Is there anything cooler than a truck or a van with authentic patina? The answer is, no – there’s not! While it’s getting harder to find vehicles with genuine patina that hasn’t been painted over or washed away to the point that it’s barely visible, old fire trucks and department vehicles usually retain some clues to their prior life of service. This cool short wheelbase 1973 Chevrolet G10 van listed here on Facebook Marketplace previously did duty as a department vehicle for the borough of Freedom, Pennsylvania, and benefits from some very smart upgrades by the seller.
First of all, you have to love how many details have survived on this truck which sports very faded paint. The town name of Freedom, PA has all but washed off the hood, but the fire department logo and original (and likely hand-painted) script on the sides still shows well. Of course, it gets multitudes better when you note details like the original spotlight and CB antenna mount are still present as well. The seller notes he still has the original light bar; add the CB antenna and you’re back to fighting emergencies in a jiffy (or at least looking like you could). The short wheelbase seals the deal for achieving maximum coolness.
The 307 engine shows just over 43,000 original miles, and these fire department vehicles are typically lightly-used compared to vans owned by the general population. I would love to know if this G10 resided in the ownership of the town until recently, and it seems likely given how much of the original exterior detail survives. The seller has improved the performance of the 307 by adding a small RV/torque camshaft and a four-barrel carburetor. He notes it’s also equipped with power steering and brakes, making this a terrific all-around driver.
When we see vehicles come up for sale that previously resided in the care of a local municipal agency or fire department, they are generally in good order given they don’t see daily use. Plus, most fire departments take great pride in washing their vehicles and keeping them looking their best. This G10 van would be a desirable project even without the fire department connection, but the fact that the truck retains so many original details pushes it over the top in terms of desirability if you’ve been hunting for a short-wheelbase G10. The asking price is $9,200.
Cool. But not $9200 worth of cool.
Low mileage, but lots of hours idling away on duty.