For whatever reason, Chevrolet has always managed to produce cars and trucks that just plain look good. A lot of that had to do with GM’s styling department, and some of it was just plain luck. It is hard to determine what the public will want, especially when designers have to start on designs 3-5 years before they hit the sales floor. One of the biggest home runs for Chevrolet, and their badge engineered pals at GMC, was the styling of the 1967-1972 Custom Sports Trucks. When they debuted in 1967, they were a radical change from the trucks before them, and the design still looks good fifty years later. The best part was that they made changes to the design most every year, and Chevy truck lovers all have their favorite. One of the more popular years of these well designed trucks was 1969, and this shortbed stepside from that year, found for sale on Craigslist in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one of the most desirable body styles. Priced at a reasonable $8500, and still sporting much of its original Sea Foam Green paint, this truck may be the one you want to add to your driveway this year.
Trucks such as this one are tangible proof that good designs are always in style. A recent testament to that fact is that Chevrolet built a gorgeous 1967 C10 restomod truck for SEMA this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of producing pickup trucks. While I am a fan of keeping cars in stock condition for the most part, tastefully modified cars and trucks of this caliber are very appealing as well. Who wouldn’t love the SEMA truck? Short wheelbase step sides and flare sides look really good when they are lowered and have a slight rake to them. In addition, while Sea Foam green is certainly eye catching, Chevy knocked that restomod out of the park with their new Centennial Blue paint. Googling up the images of these trucks results in a lot of customized rides that are just incredible. When you start with a good canvas, great things can happen.
As we can see from the pictures, this one doesn’t have very many custom touches. While it has obviously been lowered a bit, the rest of the truck is pretty much stock inside and out. The seller tells us that 80% of the paint is original, which is amazing for a truck of this age. We can see areas at the bottom of the doors and the front fenders that have been poorly touched up, almost as if it were done with a rattle can. These areas, and the cab corners, are known rust areas on these trucks. The seller states that the sill plates have been restored on this one as well, and they are a common spot for rust troubles as well. If you go to look at this truck, inspect these areas carefully and closely scrutinize the quality of the repairs.
Believe it or not, it seems that the bed is still lined with the factory installed oak, and the metal bed strips still have most of their original finish. Other than a few dents and dings, the bed sides look to be in excellent shape, and the usual rust holes are absent from this truck. While many restored trucks have perfectly stained and varnished wood in the beds, nearly all trucks came from the factory with plain, unfinished wood between the bed sides.
As we look inside, we can’t help but notice the gas cap at the back of the cab. This was the standard place for fuel tanks by nearly all truck makers up until the 1970s. Most people who customize these trucks move the tanks under the bed, as it offers a little more storage room in the cab and an extra margin of safety. As we look further in, the orginal seat is wrapped with a cheap cover, and it looks like new carpet covers the floor instead of the usual rubber floor mats that base models traditionally wear. The sills look like they have stainless steel plates screwed down over them, and there is some roughness in this area. Some people’s ideas of repairs are not quite concours correct, so some extra inspection time here would be warranted. Everything else looks Spartan, but stock. While the horn button seems to be missing, the seller has purchased and installed a new dash pad.
The driveline of this truck is made up of the ubiquitous Chevrolet inline six cylinder engine and a three speed with manual transmission that shifts on the column. We can see that the truck does not have power assisted brakes or air conditioning. While it doesn’t say in the ad, it probably doesn’t have power steering either. While modern “cowboy Cadillac’ owners would likely be aghast at the thought, stripped down, plain trucks were the norm back in the day. Most trucks were bought for work, not as a fashion statement.
If the rust repairs are not too shoddy, and the truck runs and drives well like the seller says it does, this is likely a pretty fair price. If not, at least it is in the ball park. A lot of hot rodders and customizers would kill for a truck this straight to work their magic on. The price, however, might prevent them from targeting this one as a potential project. There is just not enough financial margin left to make this one a profitable project. Maybe this one will spend the next fifty years in stock condition. There aren’t many around that are stock and in this condition and, despite how cool some of them look with modifications, it is nice to have a few survivors puttering around.
sooo a little repaint here and there make it a nice little truck….and the late model hubcaps look nice…..
