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Square Body: 1980 Chevrolet Big 10

Brown vehicles are not that popular today but in the 1970’s and early 1980’s that was a more popular color. This 1980 Chevrolet C-10 1/2 ton pickup is a nice chocolate brown. I am sure that is not the color the Chevrolet called it but this appears to be a solid truck with a rebuilt engine that is not hooked up or running. It is located in Marysville, California and is listed here on eBay. The truck is being sold at no reserve by a dealer and it is currently bid to $5,550.

The seller reports that the truck as 150,000 miles on it. It is dirty and dusty and might be considered original. But the interior is sun faded and worn. The short wheel base truck is wearing its original brown metallic paint and is said to have the original decals. The dealer states that the truck is solid with no rust. The dash is not cut and it still has the original AM/FM radio in the dash. The original build sheet shows that the truck has the optional door speakers. The side mirrors have been replaced as has the side passenger window.

The original engine was worn out so the seller installed a rebuilt 350 cubic inch V8 engine from his friend’s wrecked 1979 Chevrolet. The engine has approximately 5,000 miles on it so it should be broken in. The truck is not running due and needs the distributor installed and the spark plug wires hooked up.

The truck wears white wall tires on Chevrolet rally rims. It looks like a solid body and could be fixed up as is or modified with a new drivetrain. There is a dent in the passenger side door and the seller has clear title. While dirty, this might be a good buy if the price doesn’t go up much more. If you live close by, you may want to check it out and see if it could be your next project.

Comments

  1. Parker

    The radiator hose is missing…what else…

    Like 4
    • Chris Cornetto

      air cooled version, no hose needed…lol

      Like 2
  2. FordGuy1972 FordGuy1972 Member

    I don’t know why the dealer doesn’t get it running if all it needs is the distributer installed and the plug wires hooked up. All of that shouldn’t takes too much time to do. I’d be a little wary of this one as maybe there’s more mechanical work to be done or there could be a major problem with the 350. It looks like a solid project, but it does need good bit of work to make it presentable.

    Like 11
    • dennis engle

      May be because the dealer ship doesn’t have a 70 year mechanic that knows and understands the older vehicles. Todays mechanics are all young high tech fellas.

      Like 6
    • scrapyard john

      Agree 100%. If all it needs is a distributor and plug wires (and I’m skeptical of that or else it would have been done already), then that could be done pretty quickly and easily even by me (a 49 year old shade tree mechanic at best). I’d be tempted myself if it ran and could be had for around $6k. Non running vehicles are such a gamble that I wouldn’t even consider it.

      I like the truck as an old knock around driver. Not so much as a “collectible”, per se.

      Like 5
    • Midway

      I am guessing brakes all the way around and maybe another transmission, that’s before under hood reconcilling.. if it was a c-20 quite possibly a good buy at 6 K but again no warranty could mean surprise surprise surprise

      Like 0
  3. Maggy

    Get it running and if you can’t pay someone a few bucks who could.Won’t take much.Wonder what else is up with it.If it’s a 79 350 figure on a cam and timing chain.Did loads of em in the day.But I’d still try and get it running first to see how the trans is.Not a bad price if stays around 6k.

    Like 5
  4. Brian

    Needs to pass CA smog. Dealer knows it won’t and is responsible by law to smog it, so easier for him to sell it not running.

    Like 7
    • Demonsteve

      That’s ok, if the dealer or seller don’t want to get it running then it SHOULD sell for less.

      Like 2
  5. Russ Ashley

    I’m surprised that no one mentioned the “big Ten” name and what it meant. I don’t remember all of the details but it was a marketing thing to get around the smog laws so no cat converter was required, like the Little Red Dodge trucks of that era.

    Like 4
  6. Eric Akins

    10k short bed as sits..watch bids

    Like 1
  7. UDTFROG

    We live in Parker Colorado, almost as many pickups as cars no teslas we have 2 neighbors who own late model brown ford pickups our area is also a hotrodders area,

    Like 1

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