"Your" truck story

[1971 cheburban]

I want to here some of your guys stories, how when where and why you got them. What motor, trans, color, factory options and all that good stuff. Okay, this is going to take awhile ... My truck is a 1971 chevy c10, long bed, 307, 3 on the tree, no power anything, radio, vinyl interior, heavy rear spring option, below eyeline mirrors, 510 medium blue, white mirrors and bumpers, just a plain good old boy kind of truck. But... In the '90s Rankins auto body in Lisbon ohio cut the frame and had a suburban that they cut the body off and cut that frame and notched the truck and sub. Frame and welded them together. So now it has one hell of a stack of leaf springs from a sub. And a 12 bolt, I think a posi. Then, they thought they got the wheelbase off when they welded it, but I think they had a camper special driveshaft or the one out of the sub. But it's not off. And my dad's buddy had a 1967 at the time and wanted a v-8 so he bought my 1971 from Rankins and took the motor out and left the rest sit. And he also had a 1970 GMC 3/4 ton which was rusty and actually rotted in half, then he parted it out. My dad got the 350 out of that 3/4 ton and I now have it, all machined nice and all new components for my 71. Fast forward to 2013, my dad's buddy needs a roof on his house and gives me the truck and all kinds of paraphenenila to put it back together. Then I just found an 8 foot stepper for it and lots of other stuff. So to summarize it all started in 1971...

[Fitz]

When did it start? It was Stacey David's show, Trucks! I watched it every saturday morning when the wife wanted me out mowing the grass and washing her minivan. When he started Copperhead I was snakebit. I thought about how that truck would look as a stepside and that did it. Bulges for fenders, huge rear tires with stalks protruding from the bedsides for brake and reverse lights. Small window cab and an engine large enough to put fear in the hearts of the 10 second Honda guys that had taken over A1A on the beachside. I wanted my truck to look like a smallblock stocker with a fancy paint job. You know what I mean; all show but no go but a giant killer under that paint.

I scanned the autotrader and classifieds every week but all I could find were rusted out hulks whose owners truly believed that the body panels were pounded out of Krugeraands and the truck was worth the market value of all those coins. Then I discovered Deals on Wheels on the web and that was the end of life as I knew it. My long distance phone bills climbed and my frequent flyer miles dwindled but I was on the hunt. Nothing was going to stand between me and the dream of a true ground pounder.
A few months passed until I received an e-mail from a friend living in Houston. He had seen a cobalt blue 67 stepside at a local show and looked it over. It had been lowered, the firewall was butchered to add AC and the suspension was hacked up badly but there was no bondo anywhere on the truck. No rust, no bondo. Music to my ears. The VIN decoded as a six cylinder three on the tree built in Atlanta Ga. Armed with a bag full of cash and the intent to buy, I flew from Melbourne Florida to Houston Texas. The owner met me at the airport and after going over the truck on a lift for four hours I bought it.

6am the following morning I started the long drive home. The front brakes quit in New Orleans and the power steering went the way of the dodo just East of Tallahassee but I drove until I couldn't drive any longer. The headlights went permanently off in Lake City Florida an hour after sunset forcing me to stop. The next exit had a Motel Six next to a truck stop and wonder of wonders, a NAPA auto parts store. Someone really wanted me to get that truck home.

An hour after the NAPA store opened I had the new power steering pump in the truck, the fluids were replenished, none of the lights were working and I didn't care. An FHP ticket for no turn signals and no brake lights and 2.5 hours later I was home. Just in time for Thanksgiving and to get served with divorce papers. The wife is long gone along with some money and furniture but I have my ground pounding 67 Stepside!. Come to Tucson and we'll roast a tire or two.

[2 Far Gone]

Great story.........sounds like a cool ride.

In high school, my buddy had a 68' long box. 350, camaro 4spd, chrome smoothie wheels and flat black...........before flat black was cool. That's when I decided I want one too. It was just a cool truck when you're 18.......wish I could've bought it but she ended up in the local scrap yard after he "General Lee'd" it.
I bought mine just after that. I never had the cash to finish it the way I wanted. Got in a fight with my first wife and backed a set of 38" tires on to the hood of her Buick Regal. I guess I earned that divorce. LMAO
20 yrs later, 3 different motors,3 frames, 2 transmissions, a complete body and its a full on resto now.

I understand now why it was always old grey haired guys with the coolest trucks at the car shows.

