Original Paint: 1972 Chevrolet C-10 Short Bed

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Today we’ll explore the outer limits of Chevy C10 pickup values, highlighting this 1972 short bed, listed on eBay for a cool $48,900, or best offer. This truck is now located in Mooresville, North Carolina, but it was used and owned in South Carolina for most of its history. The C/K series is renowned for pulling Chevrolet’s sales ahead of Ford’s during the early 1970s. Chevy was the first to market with standard comfort features like carpet, a tilt steering wheel, and better seating. Multiple trim levels were also new, allowing “customization” that many drivers were already attempting with aftermarket parts. This truck sports color-corrected, original two-tone paint on a dent-free body and bright, very straight trim. Both bumpers are brand new – the tip of the iceberg in terms of replacement parts as we’ll see. The service parts identification label is still intact and almost as new inside the glove box. Ok, it’s nice. But how much can a nice C10 possibly be worth?

The engine bay was a bit shy for its photo shoot – only this bare slice of a view was provided. The air cleaner assembly is spiffy but the valve covers have seen better days. The motor is Chevy’s ubiquitous 350 cu. in. V8, the original as supplied by the factory, paired with an automatic transmission. But nearly everything else is new, from the radiator to the brakes, the fuel tank to the u-joints. A complete list is here. The odometer reads 116,000 miles and the seller says the truck can go any distance. The later C/K series suspension offered a major upgrade over the old “Task Force” truck with its beam axle and rear leaf springs: an independent front suspension and coil-sprung rear axle became standard.

Much of the interior is new, too, including carpets, door weather stripping, sill plates, armrests (Chevy revised the door panels for the second-gen C10 series to incorporate padded arm rests), upholstery, sun visors…. This truck is equipped with air conditioning and the compressor is…. you guessed it, new. It blows cold, we’re told. The C/K series introduced a drop-center frame, making cabin ingress far easier.

The C10 simply doesn’t have a bad angle – it’s handsome every which way. Sitting low, with its lines squared up versus the roundness of the old Task Force body, this truck was destined to be a classic. Sure enough, over the last several years, prices have climbed precipitously. Conceptcarz reports median sales prices are up from about $20k in 2017 to more than $42k now. Part of that push is due to the very high prices achieved by resto-modded examples – these can reach six figures. But nice stock trucks are in demand too: this ’72 with a 350 V8 sold at Mecum for $46k; another similar truck went for $43k at the same venue. Finding a cheaper example is still possible, but there’s no doubt nice originals can indeed sell past $40k these days.

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Comments

  1. Steve R

    Nice truck, expensive for a reason. The color though ugly, works on these early-70’s trucks, but not many other vehicles. They nailed the stance, keeping the stick hubcaps is a nice touch. It even has working AC and disc brakes. It may not sell quickly, but I’d be surprised if someone doesn’t step up to get a deal done.

    Steve R

    Like 5
    • Al camino

      Yea they nailed the stance by never changing the coil springs!

      Like 2
      • Steve R

        Read the list of new parts in picture #21.

        Steve R

        Like 0
  2. jeffschevelle

    Originally a straight drive? No automatic trans on the SPID sticker.

    Like 0
    • bobhess bobhessMember

      No left pedal on the floor either.

      Like 1
  3. JoeNYWF64

    I would be a lot more impressed if nothing cosmetic had to be replaced.

    Like 0
  4. bobhess bobhessMember

    One of the cleanest designs GM ever put on the road. Big influence on us to buy our ’72 Blazer. Nice truck.

    Like 1
  5. Rw

    Wonder how it’s lowered? I’ve seen alot of vehicles over the years with proper stance with heated or chopped coils,ride and drive horrible..

    Like 1
    • bobhess bobhessMember

      No lowered here. The fender radius exactly aligns with the tires as it came from the factory. It isn’t a 4 wheel drive but does have the 4 wheel drive hubcaps.

      Like 2
      • Rw

        It is lowered,read the eBay ad..

        Like 0
    • Michelle RandAuthor

      It’s not lowered. What I meant by “low stance” is compared to the prior “Advance Design” model, the C/K appears low to the ground. That was designed into the truck to make it look more modern, and it worked!

      Like 2
    • 19sixty5Member

      New 2″ front, 3″ rear drop coils.

      Like 0
  6. KC

    Nice truck, way over priced.

    Like 1
  7. Rw

    It is lowered,read the eBay ad,it says in the owners hand writing,2in. Shorter springs in front,3 in. Shorter springs in rear

    Like 1
  8. HCMember

    One of my favorite year C10s. Just because the seller has a ton of money in all these new parts doesn’t mean he gets it in the asking price. But no doubt, she’s a beauty.

    Like 1

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