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Crew Cab Project: 1979 Chevrolet C20

This is one long truck! It’s a crew cab and a long bed, so trucks from this era don’t get much bigger! For someone looking to tow and travel, this would be the ideal vehicle. It has room in the passenger compartment, as well as more than enough power and wheelbase to tow a camper or perhaps a horse trailer. From this picture, it looks really nice! However upon closer inspection, this is definitely a project. The seller purchased it as a father-son project, but the son decided he preferred 4×4 vehicles instead. Find it here on eBay in Georgia with bidding at $510.99 and reserve not met. 

Although it is showing its age, the interior looks mostly complete and in prime restorable condition. This truck looks like it has seen plenty of use, but very little abuse. The rear seat is in equally poor condition to the front. Hopefully someone who wants a neat older tow rig will pick this up and fix it up right! This would really be a sharp truck. It looks like someone opted to make a speaker/stereo box that sits on the floor instead of cutting the dash and doors. That makes me happy, because one of the worst things to see on a nice older vehicle is cut up doors and dashes.

Under the hood is a 454 cubic inch Chevrolet big block. The seller states “It spent most of its life in a barn and going to horse shows. The PO was using it to pull horses just last year when we bought it, he upgraded to a suburban.” While I consider this a project vehicle, someone else may just see a good solid truck to put back to work towing a trailer. The crew cab long bed 454 combination seems to be a favorite among those who frequently tow, and this truck is certainly capable of towing with ease!

As far as projects go, especially old Chevy trucks, this truck is not in bad shape. While it will need some metal work in order to be nice again, the body is mostly straight and would look really nice with some body work and paint. Even just fixing the body and recovering the seats would go a long way on this truck! I would be torn on what to do if I bought this. What would you do with it? Restore it and make it shine? Or put it back to work doing what it does best?

Comments

  1. Avatar MH

    I had a truck just like this one. Mine had a inline 6 with 3 speed manual on the floor with a granny gear. Not fast but a torque monster. It would pull anything. With I still had it!

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  2. Avatar Ron Bajorek

    no title? How do you title it in New York? I’d love this truck

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    • Avatar Alfie

      Georgia doesn’t require titles if the vehicle is 1985 or older. Bill of Sale is the only document you need. New York is another matter. They want titles no matter what. What I’m thinking is you register in your name in Georgia first then transfer to New York. Research.

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    • Avatar Dovi65

      I haven’t done a “missing title” registration in NY in a while, but I had a notarized bill of sale from the seller, including all the specifics .. year/make/model/VIN, and took it to the DMV office. I paid the registration fee, & a replacement title fee, and was on my way with tags.

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  3. Avatar Martin Sparkes

    It will tow in Texas maybe. You will be in the slow lane in British Columbia with less than 200 hp to the wheels……

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  4. Avatar geomechs Member

    Our dealership sold a few of these. 1979 would’ve been close to the time when crew cabs were starting to show their potential as family RV haulers and they sold well. The 454 is a no-brainer; it was one of the best motors for towing that was ever built. Interesting that I’ve seen so many with Edlebrock carburetors on them. I’m not criticizing the carb except to say that I always thought you could make the Quadrajet feed that BBC very well. I never had any complaints from my customers…..

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  5. Avatar Val

    Rip out the Gas Garbage and drop a Cummin’s engine into it then you would have a Nice truck .Instead of a Gas Sucking Pig .

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    • Avatar Thedieseldoc

      Gas garbage?!?! That 454 was already tried and true before dodge even got the idea to stick that piece of straight 6 garbage between the frame rails. Swapping ISB boat anchors into everything has become the sbc swap of the nineties and it’s sickening that no one can come up with a more original idea.

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      • Avatar val

        It’s called Horsepower and Torque While still getting 10 + mpg better then the chubby block 454 can .

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  6. Avatar M1008

    I think with a little attention to details, and elbow grease, it would be a fine addition to my own collection, if it were closer. 454 wouldn’t be so bad, and roasting the tires at a light would be sweet. Taking 2 parking spots at work?
    PRICELESS, especially at the Honda dealer where I work. Bunch of
    whiners, it would be my pleasure!

    Like 0
  7. Avatar M1008

    Move over Powerstroke boy. Doin’ Chevy stuff here

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Jonathan Q Higgins

    Road trip!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      Road trip indeed!

      Like 0
  9. Avatar boxdin

    To me these trucks are good as gold. Keep nice and work on as you drive is a no brainer compared to new trucks. Headline today was a new ford F350 loaded had an MSRP over 100,000.00 !! For what?
    I prefer early 90s vans & trucks (fords), nice EFI systems & OD trans and no carbs. Chevy pickups have parts growing on trees. My old ford vans hardly a part is over 25 bucks from amazon.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jonathan Q Higgins

      Make that 94 and up. Fuel system is better.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Val

    The Furd is a Loaded F550 but still it’s about 70 K shy of being worth that much when you have to remove the Cab to even find the engine .

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  11. Avatar Mark S

    My Dad had a 1976 Chevy 3/4 ton with 454 CID engine. He was using strictly propane in it. He had a 20 ft flat deck trailer on it that was used for hauling logs out of the forestry 4 cords at a time 5 ton GVW and that old truck would pull hard with that big load.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar JAKE GILBERT

    I own this!!! So stoked to find this on the internet, I was doing some research and came across this site. Its getting a 6.0 LS and a full rebuild of the cab and frame.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar JAKE GILBERT

    I would love to know the PO and history of this truck if anyone has it.

    Like 1

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