[seafoam68]

In 1970 my dad needed a work truck. He purchased a 1968 short fleet custom from a friend of his. I was five at the time. It had the 327 with 4 barrel quad and three on the tree. I can remember him "showing off" by pulling away from stop signs with trans in third gear. The 327 was that peppy. When I was a little older he took the truck to a dealer because it had always had a "miss". (Understand that dad was not a hot rodder.) They told him the cam was bad and replaced it. He drove the truck till I was sixteen and took over. I went to work with him (in the construction business) and we drove it to work until 1986. The engine had about 225000 on the clock and was oiling the plugs bad. Dad got another truck and we parked it. A couple of years later I got the bug and pulled the engine. Upon taking it to a well known machine guru, the guy looked at the crank and said what did this come out of? I told him and he said it was a steel crank only used in 1968 for the corvette "fuelie" motor. Now flashing back to the dealer replaced cam, I wonder if it was just a little rump-rump insted of a miss? Had the guys on the line just snatched up a vette motor and thrown in the truck? Hmmmm. Flash foward to 2014. I have been doing a total restore on the old guy for a few years now. Don't have deep pockets so I have to pace myself. I can say when I'm done that I have done pretty much all the work on it myself and can be really proud of it. I lost dad in 2010 so it means even more to me now.

[seafoam68]

Oh, I forgot, It was and will be "seafoam" green.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by 2 Far Gone

Great story.........sounds like a cool ride.

All right I give! here's before and after:

[HIGHWAY BY THE SEA]

This story has already been told on here, but it is worth re-telling to give others hope...
Back in 1967 my paternal grandfather bought a 1968 Chevrolet C10 Stepside Longbed which he used until his death in 1974. The vehicle remained in my family, and my father took it over and had a frame-off restoration done on it. He drove the truck for years (as did I) and about 17 years ago he sold the truck due to financial desperation. This took a terrible toll on me because I was the sole heir to this family truck that even my great grandfather had driven once or twice (yes, my father's father's father was still alive back then and drove it too!). So for the better part of two decades I wondered how I could ever locate the truck again, perhaps using an old registration of my father's to trace the VIN and present owner. This was in the hopes that I could somehow reclaim the truck to its rightful place in my family by buying it back from the man he had sold it to. My father died about two years ago without ever remembering who he sold the truck to, so hope was looking thin for this dream of reclaiming it. Well, after my father died I went to see my aunt (father's sister) and she presented me with a mysterious small box with my father's name on it that she found in her house. As I opened the box I immediately recognized the items within as 1968 Chevrolet parts and papers that my father once had for this truck. There were several tail lenses and NOS OEM gaskets for them in there that he had ordered. There were order forms from the company that he had ordered the lenses from. There was even the ORIGINAL owner's manual inside and warranty book with grandfather's name still in it! I was very stunned to see this, but the biggest and best find was yet to come. I found a handwritten note in my father's handwriting giving the name, address, and telephone number of the man he sold the truck to! My aunt had tried 18 years ago (right after the truck sale) to mail this very forgotten box of parts and papers to the new owner (hence the note from my father with the mailing information) but he was not interested when she called him, so she put the box aside and forgot about it. I immediately called the buyer's number that was listed on this paper and asked for the buyer by name to the lady who answered. I then found out from her that the buyer had died 4 years ago and this was his widow (a very nice lady). I told her who I was and explained the situation to her about wanting to buy the truck back, so I proved I was real and not a prank caller. It turned out that she had sold the truck to her neighbor who had garaged the truck about 5 years ago. After I spoke with her she called this neighbor and explained everything to him, then gave him my number. He told her he would think about selling me back the truck, so he called me later and agreed to sell me back the truck!!!! I had been on this seemingly hopeless quest for almost 20 years and it finally came to an end!! This previous owner told that over the years he has turned down numerous people who wanted to buy the truck, but he recently retired and is working twice as hard as before, so he now has no time for the truck and was glad to sell it back to the original family. What LUCK!! It was as if my father reached out from the grave and helped me get his treasured truck back (that he intended for me to have) with that note that he wrote himself all those years ago. When Dad wrote that note back in the day he had NO idea that he was inavertently giving me the future key to reclaiming the truck that he so foolishly sold. In fact he had no idea that it would ever be reclaimed by me even though I promised him before he died that I would do everything within my power to reclaim the truck. He was glad to hear me say this, but I wish he could have lived to see this dream come true. This was one of the happiest days of my life when I reclaimed my family heirloom that will NEVER be sold again.

[1971 cheburban]

Great stories guys, keep em coming, Fitz- hoooooleeeee $#!% that is a bad mutha!!!!all of these trucks are pretty sweet though...

