327 Powered Short Bed: 1965 Chevrolet C-20

GM built the C/K series of trucks between 1960-02, with the “C” designating 2-wheel-drive and “K” for 4-wheel-drive. The first generation ran through 1966 and included this 1965 C-20 which is a ¾-ton, short-bed pickup. This one has been nicely restored and a recent hit on the show circuit. It has a new crate motor and a TH-350 automatic transmission. Located in Spring, Texas, the red truck is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $9,100, but the reserve is still open.

With the C/K series of trucks came a drop-center ladder frame, which allowed the cab of the trucks to sit lower than before. They also had an independent front suspension which provided more of a car-like ride in these working pickups. This 1965 edition of the Chevy truck appears to a turn-key transport, with all the needed work already completed and ready to roll. The seller says that a great deal of time and money has been invested, so we’re guessing the bidding will have to go a lot higher for it to change hands.

The 327 V8 was new to the Chevy trucks in 1965 and one lies under the hood of this pickup, though not numbers matching. It’s a crate motor and paired with a floor-shifted 3-speed automatic that’s instead of the 2-speed Powerglide was the only shift-free available at that time. The seller makes a point of saying that throughout the restoration, all the work has been done to meet DOT requirements, although I don’t know why that needs to be stated. It’s a good runner, although we wonder why all four wheels need to be chocked while it’s sitting idle in the driveway. And were eight-lug wheels standard on the ¾-ton or did these come later?

If there was any rust, it’s gone now, and the new red paint looks nice. The interior has been redone in a matching fashion, using a split-bench seat to complete the package. The shifter for the transmission looks like one for a manual but without the clutch pedal. The only thing amiss in the passenger compartment is that the vinyl material on the seat bottom on the driver’s side has either come loose or wasn’t attached to begin with.

We’re told the truck’s mileage is 78,500 and it would be cool to have seen photos showing the truck going through the restoration process so we’d know what the “before” product looked like. Perhaps those photos are included, but about half the images the seller uploaded didn’t take and are not viewable. Vintage trucks are in demand today, so their resale value is on the rise. Hagerty and NADA both peg top-dollar on these pickups at between $50-80,000.