This huge truck is badged as a 1430, which I believe is a Canadian model, which is where it’s located, so I hope I’m right. This 1956 Chevrolet Task-Force One-Ton Panel Truck has a NAPCO 4×4 system for added interest and value, and you can find it posted here on craigslist in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada, and they’re asking $16,950. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Scott for the tip!
This model is, I believe, the equivalent of a 3805 here in the U.S., a one-ton panel truck. If there’s a cooler body style, I’d like to know. This is one killer truck, especially with that NAPCO 4×4 system under it. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the grille at all, even with 21 photos that the seller has uploaded to their listing. They show a photo of the original grille, and they mention that it comes with the original grille. It has a five-ton winch on the front, and it looks like they removed the grille for that.
Chevy’s Task Force was made from 1955 through 1959, and according to brochures, this truck is listed as a medium-duty panel, but a 3805 here in the U.S. market. I can’t find a Canadian brochure, but we saw a Canadian-market 1953 Chevy pickup back in 2017 here on Barn Finds, and it was a model 1434. Here’s what the cargo area looks like. This appears to have been a white truck originally? The underside looks pretty solid, and there’s no mention of rust.
The seller says this truck has had just one owner since it was new back in 1956. That’s amazing! We don’t hear that too often here on Barn Finds, that’s almost 70 years now since this tough truck rolled off the assembly line. The interior looks great from what we can see, and the NAPCO 4×4 system was made by Northwestern Auto Parts Company out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Though formerly offered as a “kit” to add to vehicles, GM started offering them as factory-installed equipment in 1956 for GMC and Chevrolet trucks in 1957. This truck has a four-speed manual, and that sure looks like a padded dash top, can it be?
This isn’t the original engine, which was a 235 straight-six. This is a 327-cu.in. OHV V8 that was installed back in 1973. It’s said to run well, but this truck can’t currently be driven due to a leaking brake master cylinder. It comes with new 17″ tires for the current split rims, different 20″ steel rims in case the new owner wanted more meat on the ground, and this sure looks like a cool truck. How would you redo this truck?
That’s a great looking strong rare truck!
I’d probably just fix what ever mechanical problem it has and do some body work and paint it and drive it.
Drop into Harrison Hot 🔥 Springs for a soak 🛁 if your checking out this cool rig.
Many moons ago, I had a chance to buy a ’57 Chevy long panel like this, 2wd, from a friend whose dad had a portable welding gig, and it had a mombo welder in the back. The truck itself wasn’t driven much, super low miles. At the time I had no use for it. This is an okay build, but lets do some math. Looks like a compound low trans( aka granny gear) so 4th is direct and 5:11 gears, you won’t get much out of the old gal, 50mph tops. That SBC will be a hollerin’, ask me how I know. ( FFW with SBC and Jeep axles) Think of it as a governor of sorts, the way this is set up, you have no business going any faster. Someone thought the 20″ wheels might make it go faster, but not much. Still a cool find
I owned a 1971 Dodge W-300 with a 318 and 4 speed. It came with either 16” or 16.5” wheels. I installed Dodge 19.5 wheels with aggressive tread tall/skinny Goodyear 8R19.5 rock quarry tires (“pizza cutters”). As I recall, this change made a noticeable (?) difference in my top speed on the freeway.
This is an absolute steal!
Cool truck ! My dad have a 58 2wd 327 3 on the tree, lots of power ! My idiot brother kept messing with the plug wires and carb and it backfired one time and burned up all the wiring under the hood after that it was Scrap Metal !!! Dad Was Pissed !!!!!
First, I’d fix whatever needed fixing, then re-paint it fire engine red. It would make a great “cargo sleigh” for Santa when he travels to various events!
$16,950 Canadian converts to $12,118 US today. That’s a lot of truck for that price.
Tariffs have absolutely zero to do with a private transaction.
If you’re shipping a car from Canada into the US you have to use a customs broker, and I’m sure it may have some upcharges regarding tariffs charges. I learned my lesson shipping cars from Canada.
When I imported a vehicle in a “private transaction” from Canada to the United States about 8 years ago, it had to go through customs, with arrangements made by a customs broker that I hired in Canada. They took care of the U.S. customs paperwork. A vehicle purchase from Canada was a little more complex than buying from the local Penny Saver classifieds (it was actually easier to import my Unimog from Germany). There were costs and fees involved (around $2K, if I remember correctly), but likely no or insignificant tariffs applied in those days. I wouldn’t be surprised if things have changed recently- after all, it would be importing something from a “furrin” country.
