Even though the first generation of Chevrolet’s C series pickup trucks (’60-’66) hasn’t reached the collectibility heights that the second-gen (’67-’72) “Action Line” variety has attained, they’re still popular. And today’s find, a 1965 C-10 is about as original an example as one is likely to encounter. The seller informs us, “This can be on the road again with minimal expense“. OK, let’s see what he has. Located in Sonora, California, this still in the family C-10 is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,495 with the reserve not yet met. There is a BIN price of $9,988 available too.
The seller’s father bought this truck new, in 1965. It’s a longer wheelbase model with a 127″ stretch and a wooden cargo bed that has seen better days. It has been sitting for about fifteen years but it recently started right up in spite of its extended slumber. The body is pretty straight, especially considering that this was an actual work truck, though there is some rust-through noted, along with a lot of top-side surface rust. The glass is said to be good and it’s nice to see that the tailgate is still attached – I encounter a surprising number of old trucks where it’s missing.
Power is provided by a 170 gross HP, 292 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine doing its torquey best via a four-speed manual transmission. The engine is said to have been rebuilt about 13K miles ago. The seller adds, “It smokes a bit now but runs well enough to drive and load onto carrier/tow-truck“. I have to say that the engine is surprisingly grimy looking for recently having been rebuilt and I’m not sure what’s up with the smoking problem. The listing mentions that brake work is needed.
The interior is a great example of the endless uses for duct tape. It’s pretty well a tin can environment with steel door panels, no headliner sound deadening, and a hard steel dash. Unlike Chevrolet’s passenger cars of the era, this truck does employ an instrument panel that employs engine gauges, a nice inclusion. As I have often stated in the past, these truck interior environments are small and contained, so doing some sprucing up isn’t really a daunting task. And, other than fixing the badly ruined seat, the remainder can wait.
I’d say the best aspect of this truck is its non-messed-with condition – it’s exceedingly original which paves a broad way for whatever direction the next owner wishes to take. The seller does mention that if it is to remain California-domiciled, there is a $910 back registration fee that is due, but he does have a clean title. So, if you were interested, what would you do with this 1965 Chevy C-10?
Chevrolet must have sprayed a million gallons of that Fawn Beige paint during the 1960s. Nice truck.
Looks like a good solid truck to start with. Pretty much the same truck as the GMC counterpart. I just got finished with a 64 GMC for a customer and that truck really benefited from a power front disc brake conversion and power steering. While the GMC used the 305V6 power output was the same as the Chevy 6. The V6 is a real stump puller and is happy running along at 1500RPM. With so much rotating mass the gas engine feels a lot like a diesel in power delivery. Chevy gives the operator better gauges in the standard truck as the GMC just gives you a fuel, temp, and speedometer. If this was my truck I would restore the interior and add the suggested brake and string upgrades and rebuild the 6 properly. Replace the bed wood and paint the bumpers and wheels and install the correct poverty hubcaps. Clean the exterior and call it quits.
These are pretty solid and cool trucks. My cousin used to have a ’64 C10 longbed that he got with a 283. He put a couple of 350s and a transmission or two in it while he had it. Only sold it because he had a long commute and it was killing him on gas. When he retired, he got a ’66 C10 longbed, with a 350 and three on the tree. Doesn’t drive it in Austin, but he loves driving it in the country where he lives.
Always nice to see unmolested originals vehicles. First plain jane I’ve seen with a big back window, must’ve been special ordered
My old man hated trucks. Fact is, part of my ambition to be a truck driver was to stick it to the old man. Oh, don’t look so shocked, anyway, he was in the building biz, a building contractor for multi family apartments, and by all rights, really should have had a pickup, but he refused to lower himself to actually buy one. The family station wagon was his pickup. He had a stone mason friend that had a truck just like this. I couldn’t tell you the color, as it was plastered with cement. Dad would borrow it on occasion, and all I remember is, hitting our heads on the ceiling on bumps and the whine of the transmission. Little did the old man know, that was music to my ears. America was literally built with trucks like this. Every contractor had a Chevy, or GMC and hauled everything you can think of, to excess in some cases. Need more room? 2 sheets of plywood greatly increased the load capacity. A much different scene than the 1 bag of dog food from Walmart today.
I like the fact that that’s a 292. Not a hot rod but a real tough hauler. A true truck engine, coupled with a true truck transmission makes this a real truck. That drive train was used in 21,000+ GVW applications. The 292 was very durable and a real puller. It this was closer and I didn’t already have a truck, I’d be all over this like stink on a skunk.
Not a real tough hauler with those rear coils
Good catch on the coil springs. Didn’t see what kind of springs it had although i knew that Chevrolet trucks of that vintage used coils. Although helper leaf springs were an option. As to the type of springs to qualify hauling ability, railroad freight cars have coils, too. And some cushy riding luxury cars of the 50s and 60s had leaf springs, so it takes more than the type of spring alone to denote hauling ability. The 292 six / heavy duty 4 speed drive train is what gives this class.
Can’t compare rail car coil springs to automotive, those things are HUGE, totally different. And those big cushy cars had lighter leafs, designed to ride smooth. I’m not knocking the truck, I had a 65 C10, 283, 4spd, good little truck, it just didn’t like heavy loads, I also had a 68, same deal, I believe it was 69 when gm returned to leaf springs on the half tons
It was 73, with the introduction of the new body style, that Chevrolet changed back to leaf springs on the half tons.
I’d love to have another one of these! My ride in high school was a ’64, that the mechanic from the local Mercedes garage had dropped a Corvette motor into. He neglected to freshen up any of the suspension, steering, or brakes and it truly was a handful… Even with big meats on the back, it would never hook-up, due to the lack of weight in the bed. A bone-stock one like this, with the inline-six, is right up my alley in my later years.
Our company provided work truck in the early seventies was similar. 1965 faded blue three on the tree power nothing six cylinder non synchronized in first ladder racks and tool boxes. Real work truck. That was the good one. Mostly I got the ‘56 GMC. Far cry from the pickup trucks of today. I’m hoping this specimen finds a good home and some body that will get her back on the road. Getting harder to find these that haven’t been restored or modified. GLWTS!
Very few 1st generations at car shows, the ones that are there are quite sharp, I like the body style, if I had tons of money may even put the body on a frame with leaf spring rear and crown vic front suspension