This 1966 Chevrolet C10 is a tidy and solid survivor that would make an excellent project build. It is also a bit of a sleeper because the owner has upgraded the engine and transmission to unleash plenty of additional ponies. However, the upgrades appear civilized enough to offer its next owner plenty of potential as a practical daily driver. If that sounds too tempting to resist, you will find the Chevy located in Fort Collins, Colorado, and listed for sale here on eBay. Spirited bidding has pushed the price beyond the reserve to $6,800.
The Pickup is finished in Code 514 Red with a White top. The paint has a tired appearance, but its lack of significant flaws makes me wonder how it would respond to a wet sand and buff. I can’t help but feel that I could spring a surprise or two on that front. It might be an option worth considering because the panels look pretty straight, meaning that these will need no significant repairs. Rust also appears minimal, with a couple of spots in the lower corners of the driver’s door and an area above the rear wheel arch on the passenger side the worst that is visible. These should be easy repairs, and a good paint shop should be able to then match the color by eye. If this is the case, the buyer could essentially retain the “original survivor” exterior appearance. The bumpers show surface corrosion, but once again, there are options for potential buyers to consider. Treating them to a restoration would provide an excellent contrast to the rest of the paint. However, treating the corrosion and applying a satin clearcoat would continue the trend towards originality. The wheels are a practical later addition, while the glass looks to be in good condition.
We now reach the point where we can investigate what makes this C10 a sleeper. I’ve seen evidence to suggest that the Pickup rolled off the production line sporting a 283ci V8 and a manual transmission. This motor would have produced 175hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque. Both figures look pretty healthy and would have made the Chevy an effective workhorse or tow vehicle. However, I can’t recall the last time that I heard someone say that their vehicle needed less power. To this end, the owner has slotted a 350ci small-block under the hood. With an Edelbrock carburetor, a single plane intake, and a dual exhaust, it’s a sure bet that this baby pumps out significantly more power and torque. The Pickup’s transmission didn’t escape the owner’s eye because he has swapped this as well. He refers to it as a four-speed from a car but doesn’t elaborate further on that. If I were a betting man, I would suggest that it is probably an M20, which is a smoother and more civilized component than the original unit. With the additional ponies upfront and a tow hitch on the back, this C10 should be capable of hauling some pretty respectable loads. The other attraction is that it appears that this classic is roadworthy and ready to go. The listing indicates that the vehicle is mainly used on weekends, which sounds promising as a turn-key proposition.
If the buyer wants to place their personal stamp on this C10, the interior is the place where they could go nuts. It is serviceable as it stands, and it has no immediate needs. However, you would have to think that restoring the painted surfaces, fitting a new seatcover, and dropping a new mat or carpet on the floor would make an enormous difference to its overall presentation. The next owner could tackle these tasks in a home workshop, and none will break the bank. Someone has installed a radio/cassette player and cut speakers into the doors, so those could be changes that the buyer will learn to live with. Otherwise, it looks original and unmolested.
The longer I look at this 1966 Chevrolet C10 Pickup, the more that I like it. For me, retaining as much of its existing exterior character would be my priority, but refurbishing the interior would provide improved comfort and a striking contrast to the aged exterior. Your plans and ideas could be very different from mine, and that is one of the characteristics that make the classic scene so fascinating. You could ask one hundred people their views, and you’d probably get one hundred different answers. None of them would be right, but none would be wrong. Everyone has their own vision, and it will be interesting to see what path you might choose if you found this gem parked in your workshop.
Lose the wheels on this long bed. Also the M/T valve covers and the dirty
aftermarket air cleaner. Also, the powertrain swap was not kind to this work horse. It has possibilities……Bid carefully.
I thought the Custom cab trucks had the larger back window. Mine did, but maybe some didn’t?
Some mismatched second hand speed parts on a low compression smog era 350 does not make this a sleeper, especially when you factor in the long bed. As for assuming the transmission is an M20, Saginaw 4spd’s which are still relatively plentiful and inexpensive at swapmeets is a more likely choice since they came in every 4spd equipped Monza and Vega as well as many Camaro’s, Chevelle’s and Nova’s. Assuming this is anything but a truck pieced together with whatever parts were lying around the shop is a mistake unless verified by the seller before purchase. Reading more into an ad than what is actually stated is usually a recipe for overspending.