[Keith Seymore]

Mine's a "squarebody", but if you like truck stories (...long ones...) you can read it here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926

It all started with a '69 GMC 2wd shortbox stepper -

K

[special-K]

I really liked pickup trucks when I was a kid. Chevys were some of my favorites. The new style in '67 really got me as soon as I saw it. It was the same year the Camaro came out and the 66/67 Novas and Chevelles were the best looking new cars on the road. All cars looked the best ever. By the time I got my first truck it was '73 and the body style changed again. I preferred the older style and got a '72. I've had at least one ever since. I can't imagine not having one

[Mr Chevorlet]

Originally Posted by HIGHWAY BY THE SEA

This story has already been told on here, but it is worth re-telling to give others hope...
Back in 1967 my paternal grandfather bought a 1968 Chevrolet C10 Stepside Longbed which he used until his death in 1974. The vehicle remained in my family, and my father took it over and had a frame-off restoration done on it. He drove the truck for years (as did I) and about 17 years ago he sold the truck due to financial desperation. This took a terrible toll on me because I was the sole heir to this family truck that even my great grandfather had driven once or twice (yes, my father's father's father was still alive back then and drove it too!). So for the better part of two decades I wondered how I could ever locate the truck again, perhaps using an old registration of my father's to trace the VIN and present owner. This was in the hopes that I could somehow reclaim the truck to its rightful place in my family by buying it back from the man he had sold it to. My father died about two years ago without ever remembering who he sold the truck to, so hope was looking thin for this dream of reclaiming it. Well, after my father died I went to see my aunt (father's sister) and she presented me with a mysterious small box with my father's name on it that she found in her house. As I opened the box I immediately recognized the items within as 1968 Chevrolet parts and papers that my father once had for this truck. There were several tail lenses and NOS OEM gaskets for them in there that he had ordered. There were order forms from the company that he had ordered the lenses from. There was even the ORIGINAL owner's manual inside and warranty book with grandfather's name still in it! I was very stunned to see this, but the biggest and best find was yet to come. I found a handwritten note in my father's handwriting giving the name, address, and telephone number of the man he sold the truck to! My aunt had tried 18 years ago (right after the truck sale) to mail this very forgotten box of parts and papers to the new owner (hence the note from my father with the mailing information) but he was not interested when she called him, so she put the box aside and forgot about it. I immediately called the buyer's number that was listed on this paper and asked for the buyer by name to the lady who answered. I then found out from her that the buyer had died 4 years ago and this was his widow (a very nice lady). I told her who I was and explained the situation to her about wanting to buy the truck back, so I proved I was real and not a prank caller. It turned out that she had sold the truck to her neighbor who had garaged the truck about 5 years ago. After I spoke with her she called this neighbor and explained everything to him, then gave him my number. He told her he would think about selling me back the truck, so he called me later and agreed to sell me back the truck!!!! I had been on this seemingly hopeless quest for almost 20 years and it finally came to an end!! This previous owner told that over the years he has turned down numerous people who wanted to buy the truck, but he recently retired and is working twice as hard as before, so he now has no time for the truck and was glad to sell it back to the original family. What LUCK!! It was as if my father reached out from the grave and helped me get his treasured truck back (that he intended for me to have) with that note that he wrote himself all those years ago. When Dad wrote that note back in the day he had NO idea that he was inavertently giving me the future key to reclaiming the truck that he so foolishly sold. In fact he had no idea that it would ever be reclaimed by me even though I promised him before he died that I would do everything within my power to reclaim the truck. He was glad to hear me say this, but I wish he could have lived to see this dream come true. This was one of the happiest days of my life when I reclaimed my family heirloom that will NEVER be sold again.

Great story and am glad you got it back, Mine was a simple story. Dad bought his in 1967 and drove it until 2004 never owned any other truck,and when he passed my mother gave it to me because she said that was his wishes. He knew i always wanted it. but in the meantime i had bought a 67 in 1981 and drove it a few years then sold that one because the one i always wanted was my dads.

[AKChevyman]

love all the stories mine isn't as epic as HIGHWAY BY THE SEA but it might be just as long. Here is the story of my 1971 Chevy fleet side C20, hugger orange and white 350/350 camper special. It started when my great-grandfather bought the 71 brand new from a dealership in Everett WA. It spent many years with a camper on the back until that fell apart which he and my great grandmother use to go camping all over the north west. He then bought a 1978 Dodge RV and towed the 71 behind that for a few years when they headed off across country. (According to my grandmother) I have even heard a story that they had to use the 71 to pull the old Dodge up a particularly steep incline once. Some time in 1979-1980 my grandparents bought a farm in Kentucky after retiring from the Navy in Rhode Island. My great-grandfather then gave my grandparents the 71 and an old orange 1957 Co-op tractor. (I think I see a trend) to use on their new 100 acre farm. That is my first real memory of the truck is on the farm. We hauled hay and cows in the back of that ol' pickup. I even have fond memories of riding in the back 2 hours to the zoo in Louisville one summer. Fast forward to 1995-96 my grand father and I along with my brother and future wife did a high-schoolers restoration (i.e. bondo/fiberglass/pop rivets and aluminum). Then had it painted for $150. I got it all together just in time to leave for Air Force basic training then to South Korea, Alaska. The truck sat in the garage most of the next 9 years except for whenever I came home on leave. Which included my marriage (getaway vehicle) and a few summers visits over the years. In 2005 that all changed when I convinced my grandfather to drive it all the way from Kentucky to Idaho (towing a 1998 Bonneville) where I was stationed at the time. Along that trip they some how ended up in a ditch but after inspecting for damage and finding none drove out and kept on going. Once in Idaho that is where I started a correct ground up rodsteration not going back original but making it better than new along with no more pop rivets and fiberglass. Now I am in the 9th year of a 4 year build (deployments get in the way)and now living in South Carolina thanks to the Air Force and getting closer to completing the truck. (hopefully by years end or early spring next year)

