Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Nearly Finished: 1978 Chevrolet Cheyenne Short Bed

Hiding away in this garage is a 1978 Chevrolet Cheyenne Short Bed that would need very little work before it is ready to hit the road once again. It appears to be a rust-free survivor, and all of the parts required to return it to active service are included in the sale. Located in Peoria, Arizona, you will find the Cheyenne listed for sale here on Craigslist. Simply hand the owner $14,500, and you could be taking this pickup home. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder rex m for spotting the vehicle for us.

The Cheyenne is finished in a combination of Buckskin and Neutral, and its presentation is generally very good. It is hard to be entirely sure, but I think that the paint might be beginning to show some slight wear-through on the tops of the fenders and the leading edge of the hood. That doesn’t stop it from looking very respectable. If there is wear, addressing it should not be difficult. The panels look very straight for what is essentially a workhorse, while the trim and chrome seem faultless. I can’t spot any issues with the glass, but the dropped ride-height gives this Pickup a tough and purposeful appearance.

Lifting the Cheyenne’s hood reveals a 350ci V8, which is backed by a 3-speed automatic transmission. If this is the original engine, it should deliver 170hp and 270 ft/lbs of torque. Those figures mean that if it is in good health, the Cheyenne should be capable of carting a full payload with ease. It is evident that this engine has been fitted with a set of headers and an upgraded Edelbrock carburetor. Both additions would help the 350 to breathe better and should liberate a few more ponies. Unfortunately, that’s about all of the information that we have from a mechanical standpoint. The owner provides no details on how well the Short Bed runs or drives.

It appears that the interior has been removed from the Pickup, but what the buyer will have to fit in its place is all shiny and new. There are new seats, door trims, carpet, headliner, a console, kick panels, and sunvisors. With that lot in place, life inside the Cheyenne is sure to be pleasant. It isn’t clear what optional extras, if any, were fitted to the vehicle when it was new. It also isn’t clear whether any aftermarket equipment like a stereo has been installed. This is one case where the seller would be doing himself a favor by providing additional information for prospective buyers. However, if the Cheyenne is in a sound mechanical state, fitting the new interior trim might be all of the finishing touches that would be required before it is ready to hit the road again.

I’ve always liked these square-body pickups. I think that even in standard form, they have a rugged and aggressive look to them, and ramping that impression up a notch is not a difficult task. This one shows a lot of promise, but the seller leaves us dangling due to a lack of information about vital aspects of the Pickup. This is made more puzzling because he indicates in his listing that he must sell the vehicle. With that thought in mind, I’m surprised that he wasn’t more forthcoming with some fairly vital information. We would have to hope that he is willing to answer questions posed by interested people because I believe that he will probably get a few. I suspect that I’m not the only person who likes Cheyenne’s look, and I’ll be interested to know whether we have any readers who are interested enough to pursue it further.

Comments

  1. Avatar angliagt Member

    For that kind of money,it should be all together.

    Like 10
  2. Avatar Steve R

    With the parts included in the sale and the overall appearance of the truck the price might not be out of line. The seller needs to revamp their ad and address the questions brought up by the author of this feature or at least be willing to answer those questions to everyone with interest in purchasing the truck.

    My guess is the sellers first language isn’t English and the commenters should consider giving him a break.

    Steve R

    Like 7
  3. Avatar local_sheriff

    A much better buy than the white short bed a couple days back and I even like this color combo better. But almost 15k for a squarebody…yikes… at that kind of $ there are several other vintage rides I’d consider.
    A very nice C10 indeed, wonder if it ever served as a ‘truck’ or simply as a DD for an elderly couple only needing one seat row…?

    Like 3
  4. Avatar David G

    This one is the exact same colors as my ’78 GMC Sierra Classic C-35 pickup. Awesome trucks, and this one looks to come with all the parts necessary to make it a complete show worthy truck. Howard A will have a litter of puppies when he sees the price, though.

    Like 2
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Nah, I’ve made peace with this foolishness. Like I’ve said, someone wants to pay TEN TIMES what I paid, and I wasn’t going to go much higher for one, by all means, let the fleecing of the US car hobby continue. I just refuse to be part of it or to gouge someone like this.

      Like 4
  5. Avatar Bob C.

    350 engine, awsome! 305? Meh!

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Joe Haska

    This actually might be a reasonable buy, though Howard won’t think so. I think he misses the point, I don’t think it is gouging some one, it is just pricing according to the market. If you are priced low its gone in a heart beat, if your too high, you will probably be looking at it for awhile. One of the underlying reasons, I like the cars I do, is because I can afford the price range there in.
    Why look at that cars you can’t buy and then complain about the price. Also, 9 times out of ten,ts because the buyer wants to flip it and he can’t, if it is priced at fair market retail

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mike Brown

      It’s definitely a reasonable buy if it’s what you’re looking for. You couldn’t build a rusty one to this condition for $15k.

      I buy, restore, and sometimes keep square body trucks. I own 7 that I’ll never sell. The sale prices are what they are. I wouldn’t buy this one even as a fix/flip because I don’t buy anything that’s lifted or lowered by someone else. You never know what parts they used or if it’s done right.

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Chuck Metcalfe

    I agree Joe. I have a 73 that is probably realistically priced around $3500. I wouldn’t sell it for $7000. I’ve waited a long long time for a good squarebody and I wouldn’t let it go. This truck is priced about the same as a Kia or a Fusion. If I didn’t already have my 73 and had the resources I would love to have this truck. It’s the kind of truck that someone will get old with.

    Like 1

Leave a Reply to Bob C. Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.