At first glance, this 1973 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne looks like a tired farm truck that has worked to earn a living. However, its slammed appearance and Rally wheels suggest there might be more to this classic than meets the eye. This is a case where looks aren’t deceptive because its upgraded engine more than doubles the amount of power it produced when it left the lot. The auction action demonstrates the popularity of classic Pickups, and it appears the new owner may have a fight on their hand to take it home. The seller has listed the C10 here on eBay in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Bidding has scorched beyond the reserve, sitting at $12,050 at the time of writing.
The seller is this Pickup’s second owner, with the vehicle spending its entire life serving on a family ranch in Idaho. It wears its heart on its sleeve, with its Marine Turquoise Metallic and Frost White paint baked, and plenty of surface corrosion emerging across the exterior sheetmetal. This appears to have been treated and sealed under a coat of satin clear to preserve the survivor look. The vehicle has typical rust developing in the fenders, rocker, and cab corners. However, the bed, frame, and other critical areas are said to be rock-solid. It appears there are no urgent problems, and addressing the existing flaws while preserving the “survivor” appearance may prove irresistible to some enthusiasts. The trim and glass are in good condition for their age, but the slammed appearance and Rally wheels indicate that there might be more to this Pickup than meets the eye.
The first owner ordered this C10 with the 350ci V8, a four-speed manual transmission, and power steering. The company’s Sales Brochure quotes power and torque figures of 155hp and 255 ft/lbs for the small-block, with both figures now irrelevant in the face of recent changes. The 350 is a distant memory, with the space occupied by a 400ci V8 with a “509” block casting. The seller states that this engine pumps out 350hp, although they don’t indicate whether this figure was verified by documentation or dyno testing. Other additions include a new clutch and a dual exhaust. The seller states that this Pickup runs and drives extremely well, including an embedded video in their listing to support claims of its excellent health. We hear the 400 running, and it sounds as sweet as a nut. It appears that flying in and driving home is a realistic expectation for the buyer to have.
I was unsurprised by the presentation of this C10’s interior, which is as baked as the exterior. The dash, pad, faux woodgrain, and some plastic pieces have waved the white flag in the face of UV exposure, but the seller has replaced the Pearl vinyl seatcover with a more luxurious cloth and vinyl one to improve the serviceability. They also added what appears to be new carpet and a selection of gauges to monitor the engine’s health. The under-hood components for the factory air conditioning are AWOL, but the original AM radio is intact.
With twenty bids already submitted and six days remaining on this auction, there is room for the price of this 1973 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne Pickup to climb considerably before the hammer falls. The listing view tally continues to rise as more enthusiasts spot this classic and consider whether it is the project candidate for them. That raises the question of whether we have readers who feel the same and what they might be prepared to pay to take this promising project home. So, it’s over to you for comments.
This has all the rust early square bodies were known for, around the fender arches and you can bet the rocker panels are about gone as well. Still, if you’re a body and fender man, here’s a good project. And corrosion notwithstanding, these were very good trucks.
This just confirms how crazy the C-10 market is! For comparison, I have a 1973 Ford F-100 short box, 2WD, 302 and 3 speed column shift with factory A/C, For Sale. It is literally like new. It was a low miles truck that had been stored for at least 35 years. I spent 2 1/2 years restoring it to like new condition. I put too much time and money in it and should have known better. My point is and I know because I want to sell it! If it was a C-10 in the same condition it would be near 50 K! Being an F-100 ,I will be lucky to get half that! If you don’t think that the market is equal, your right it is not! what’s the most popular determines the price. I know that but when the rubber meets the road it is still a hard lesson to learn.
In the late 90’s I bought an ’82 C-20 for $2000. Drove the heck out of it, blew the transmission. Bought a boneyard unit, slapped that in, gave it to my father, he drove it for a while, til the engine crapped out. The rear part of the frame was weak, and it had about as much rust as this C-10. He junked it in 2007. I should have towed it back to my place and let it sit in the tree line. Then, put another engine in it last year and asked $15,000.
I like the way they look when lowered. This one has a flip kit in the rear and cut coils in the front. Nothing wrong with that but the job needs to be finished up. The rear shocks are at an extreme angle and wont work well. If you want to haul anything in the bed it will need a notch kit, and you can see all the negative camber in the front. Look at the pics the inside of the front tires are badly worn. Get an alignment, there’s plenty of room to add shims. Like I said I really like how they look lowered, but there’s a little more work to do on this one.