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Former Horse Hauler: 1966 Chevy C-10

Old work trucks can serve all sorts of entertaining purposes, from the perfect vintage race car hauler to camping rigs with all the luxuries of home. But this 1966 Chevrolet C-10 leaves the doors open (literally!) to all sorts of possibilities given its past as a former horse hauler. Sporting original paint, it looks far better than most workhorses do by this age. Check it out here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $9,500. 

That paint is incredible for the year, especially since the first picture shows what appears to be a neglected truck locked in the barn. With the dust sprayed off, it looks practically brand new. As you can see, it clearly was useful for lugging horses around, but the seller mentions that he and his family used it as a platform for throwing candy off of during a recent parade! That’s just one possibility for re-using this C10, but I think all that space could be put to good use as a vintage motorhome.

While it may seem like a shame to wall all that open space in, the windows up top would make for ideal sleeping quarters while “downstairs” could house the sink, kitchen and living room area. A bathroom would be nice, too, so the sofa up against the passenger cabin bulkhead may have to be a murphy bed. The seller does mention he removed the side panels for the family’s parade activities, so putting up some privacy barriers should be fairly easy.

Wow – that interior is fantastic for a truck that clearly had a past as a working rig. The seller mentions that the 292 runs great, and he recently serviced the brakes and wheel bearings before hitting the open road. Without any rust holes present and that stunning original paint, this Chevy hauler should remain in service for many years to come provided its next owners take as good of care of it as previous ones did. I’ve laid out my vision for this C10 – how would you use this horse rig on a daily basis?

Comments

  1. Avatar Howard A Member

    I tell you one thing, I certainly wouldn’t haul any horses the way this is set up. Horse haulers need to be close to the ground, but a neat truck, regardless. I’d probably take the back off, and drop a camper, or flatbed on. I don’t do parades ( I did once with my Packard, with the temp needle pegged on “H”, while my dear old MIL and my kids threw candy out the window, blissfully unaware, the Packard was running hot) Not sure why someone would restore ( or at least a repaint) a truck like this, a flatbed would do the same thing in a parade, (better, maybe) and you could at least use it.

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  2. Avatar Jamie Staff

    Evidently it didn’t sell in August of last year…http://barnfinds.com/the-cat-likes-it-1966-chevrolet-livestock-carrier/

    I’m still not sure what I’d do with it! :-) But it would be fun figuring it out!

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  3. Avatar Charles B

    Not a C-10.

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  4. Avatar Blyndgesser

    Given the heavy duty wheels, I’d say that’s a C30, not a C10.

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  5. Avatar JW

    I don’t think I would use it for long haul camping trips but for local swapmeets to haul your stash of parts it would be perfect, with the side panels removed would make for easy loading and unloading of parts.

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  6. Avatar mike

    I think I would convert it to nice custom camper, using the current box, it would be nice to sometime trailer my classic’s to car shows, that way I would not have to pay for a hotel room, and worry about the cars sitting in a parking lot, because some of the shows have camping area to stay at..

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  7. Avatar geomechs Member

    These were good trucks in their day. I’d never be afraid to take one on a long trip, albeit somewhat slow. Personally, I’d get rid of the body and put a flat deck on it. Lots of stuff to be packed around.

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  8. Avatar dirtyharry

    I have owned plenty of horses and I would never put a horse in something like this. Can you imagine a nervous horse in this? No one would haul a horse in a truck with open sides. In 8 seconds a “leg” would drop out the side and you would be looking for handgun. It has a ramp in the back, so it hauled something with a heartbeat.

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  9. Avatar Jay E.

    I can’t imagine this ever hauled horses, even if the sides were enclosed. The ramp is too steep, horses would be very reluctant to go up and it would be a show to get them to back down. Also the flatbed is so high it would exaggerate any turning or swaying motion and the horses would always be off balance. Plus it is a very small platform with a roof that way too low for horses (except mini’s). I’m not seeing much practical use here.

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  10. Avatar Dave at OldSchool Restorations

    Vintage race car hauler ??? not for me. It would be a Longggggg slow trip to Pittsburg Schenley Park Grand Prix…or any other track except Barber

    We raised horse for many years, I see no evidence it was set up for horses.. no ties, no bars, etc… and certainly would not put horses in there with low open sides.

    It looks like it was made to tote hay bales…easy loading from the sides, and unload from the rear…

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  11. Avatar mike d

    PEOPLE!! you aren’t reading the ad as it was written! the contraption that is currently on it was ORIGINALLY USED FOR HAULING HORSES.. meaning, some owner put this thing on the back of the truck.. and custom fit it if you wanted you could ” convert” it back to a pick up , or whatever!!

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    • Avatar dirtyharry

      From the ebay ad: “The bed that is currently one it was originally used for hauling horses.” Although, after looking at the ebay ad, the seller does mention the “side boards” were removed for a Parade. I still think it awful for hauling horses, too high, ramp to small, headroom, side boards (I wouldn’t feel very confident in that, if even one board got loose it could be a real disaster).

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    • Avatar Dave at OldSchool Restorations

      @ mike d.. Don’t shout….yes, I read the ad… I also had a herd of about about 30 Appaloosas and Indian Ponies, so I do know a bit about transporting nags.

      I’m with Howard A and dirty harry .. not good for horses…

      and I have seen a few old school buses with open sides like this used by commercial hay growers to make loading square bales in the field quicker

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  12. Avatar Mark S

    Here’s what I’d do if I was so inclined to own this truck. First get rid of that hey box on the back. Second shorten the wheel base to that of a truck with an 8′ box than source out and buy a period correct box to restore and install. Third pull out engine and transmission and replace with a cumins diesel and five speed overdrive trans. Fourth up grade read axle to a two speed. Fifth some nicely chromed wheels and highway tires. Sixth a nice fresh paint job ( pick a colour ) mine would be red as it is my favorite colour. Seventh front disc brake up grade. Eighth and last fifth wheel hitch in back so it could pull any number of trailers even a horse trailer. JMO

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  13. Avatar Rustytech Member

    I looked, and looked some more, I can’t imagine what it was used for, but I hope it wasn’t horse! With a flat bed it would make a nice hauler for your classic.

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