Sticking an old car or truck in the barn is a rite of passage for a vehicle, going from a contributing member of society to a forgotten relic of the past. While we love barn finds here, there’s no denying that being shoved into or under the barn is a bad idea for any vehicle’s health. This 1974 GMC 2500 Camper Special was parked in the family barn 10 years ago and hasn’t run since. Find it here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,200.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Lothar… of the Hill People. This truck is equipped with 2WD and a beefy 454 under the hood. The Camper Special trucks always came with a variety of heavy-duty goodies, so the equipment list was the best part of a truck like this. But I’m not going to lie, the 454 and rear wheel drive combo seems like a lot of fun in an otherwise workhorse of a truck, giving it an almost sleeper-like aura. Of course, it has been sleeping, so perhaps that description works in more ways than one.
Now, this truck is in Wisconsin, and I suspect it didn’t leave a particularly gentle life. I doubt the seller’s father bought this pickup new, as those trucks that have become part of the family are generally still pretty tidy even after years of heavy farm work. I’m guessing the GMC was bought as a second-hand beater, which explains why rust is a serious issue, likely from being driven in winter conditions and left outside for a decade or two.
The rear bed fenders are even more trashed, and there’s also a ton of scale on that frame. Sadly, I don’t think this 2500 has much life left other than that of a parts truck. The 454 should fetch good money, and perhaps the automatic if still in good working order. I am normally one to defend all of rusty projects but this GMC seems like it spent a few too many years as a winter workhorse and as barn resident, both of which have combined to limit this truck’s chances at rebirth. What do you think – can it be saved?
Ha! Wisconsin, you say? A),,Melissa doesn’t know much and cleaning out the barn. B),,this truck makes mine look like it rolled off the car carrier and C),, parts? Hold on there fella, this truck, while representative of most of the region, is absolutely reusable, just won’t be pretty, is all. As we barrel across the land in air conditioned Kia rentals( yuk), we see barn after barn, and I all but guarantee, they still have at least one of these. The more abandoned looking, the better the chance. Sure it looks bad here, but cleaned up, it’s still a heck of a truck. To be used for what these were for, just plain work, and back in the barn she goes. Commuting 3 hours to a Walmart, ( and back) not so much. and D), I’d bet the owner did indeed buy this new, farmers RARELY buy some other farmers junk, ask me how I know. A great find, and unless you are the kind that simply must have the “plastic on the seats”, for 5 figures, by all means, have at it. If you are a “normal” person, something this site attracts and need a TRUCK truck,( not a car with a box) it doesn’t get much better than this.
The frame on my ’82 2500 went bad before anything else. It was a northern Ohio farm truck it’s whole life, til I bought It, in 98. Sitting outdoors for decades can do that to a vehicle.
74/78 Happy Thanksgiving Howard.
Opinion, in its current condition its a $500 dollar truck I’m sure the mice living in it won’t enjoy being rehomed Ok yes its a square body but I’m not sure its worth saving unless you’re looking for something that you can park in Wal-Mart and not worry about door dings
Nope, I know a guy locally pulled 1,500.00 out of just the engine from a 74. Sadly the one here was rustfree. I hauled the remains for the rustfree cab. He made another 1K off other stuff from it, bed and so on.
The question that is not answered is why was it parked? Did something go wrong, like a tranny going bad, or did the owner go bad, and the family no longer needed it. I can imagine when I get some late-life illness my truck will be parked and then ten years will go by before my dead hands can no longer keep the keys.
My guess is that if you wanted to clean this truck up just enough to drive it there are plenty of patch panels and pop rivets available for the body. The 454 was a rare option, and if you need a beater truck this might be a good candidate. I knew someone who plowed snow with one of these (yes, 2WD), so they really are up for any kind of work.
@Jeff, please correct the headliner, which lists this as a 1978, to the advertiser’s 1974.
You might as well buy a roller and put it together from other trucks, then you don’t have to take all the junk off this one
I’d use the frame, suspension and drive train for avtri-5 pick up and scrap the rest.
Looks more like a swamp find
Can we look inside the cab? 454 big block is redundant.
a. good write up, jeff.
b. thanks for giving the tipper credit (in this case, me)!
c. SOLD!
PS:
it looks like the seller has lots of other interesting stuff to sell… jeep j-10, ski-doo TNT everest, an old john deere tractor, a ford quigly 4×4 van, etc.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/profile/100032260904354