Squarebody pickups are all the rage right now. If you have the stomach for a deep restoration, this 1979 Chevrolet Big 10 Pickup may interest you. It is a short wheel base 1/2 ton truck with a 454 cubic inch V8 engine. The truck is listed for sale here on eBay with 3 days remaining in the auction. It is currently bid to $3,350 and will need a lot of work to bring it back to original condition. The truck is located in Winter Springs, Florida and is being sold by a licensed Florida dealer.
The truck bears its original paint and interior. The front seat doesn’t look too pad but the dash is cracked and the door panels are toast. I don’t think I have ever seen door panels worn through along the top by the window. This must be due to sun damage followed by extensive wear. The truck is heavily loaded with power windows, power locks, air conditioning, Factory Tachometer (cool), tinted glass, tilt steering and cruise control. The ad states that it is optioned with the Silverado package.
The 7.4 liter engine (454 cubic inches) is topped with a 4 barrel carburetor and backed by a GM Turbohydromatic automatic transmission. The locking rear differential houses 3.40 gears. The seller states this is a matching numbers engine and transmission. The truck was parked in 1999 with only 56K miles on the odometer. The engine is not running and will need several systems rebuilt including the brakes, ignition and fuel system.
The truck is painted in Midnight Black (code 86) and silver (code 17). The Big 10 package was offered from 1975 to 1980 as a heavy duty option package on Chevrolet half ton trucks. This truck looks like it was used for work and towing and not for racing based on its mirrors and factory steel wheels. The seller is clear that this is a project and has rust in the doors, bed, fenders, rockers and cab. This will be a cool truck when it is restored.
I used to drive a Big-10 with a 350 V8. I always assumed that Big-10s were all long beds, but I guess circumnavigating emissions rules was a boon for short-bed buyers too.
That’s not a short bed. A Big-10 was the precursor to the “Heavy Half” and all were long beds.
Big-10 and Heavy Half ran concurrently and were Chevy and GMC versions of the same truck, and they were indeed offered as shortbeds. Once you got up to the real, full-floating-axle 3/4 tons it went to longbeds only.
OTOH this truck’s seat has been reupholstered or more likely replaced. No GM pickup from this era had that kind of embossed-pattern vinyl; the base work trucks in ’79 had a (color)-and-white houndstooth pattern printed on the seats, higher trims like this Silverado would’ve had a choice between a deeper sewn tuck-and-roll type vinyl or cord velour.
My 80 big10 was a short bed. I doubt gears in the 12 are 3.40. Also, not likely a locker but lsd. Si?
That 3.:40 Ratio 12 bolt was pretty common in the late 70’s. 34 teeth on the ring gear, 10 on the pinion.
It sure is a short bed. Maybe something wrong with your monitor.
No dude I owned a one owner GM dealer/ owner of said Chevrolet dealer. He ordered it to pull his camper to Fla and never seen salt and rust free. Shall I send you pictures and VIN ? That is a real deal BIG 10 !!!!
My Gawd……..it only needs a box, cab, doors, fenders, tailgate, rad support, bumpers, hood, interior and you can get it if you bid higher than the current $5100.00 bid.
I’ve got a ’77 w/454, short bed, b-pillar crest says “Trailer Special”–10-leaf rear springs, oversized front discs, loaded interior, 12 mpg!!
Wow, this was a nice truck at one time, great options and colors.
Depending on what price you can get it for, its probably better to find one in better condition than this one. Its Gonna take some deep pockets for an off the frame restoration. And some serious surgery and welding replacement body panels and steel.