If you watch the typical televised auto auctions you’ll note that while muscle cars are still immensely popular, pickup trucks are running right behind them, particularly short bed ’67-’72 Chevrolet/GMC’s and early ’50s Fords. Actually, the values have become ascendant enough that many, beyond this narrow make and model range, are doing amazingly well too. For your review today, we have a “before” version in the form of a barn find ’69 Chevrolet C-10. It is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $2,575 with eighteen bids tendered as of this writing.

The backstory and details surrounding this C-10 are light. The seller states that it belonged to his father, ran when parked in a barn, and that was twenty-two years ago. This C-10 Fleetside is a long-bed which means a 127″ wheelbase and a 98″ cargo bed length as opposed to the more collectible short-bed that measures in with a 115″ wheelbase and 78.5″ in length for cargo carrying. As outlined here on Barn Finds previously, a short bed conversion is not that unusual an undertaking and I have watched the frame altering process performed on one of the commonly viewed TV car shows. I was initially concerned that frame surgery of that nature could set one up for watching the rear end of the truck pass by as they motored along but the standard cutting and welding process employed is pretty thorough.

This truck is surface rusty but not heavy on rust-through, though there are a few places where small holes are starting to emerge and the seller mentions as much, referencing one of the doors. Interestingly he states that he has door replacements though those that are currently installed already look like replacements. The cargo bed is grimy, but it is intact with what looks like a minor dent atop the passenger-side wheelhouse.  A good deal of this C-10’s trim is still attached but it’s not in the best of condition.

The interior is nothing short of a mess with rusty floors, a missing accelerator pedal, a decomposed seat, split dash pad, cracked steering wheel, and of course, the obligatory box and other “stuff” placed about on what’s left of the seat. The good news is that a C-10’s cab is small and there’s not that much to do to effect a complete makeover. And is frequently the case, the original Delco radio is missing.

The engine is described as a 350 CI V8 which makes me think it is a 255 gross HP “LM1” which was new for ’69. It’s a workhorse of a motor and has powered many Chevrolet and GMC trucks over the years. The seller states, “Truck rolls around. Have not tried to start it“. The transmission employed is an automatic and while it’s not stated if it’s a Powerglide or a new for ’69, Turbo-Hydramatic 350, what can be glimpsed of the column shift indicator would leave one to believe that it’s the latter.

It seems that most trucks of this generation, especially when they’re in this condition, end up as restomods or hot-rods and that’s what I would expect to be this truck’s fate – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it shrunk to short-bed size. The restored-to-stock projects seem to start with a better, cleaner subject. And with a modified in mind, this Chevy seems like a pretty good example from which to start, especially if the bids on this no reserve auction stay reasonable, wouldn’t you agree?