. 1/2 ton short wide box 1967, it is a pretty fancy little truck, PS, PB, AC, zero rust or dents, missing engine but everything else in place……we paid 400.00 for it 4 months ago including a good title. The guy pulled the engine to rebuild and never got it back together. Interior is even nice. We are going to put a modern FI 350 with a 5 speed manual and make it pretty again.
I like the coil spring rear on these instead of leafs. Easy to add air bags too.
I think the reason why old trucks are picking up in value is because more and more people are unhappy with modern unreliable, expensive to fix technology.
I my self have a 1995 F150 and that’s about the last simple,reliable and cheep to fix
F150 body style. I had a 2005 F350 diesel and I was never sure if I was going to drive it back or tow it back when I had to go somewhere.
Gene you are absolutely right about the new vehicles. Seems to me that as soon as you hit 100K on the odometer the technology kicks in ,in a bad way.Sensor after sensor seem to let go,and up here in MA that means you cant get an inspection sticker till its fixed .Sometimes its an easy fix and you can do it yourself, othertimes you cant.I recenly had a oil pressure sensor let go on my silverado .I could not even get my hand on it to get the plug off ,my buddy couldn’t get to it ,and neither could my wife. Needless to say between the 3 of us 1 of us broke a vacuum line fitting that I didn’t know about.So not only did I have to pay somone to fix the sensor .I ended up having to have a smoke test done that was around $75 on top of what it cost to have the sensor replaced.Heres the kicker when the mechanic called the dealer about ordering the part ,he told him to cap it.Evedently it didn’t really do anything .Except kick on the check engine light and stop me from getting a sticker.I would love to be able to drive a truck like this every day.Unfortunately my commute is about a 50 mile trip each way and with 2 kids there just isn’t enough room for all of us in somthing like this
Hi Ck, I hear ya’. Engineered right in the computer. I’ve seen more than once, when vehicles hit 99K, the dash lights up like Christmas tree.( as if to say, you’ve got enough use out of this vehicle, have fun with this) You couldn’t convince me otherwise. I came from a time when this is what we had, and even this was getting fancy, for a truck. And with these, if you lost the key, a hot lead to the coil, jump the starter, and you were on your way. ( after adjusting the points with a match book cover.) Oh, another fiasco, try changing plugs on a KIA Sorento. The top of the motor has to come apart.
So true Howard I remember those days when you could change an oil pressure switch in 10 minutes. 7 minutes to find the oil pressure socket an 3 minutes to swap it out. Oh yaa and it would only cost you about 12 bucks ,with tax
Must be bad luck. I have had several GMT800 Chevrolet trucks with well over 300k without major issues. Right now I drive an 05 that has over 300,000 and counting. Only stupid sensors on it were the knock sensors buried under the intake but fixed with some Right Stuff and the new rubber grommets I don’t see an issue with them for a long time. I still want an older GM truck and will probably get one sooner than later due to prices.
Our 1992 Dodge Ramcharger 2wd has OBD 1 and I have found I am very comfortable with working on it. Compared to new trucks it has EFI (no more carbs for me) and over drive. Even my fav Fieros and other vehicles with OBD 1 are easy for me to work on. As far as sensors go the Sprinter van is the worst I’ve heard for sensors causing problems. Now I’m working on a 1990 Ford E150 and its the same thing; the computer and sensors are cheap and easy to work with are replace. A new O2 sensor was 22 bucks, not 122 like some others.
Exactly what I meant. Water pump for my 95 F150 with 5.0 was $20 and made by Gates. Engine mounts only $8 each, although a major pain to replace.
Some of today’s cars have variable damping computer controlled engine mounts, and I am sure they don’t cost eight bucks each. Oxygen sensor was $18 and there is only one. Today s cars have 4 and they cost hundreds and don’t get me started on a EVAP system. See if you can find a tech who wants to find a leak in it.
I see one every day – neighbor has a mint condition white/seafoam green beauty.
We have lots of them still in daily use here in Idaho. They are not uncommon to see at all. I probably bought a hundred of them from the USAF over the years. Most were short bed 1/2 tons that were used by sky cops. Used to buy them at auction for around 100.00 and sell them for 250-350.
Trying to compare a 1970 vehicle to a 2016 is like comparing a typewriter to a computer. There comes a time when you either invest a lot in education and tools or pay someone, who has those, to do it for you. I do not mean some shadetree. A dealership is about the only place you can find those resources today. A few independents have kept up, but those are few and far between. Working on the older simple stuff is enjoyable for all of us, but times change. Fuel economy and emissions can’t be managed the way they once were. The technology becomes more precise and requires more precision by the repairer.
Sorry ACZ but these new vehicles are way over engineered.Do we really need a tire pressure monitoring system?Have we become that lazy that we can’t check the air in our tires?.Its just another thing to Break that we cant fix ourselves. I for one believe that technology is going to be our down fall.You better get yourselves a vehicle without a computer in it people,cuz when SKYNET COMES ON LINE,they are the only things that are going to work…..Lol
I had one I think it was a 72/73 model it was a real barn find
then sold it for big profit
here it is
Here;s my ’72 long bed stovebolt stripper………used the way a truck is meant to be used.
When i moved from the burbs to acreage east of Seattle a few years ago my sights were focused on these C-10’s. Good Ole craigslist came through for me and I found a 69 long bed with ZERO rust east of the mountains for peanuts. I drive that little b#$*ard everywhere & yes, I consume large quantities of fuel. I’m currently putting in a posi w/3.42 gears from the original 3.07 which wont help at all, but I’ve got to be able to do burnouts.
Awesome. That’s kind of the same plan that I have. I might even sell the truck I posted above to get a nicer old c10. I also had to swap out the 3.42 (I think) rear to a 4.10. Mileage didn’t change all that much but it’s much more enjoyable now.
Larry
I have an original 72 Cheyenne Super LWB, Blue and White, PB, PS and Air, that I bought from the original owner’s widow in Texas with 56,000 actual miles. Still had original tires, brake shoes, hoses, wires, tower clamps, original paint,etc. The truck is about as new as it gets for a 45 year old truck. The owner added camper shell, cruise control and dual saddle tanks when he purchased the truck, they are all still on the truck. No idea what it’s worth but I love the truck. It would look nicer without the camper shell but it’s so original, don’t want to change anything.
additional photo
I would like to make a bid at $8000