This truck is super cool…..Im not sure what would be more fun, leave it like it is and shift that 3 on the tree, or put in a big motor and floor shift manual…….both would be fun, but im leaning more towards leaving it just the way it is.
Nice to see one that hasn’t been fitted with 18’s (or larger) and slammed to the ground. I’d leave it just the way it is.
This truck could come right to my place and I would drive/enjoy it. I suspect a 250 motor. It will take you anywhere you want to go. Still quite a few running around out west. Some in similar shape to this one. They hold up very well. Some problems with the window frames coming loose from the doors but that’s fairly rare….
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Just a couple of points of correction to the write up, first, Chevy never called this color seafoam green, it is code 503 & was known simply as light green. Second, these beds came with southern yellow pine wood, not oak, although most get replaced with oak or some other hardwood. Prior to 67, the wood floor was coated with lampblack, but starting in 67, they were painted body color.
And maybe it’s just me, but throwing one of these horse blanket covers on the seat is just being cheap & lazy. For $8500, I would expect the seller to have spent the $250-300 for a new correct seat cover. It makes me question what other short cuts were taken, like was it lowered correctly, or did someone get out the torch & heat the coils?
Still, it presents well & looks like it would make a solid platform for a nice street truck. Make sure the suspension is updated, drop in a 5.3 & 4l60, add Vintage Air, & a set of old school Cragar or Torque Thrust wheels, then drive it daily…
Too picky.
I love this generation of Chevy trucks, miss my 68 4×4, I would check for rust then buy it and pull the seat and have it recovered original, rip out that carpet and put in the rubber floor mat then drive the wheels off it.
The City of Winter Garden Florida bought everything this color in the sixties even their Plymouth Fury Police cars except the fire
I had a dark forest green 1970 model of this truck from 1977~1984. Mine had a 350/350. It was in excellent condition when I sold it. I saw it years later… sad. Why don’t people take care of things?
I’m sure it was turned into tin cans long ago.
I redo the 6 cylinder with a double intake manifold and two four barrels carbs to make it sing!!!
Royal- I have a ’72 C-10 with the 250 Six. When my manifold went south it took forever to find a replacement. I finally found a nos from a marine six cylinder.from Stovebolt Parts. I was just lucky with the timing. I’d love to put a double intake on it ..where can you find such a beast? Summit?
That said the six cylinder got worse gas mileage ( in my experience) that even the small block V8…………..
The cabs of this series trucks were on the small side. I had a ’67 Dodge PU and a very good friend of mine had a ’67 Chevrolet PU very similar to the one posted. I had bought the Dodge from his father. The cab in my Dodge had way more room, even my ’50 Chevrolet 3100 seemed to be roomier but that may be because it had more headroom.
Had a 72 I dropped a corvette 396 into many years ago. That was an interesting truck to drive.
IMO too much wrong With it for the money hes asking. My dad and I did a frame off resto on a 71 GMC a few years ago, new paint, new interior new weatherstrip everywhere, new rubber including windshield and back glass new chrome grill and bumpers, stock 250 6 cyl, 3ott, radio delete manual brakes and steering. Didnt. Had it to sell but dad got to where he couldnt drive it. $8500 was all we could get 5 yrs ago.
Next we built a frame off 72 chevy with a 350/ 700r4, vintage air ac, factory style buckets and console tach tilt lowered 3/4″ with springs. Mom died half way through and we sold it for $16,000.
Now I have a 77k mile 70 Longhorn with a 400/400/Dana 60. Original paint no rust except on right front fender in front of tire from battery. PO seems to have put it into a pole so i swapped a 71/72 grill bumper and Hood I had laying around. She’s a driver! This one is mine, not dad’s so I plan on keeping it!
Now I have a 77k mile 70 Longhorn with a 400/400/Dana 60. Original paint no rust except on right front fender in front of tire from battery. PO seems to have put it into a pole so i swapped a 71/72 grill bumper and Hood I had laying around. She’s a driver! This one is mine, not dad’s so I plan on keeping it! (I do have a swb chassis and stepside bed though.hmmm…)
Wow that 71 GMC was real nice. If I had seen it would bought. Selling locally doesn’t get all the money. You need to advertise on Internet (I won’t mention sight I used but had people all around world calling) you could got way more.