Steve R
Wow! Had to do a double take on this one. There’s a guy in my apt. complex that has this exact truck. Fact is, I thought it was his. I tried to buy it before I bought my ’77 GMC, but he wouldn’t sell. It’s a great find, in that, these were my, and many others, favorite GM trucks and are so hard to find today. Again, with these, they are basic trucks, and nowhere near the civility of the squarebody that replaced it, and all the money in the world won’t make it right, it just wasn’t designed for that. This won’t be around long.
Isn’t building cars from what’s available how this whole thing started? Maybe he’s a working guy who can’t catalog and credit card his way to his vision. I’d drive it Lowes on the weekend.
Nice truck for the money,first thing I would do is put a split master cylinder in.I have had enough excitement with a loss of brakes:-)
Even with a split reservoir you’ll rear end the car in front of you if a line let’s go. Don’t believe me? Crack open a bleeder and go for a ride, then tell me if you had brakes or not. The safest rout is to replace steel lines if they’re rusty
Harvey, I’ve still have a ’64 C10 panel. I used it to tow my racecars. The first thing, that I did when I bought it was, convert it to power brakes and a duel master cylinder.
I’m undecided, do I like these Chevy pickups best or rival Ford of same vintage. I really like both, my dad drove a 66 Chevy pickup that belonged to the Carpenter’s union where he was business manager, and I had a 65 Ford F-100. Mine was a 352 V8 while the Chevy was a 392 6 cylinder if I remember right, both were 3 on the tree, but the Ford had overdrive. Both averaged about 15 mpg. So here I am undecided, for now I’ll just ponder, while someone else buys.
God bless America
If it was the big six, I think it would have been a 292. My grandfather had one in his 67 longbed.
Eight foot bed is so handy in my trade of housing construction, although a lot of plywood we use nowadays is either 4×9 or 4×10 feet shear panel, 3/4″ t & g floor sheeting is still 8 feet long, …thank God, but even still the longer bed makes for easier trasporting. Throw on a deep sitting tool box and I’ve still got length back there.
Thats how I look at this old Chevy when I see the long bed…work. Granted the short beds have a cool look to them especially these older trucks, but still it’s function over fashion in the business.
What I dont quite get here mechanically is the single plane intake on what appears to be a stock 350. Does it have a strong cam? Compression ratio? I hope it has deep gears to keep it up revving.
Nice beater otherwise.
Related to Farm Truck!
You guys miss on so many of your points.
I may not be too familiar with American trucks coming from the other side of the pond. But if it’s the owners weekend driver, why is the interior so groty. And what’s with the miss match colour, the White overspray and the miss aligned trim by the B post. Nice truck otherwise. But the cost of fuel in the UK to run this would make me seriously consider a diesel implant.
I used to own an orange with white top 1964 C10 originally a 250CI straight six cylinder three speed column shift. None custom no moldings or cab trim. Just a plain jane pickup. It was a long wheel base style side. I swapped the six and three speed with a 283 V8 and 1963 C10 four speed. I converted 1967 C10 power steering onto it which made driving a lot easier. The M20 is a Muncie car four speed most found in Impala’s, Chevelle’s and Corvettes. M20,M21 & M22 are mostly the same other then one is a wide ratio and one is a close ratio. The wide ratio has a lower first gear and high gear RPM drops more then between first, second and third. The close ratio has a higher first gear and the RPM drops the same through all four gears. That was an option when ordering them from the factory. I own three vehicles with wide ratio Muncie’s in them. This pickup looks to have factory paint on it which looks to be in good condition other then some fading from age. The moldings and cab trim are in good condition also. For a work pickup it’s bound to have ware and dirt from dirt roads which it most likely spent most of it’s life. Wheels can be changed as well as valve covers, air cleaners, etc. Growing up and living on a farm parts were acquired as they could be found and if lucky new parts were bought when affordable. In my opinion this 1966 C10 will make a great project or leave it as is. As for the M20 I would have left or installed a correct C10 four speed, but that’s my opinion. The 350 is a good replacement motor as 283’s and 327’s are becoming harder to find. Hopefully it will receive a good home and will be well taken care of.