- Seller: Zachary S (Contact)
- Location: Elmira, New York
- Mileage: 271,104 Shown
- Chassis #: CKE2421123603
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 350 cui V8
- Transmission: Automatic
This 4×4 has had three owners and traveled just over 271,000 miles over the last 54 years. We don’t know the timeline on when portions of it were repainted or restored, but it’s had some bodywork and paintwork over the decades. This 1972 Chevrolet K20 4×4 is located in Elmira, New York, and the seller is asking $12,200. They have it listed here as a Barn Finds Exclusive!
As much as I love Stepside pickups (and whatever “fender side” names other manufacturers have for them), the Fleetside Chevy pickup is arguably more popular. It goes without saying that this is a “long” bed, as Chevrolet didn’t offer a short-bed pickup for the 3/4-ton models. This bed/box has been replaced at some point, according to the seller, who believes it was purchased in Arizona. It does look more solid than the doors, which are showing bubbling under some obvious body and paintwork. No worries, though, they’re giving the buyer two much nicer doors with the sale. There were originally body side moldings (Belt Molding – D29) on this truck, but clearly, they were removed during one of the restorations over the decades.
The second-generation C/K-series Chevrolet pickups were made for model years 1967 through 1972, and they’re pretty hot right now. A 1/2-ton short-bed Fleetside would probably be the most valuable configuration. This topper/cap looks solid, despite a somewhat rough appearance, paint-wise. I’m 86% sure most buyers would 86 it within 86 minutes of taking delivery of this truck. Heck, I’d ask the seller to please remove it first so I wouldn’t have to deal with getting rid of it, but that’s just me. I have an orange truck with a topper (what we call them in Minnesota), so who am I to talk? Please check out the seller’s photos to see inside the bed, showing a bed liner on the floor. The underside looks a little scary in spots, and they say that the rear frame was repaired in 2005.
The seller provided great photos showing the details, good and bad, of this truck. It needs a lot of work, that’s undeniable, but it’s a heavy-duty truck, as shown in a photo of the data sheet that they provided. It has heavy-duty front and rear springs, a full-foam seat, full gauges, and more. Although what is the blank gauge in front of the steering wheel, where a clock would have been? I was hoping that was a 4-speed on the floor, but that’s a shift lever for the 2-speed NP-205 transfer case. This truck has an M-49 Turbo-Hydramatic transmission (shown on page 10 of this factory Chevrolet spec sheet), and also on the data sheet. The seat is out of a 1966 C10, with brackets from LMC for a 1972 seat, and they say it’ll need some adjustment to make it more comfortable. The dash pad is really cracked, so add that to the list. Here’s a 1972 Chevrolet pickup brochure.
The drivetrain is reportedly original to the truck, but the engine and transmission are said to have been rebuilt between 100,000 and 120,000 miles ago, according to the previous owner. This is Chevy’s 350 cu. in. OHV V8, which, with the 4-barrel carburetor, would have been rated at 175 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque when new. It passes that power through the 2-speed NP transfer case and THM automatic to all four wheels as needed. This is a big truck and a big project, but it sounds like it could be used during the week and tinkered with on the weekends until you’re done. Please check out the photos of this ’72 Chevy K20 4×4 listed here as a Barn Finds Exclusive!
Got enough rusty junk of my own, no need to buy more especially at that price!
Maybe exercise that option of just not buying it then? Instead of cutting it down. Has that crossed your mind?
My apologies if I’ve stepped on anyone’s toes, 67/72 have always been a favorite and drove a 68 for many years. If you look at the extensive list of photos, especially the underside, it’s plenty rough considering the ask, but all that is just my opinion.
Grandma always said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Follow that adage and this site would be very quiet.
Closing in on 300,000 miles with sporadic body & framework over 55 years…
half that asking price might be too much.
That blank gauge in the center is for an optional tachometer. You’ll also find a blank in the lower row which was used for a vacuum or air pressure gauge for larger trucks.
These were some of the best 4x4s that GM ever built. Easy to work on and reliable as they come. Although most of the ones I saw out west ran 4-speed manuals, automatics were starting to break out in the early 70s.
My uncle bought a ’72 very similar to this one. I was a little disappointed when one of his sons in law showed up to take it when my uncle could no longer drive. I think the truck only had in the neighborhood of 27K miles on it back then.
Thanks, Geo! I should have figured that was a missing tach.
Elmira, NY! My home town! Awesome!
I travel through your town on my way up to Locke for trials motorcycle events! Nice little town 👌
Nice project truck. Not too bad and there aren’t many around. It’s really hard to sell older trucks that need work. I feel like 12k is a good price for that truck and someone could really have a great start to a fun project. I’ve been trying to sell an 83 shortbed Chevy and had very few serious takers but it’s all working out well as I’m trading it to a remodeling contractor for a new deck and fence so all well ends well
NICE !!! local !!!
It’s most certainly going to need door bottoms from cj pony parts. I just question what is going on with the frame on both sides? But if you’re looking for a good restoration project this one is complete.
Elmira NY, I was born and raised just over the hill in Ithaca. That is salt country!! Tons of it from under the Finger Lakes.. Depending how it looks underneath?? This might be a good starter vehicle in the Antique truck hobby?? Though it would take a lot of time and $$Dollars to make it look as great as Geo’s picture.
Typical severe rust belt erosion. Even here in midwest the frames do not rust like that. Truck looks like it was green at one time from the underside.
Good Luck to the buyer, frames that are good usable condition are still around pretty easily.
a fav cheb design ( along w/Chevy II, vette ’58/60, van ’64/6 ) esp 292, SM465, 4WD, short bed, step side. Lotsa utility from one for 50 yrs (new in ’68, kept till sold 2020) sno plow/blower, fence’n tree work, haul, tow, more~