Can someone explain to me the benefit of split rims on this?
Hi TCOPPS, none that I can think of. The reason being, is I don’t think anyone makes a tubeless rim for 17″. I had the same issue with my Diamond T, no tubeless wagon wheel style 16″, not 16.5 and just ran the tubes.Depending on the bolt pattern, I’d have to think some tall tubeless 15s from a newer truck would work better.
Cool truck and reasonably priced. The cool thing about about that NAPCO system is that it the transfer case is independent of the transmission, so upgrading the gearbox to a Muncie is a piece of cake. Do that and tidy this thing up a bit and a fella would have a pretty neat rig.
Add a Master Cylinder, bleed the brakes, probably rebuild the brakes, and enjoy. Pretty fair price for this vehicle. This had to be a Forestry truck at some point, either from the Canadian or US side of the border. I like the 327 V8 upgrade.
HC: You don’t have to use a customs broker for a private transaction. Normally you would have to pay a duty of 2.5% but vehicles manufactured in Canada, Mexico, or the United States are exempt from even that. If you are being completely honest you do have to pay a small transaction tax to the Canadian government. To be quite frank I do not care to argue over what is essentially nonsense.
Charles, if you’re shipping and transporting a car from Canada into the US you definitely need to use and pay a customs broker to do so. Not arguing. Its just a fact.
Just one quick comment, you don’t need a broker if you are driving the car over the border and not shipping it. Over and out.
Charles is correct as to the current existing duty being 2.5%, but that can be only the beginning of your costs. The proposed new (temporarily paused) 25% tariffs apply to both new AND used cars, according to what I have read. Plus, the broker ran me about $600.00 USD, IIRC. Unless the Canadian seller is willing to drive the vehicle to the border (this vehicle is fortunately only about 50 miles from the nearest border crossing), you need to pay transportation (tilt bed) costs in Canada and possibly the United States. Plus, there are insurance and potential storage yard costs in Canada while the vehicle is awaiting customs clearance for transport across the border and possible storage yard costs on the US side while the vehicle awaits shipping to your home as well, should you choose not to pick it up at the border. This is the situation as I understand it on May 17, 2025 @ 8:21 PM. The rules for riding the current import tariff roller coaster may be completely different by tomorrow. In my experience, this can be a lengthy and semi expensive process that I will likely never attempt again.
John Eder: I have no clue as to why I am doing this but: you are still talking about shipping the vehicle, I am not: a good friend recently bought a 2002 Z-6 in Vancouver and got and completed the small amount of paperwork prior to arriving at the border: the two major hurdles were, it had to display miles, (push a button in a Vette) and having the bottom of the car pressure washed, ( Dept. of Agriculture required) He was at the border less than 2 hours.
I am not trying to be adversarial here- I am merely trying to help any potential BF buyers of this vehicle avoid “sticker shock” after the excitement of purchasing it and then getting quotes for shipping, customs and associated costs. We have all seen how many times vehicles are relisted on eBay due to non-paying bidders who backed out of the deal due to shipping costs. Unfortunately, for most of us (millions) who don’t live close enough to the northern border to enjoy a quick lunch in Canada, shipping, on both sides of the border, will likely be necessary in most cases, especially for this large vehicle with brake issues that render it inoperable. If shipping is required, non-driveable vehicles typically are charged a premium, with even higher costs associated with a vehicle of this size and weight (I know this from personal experience, having shipped several large, heavy vintage ambulances, including one from Canada to California). I currently live close to the Mexican border and this vehicle is approximately 1600 miles from my home. If I were to purchase this, even after making it roadworthy in Canada, I would still have a long, slow drive home ahead of me in a 1956 4×4 truck, as would a large percentage of BF readers, I believe. That is why shipping it is the only reasonable solution for the vast majority of us.
If I had insane amounts of money; that would be in my barn next week.
It would make my 55 half ton panel look like a toy.
Listing update: as Lefty Frizzell would say, “She’s gone, gone, gone…” Someone nabbed this steal of a deal panel truck. Was it one of you?