If you’re someone who sees “understated” as a bad word, I’d recommend reading on and viewing all the photos of this 1976 Chevrolet C-10. It was sent in by a Barn Finds reader who found it here on eBay in Nashville, Tennessee. After 41 bids the current high bid is $20,600, but the reserve has not been met.
The third-generation C/K trucks were introduced for the 1973 model year and, aside from the 1-ton crew cab models, lasted through the 1987 model year. Even though the general public calls the 3rd generation trucks “square bodies,” GM referred to them as “rounded-line.” The square body nickname comes from the very square-looking profile, but the rounded-line description is evident when viewing at other angles – rounded windshield and door corners, wraparound taillights, and rounded bedsides, among others. I’ll say the “understated” description fits the whole third-generation concept.
This C10 is finished in a two-tone blue that looks just right on this truck. The body looks straight, clean, and rust-free. The seller says the paint is new and the truck is super solid. All trim is new. The bed was lined with body-color-matched spray-in liner. I’m a fan of the lowered stance, which isn’t too extreme. It looks like there’s still plenty of ground clearance with the wheels just slightly tucked. Speaking of wheels, the painted to match steel wheels with Chevrolet poverty caps maintain that “understated” theme.
The blue vinyl bench seat matches the exterior paint. All surfaces look clean, the seat looks great, and aside from a bit of dirt on the carpet, this interior presents very well. Nothing fancy in here – again, “understated.”
That 454 cubic-inch V8 is a departure from what you’d typically expect to see in a 2WD C-10. The 454 is factory-issued and is backed by a column-shifted automatic transmission. There’s some fin Weiand valve covers visible, but no mention of any other engine upgrades. I don’t mean to beat the “understated” dead horse, but, again, everything is simple here. The seller says this truck is “ready to cruise.”
Trucks are hot right now, especially the C10. The builder of this truck practiced great restraint in keeping things simple and clean looking. I expect the new owner of this 1976 Chevrolet C10 will get lots of compliments and comments on its simple and clean look.
I am a blue oval guy, but it was hard to find fault with these Chevy trucks. I really liked the tu-toned as featured here, and i thought the carryover of the dash layout was smart. Ford’s truck dashboard were very mundane compared to GM’s. This trucked is done right and will make the next owner very happy. The drop is good and the wheels look right, nice truck.
I dont know the prices for a new pick up or a slightly used one cause i am in canada and our prices differ but i am pretty sure that one can get a better looking , better handling , better performing , safer with all the bells and whistles for cheaper , take care of it and garage it like you would an old one and enjoy without the hasles and poor mpg of yesteryear
I bought a new to me 4 year old 2010 f150 with the 5,4 and a 6 speed , always properly winter stored and rustproofed , it has plenty of grunt and i would only trade up …
I hate it when people mess with the suspension like this.
Raising/lowering the “stance” can often end up looking like a freak show.
But not here. Like everything else on this one, the owner got it right. And I like it.
I can see that there’s an aluminum intake (painted) a Holley carburetor peeking out from the air cleaner, and you can see there’s a set of headers there too. It probably gets up and goes a little better than a run of the mill truck 454
These were terrible rusters in New England though the drivetrain was bulletproof – Its nice to see one in such nice shape !
I saw the $20,600 bid in the text and thought that was a fantasy result for the seller. Reserve not met? I figured they were thanking their lucky stars that what they had to sell resonated with some buyers. I drove a ’76 or ’78 Big 10 with a 350 quite a bit in college, often for work and for a month or two while a ‘Mercedes specialist’ attempted to rebuild the transmission of my 240D. It didn’t like cold weather, but was an okay truck. This was before half-ton trucks were acceptable substitutes for cars, and it isn’t like the cars were amazing either.
370zpp called it.
The first thing you’d have to do is fix the suspension so that it doesn’t look like it’s riding on broken springs. It looks terrible that way!!!
I would not drive this , should have left the regular stance. Just me but the lower you go , I think it’s a waste, a truck is made for work , loaded up or hauling, in mint condition or looking like a bomb hit it, but not like this. Reminds me of all these lowered Asian cars, [hi Howard], Driving around, I can not stand them either, but that’s just me.
Hi Mark, talkin’ to me? I’m sure many expect to hear my ramblings when these come up, and all I can say, is $20g’s,,GOT IM HIMMEL,,,and naturally, I agree about “slammin”, most of the time, when you saw a pickup lowered like this, it had a ton of rocks in the bed or 2 pallets of shingles. Times change, and for an old fart like me, that’s tough to admit, but these trucks today won’t see a pebble in the bed.
Now, all you fancy pants with deep pockets, who wants to give me $15g’s for mine? ( crickets) to sweeten the deal, I’ll even paint it,,,( more crickets) I just don’t get the fascination with these. To me, it’s just an old pickup, something I’d never pay 5 figures for,,,but hey, PT Barnum was really on to something,,,and that was 100 years ago,,
Respect for the original owner, who loaded this one up with all the right options, and respect for the guy who applied the perfect modifications.
If it were stock, I would be really interested… Modified, No thanks. Best of luck to the seller and new owner if the reserve is ever met. Beautiful looking truck.
I’m a geezer@ 73 and I love the lowered look. My last three new trucks ’94, ’07 & ’18 I lowered them all when they had less than 30 to 100 miles on them. They all rode well. I gave the ’94 to my son and when he got rid of it had 245,000 miles on it. When I sold the ’07 at a premium it had 165,000 on it. The ’18 already has 40,000. They all rode good. I also pull a car trailer every spring and fall between Indiana and Texas [occasionally to San Diego] at 70-80 mph with no problems. I must not be alone because there are several vendors out there making a good living selling these kits.
Wait, I’m confused, why is there a windshield wiper control on the turn signal stalk ? Isn’t the wiper knob on the dash above the headlight knob?