As long as there have been cars, there has been customization. Each era had its unique trends that easily date customized vehicles, but the late 1970s had a particular style that stood out from many of the custom trends prior. Murals were all the rage, as was shag carpet and crushed velvet dashboards. While these types of modifications were typically found in vans, it certainly wasn’t exclusive to vans! Wild paint jobs could be found on cars and trucks as well, as evidenced by this 1979 K10 Sandbox Edition which is said to be a dealer conversion. It has 48,000 actual miles and the seller has included a video found here. Find it here on eBay in Iowa with an asking price of $12,995.
The engine is the original and correct engine for this truck and the seller states that it is a V8, but not what displacement. Because it is a 1979 Chevrolet truck, I’ll hazard a guess that it is a 350 cubic inch small block. The seller states that he has used this truck as a daily driver, and from the video it looks like this truck drives really nicely. It also has factory A/C that the seller suspects will need to be recharged. Not only that, but the air cleaner lid has been flipped for an upgrade in power, or perhaps sound.
This photo does not do the interior justice! I highly recommend viewing the video linked in the first paragraph. From here it may look relatively normal minus the cupholder console, but in the video it can be seen that there is a button-tufted headliner, carpeted B-pillars, and a cool Sanbox fog light/driving light toggle switch as well as a CB radio. The carpeting on the floor looks like it is shag or nearly shag, and matches the carpeting on the pillars behind the seat.
Though there are graphics down both sides of the truck, the main mural is found on the doors and fenders. To quote the seller, theres a “Really a cool 70’s vibe with it.” This type of customization isn’t everyone’s taste, but I love everything about this truck. It’s almost everything you could want in a custom van applied to a truck! I would daily this, but I would certainly do my best to preserve the original paint and graphics. The seller is the third owner and purchased it from the second owner after trying to buy it since 2005, but has decided to sell it to make room in his collection. This is a turn-key survivor complete with some documentation back to the original owner.
Considered a bit tacky now, but should be preserved as a prime example of 70’s airbrush customization. Chevy should have sponsored the Back to the Future franchise, then McFly would have driven this truck instead of the ‘Yota.
I recall reading that Ford had a “Sandbox” edition pickup in the late ’70s…that seemed to be the era of “editions”, both factory and dealer. You could buy what looked like lifesize Hot Wheels cars.
The old flip the air cleaner lid upside down trick, ehh? I suppose most all of us readers have done that at one time or another, haha! On my old ’72 half ton I used the stock air cleaner base and filter but used a small chrome air cleaner lid, looked kinda neat, had that quadra jet roar that I loved to hear. This truck is an absolute time capsule with those graphics, looks odd to me now however.
The Quadrajet Roar! If GM had only known they could have charged more for it!
My favorite Chevy truck 4×4 ! I had a 71 short bed from the south back in the 90’s, great 2wd, but one winter in the rust belt killed it. Sold it for what I paid and the next guy wrecked it. I have a 04 Dodge 4×4 I bought new, took very good care, it also is rusting away, I hate Ohio !
You sound angry, Mike.
Yes this truck screams 70’s, I got in to 4×4’s because of the demise of the musclecars era. Fun times.
Interesting time capsule-type truck but I wouldn’t be caught dead in it; too gaudy for me.
I remember but don’t love the murals effect. However, the form of those graphics strike a resonant chord in me. I connect with them mainly on Scouts these days.
Or this one in different decal colors. Midas Wdition ’79-80.
Is the pickup package shown in the listing painted or decal applied?
Probably paint but don’t know for sure.
Flippin the air cleaner lid was my way in the 70’s to at least sound like I could afford a 4 bbl. lol
These swb chevys are heating up collector wise. I have a ‘77 K10 which I love but with a quadrajet and headers, thing only gets about 8 mpg. Pretty brutal.
Graphics or no graphics, this is nice and worth the money and will probably appreciate nicely if you don’t ruin it.