[jabborabbo]

Dad had a '65 GMC 3/4 ton back in the 70's...I learned how to drive with that truck. I grow up, get a job, get married, have a couple of kids, get an '89 Dodge Dakota, then get an '01 Dodge Ram...all the while wishing I had an old GMC. Found a '67 (details can be found here) and now life is good!!!!!!!

[FirstOwner69]

Our 69 CST/20 was the 4th vehicle we bought. My wife and I had driven to Utah from our home in Fullerton, CA, on a whim in Oct. of 1969 after I read an article in an outdoor magazine about SW Utah. We slept in the car in in a campground in freezing temps. On our way home we met numerous trucks and campers, most pulling Jeeps, apparently heading north for the Utah deer season. I'd wanted a truck camper since I was 16 when I saw a unit from California in a Wisconsin campground. So, before we even got home, we stopped by a RV dealer Sunday night in the dark and looked at campers. About 5 weeks later, the truck, a leftover new 1969, and a new cab-over camper were at our place. I was 24. We've probably had 35-40 vehicles, but this one just stuck around. We moved to Wisconsin late in 1971. The truck wasn't driven in the winter after about 1980 and was permanently stored in the garage since 1987. This truck is where I learned everything I know about working on vehicles. So, it was only fitting that I bring it back to its new state. Starting in 2010 I stripped everything from the chassis except the cab. I gave the bed and other sheet metal to the body shop and also had them remove the cab. I then took the frame and drivetrain. In November, 2012, when we'd each done our thing, the shop picked up the chassis and re-married it with the cab. They returned them, and I then reassembled the remainder. The truck originally came equipped with buckets/console, A/C, 350, TH400, wood bed and all the options that made it eligible for the Custom Camper nameplate. I've now added some options that were missing or not available in 69 such as tilt, shoulder belts AM/FM, a fancy oak bed, and full gauges plus tach and clock. I also replaced the original 350 with a GMPP 350/330 crate engine and have stored the original. Due to lousy weather last fall, it's only been driven to the shop for A/C charge and alignment. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to spring!


Pictures below. Top- first week of Dec.1969; Middle- summer of 2010 before resto; Bottom- Sept, 2013 finished except front bumper.

[special-K]

The steel wheels sure look good

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by special-K

The steel wheels sure look good

Somehow I knew you'd say that. Don't worry, I still have them. After staring at the same truck for 45 years, it was time for a different look. The Hummer wheels protrude outboard farther than the steelies with 8.75s which I like. I'll probably alternate the steelies and Hummers.

[FirstOwner69]

Double post... Sorry...

[Treetop839]

I learned to drive a 1965 C10 with a 327 and 3 on the tree no power anything that was my Dads truck. Dad bought a 1970 Custom 10 with the 307 and 350 turbo tranny when I was 16 or 17 (around 1990) from his boss and the local mechanics shop Dad worked at. I named it Murphy because of the infamous Law seemed to keep showing up! Murphy had power brakes and power steering ( made for a interesting couple of days getting use to these). A few years went by and I tried cleaning out a ditch and groove of trees with the passenger side one night. We put the truck back together and I was driving it the next night after swapping a rear end and rear wheels, new to me rear sway bar and some body work with a sledge hammer and block of wood so the door handle would work. started buying parts to fix the body as I was driving it daily. Swapped the 307 for a 350 a few months later that leaked and burnt 2 quarts of oil a week. A year latter we dropped a 350 out of a 1994 Chevy Van in after I threw a rod. I drove Murphy daily until 2001 when I bought a 1991 Chevy Z71. The last few years I have been slowly (my wife thinks I'll never get it back together) restoring the body. Friend have asked me if I would ever get rid of the truck and there are NOOOO Plans of letting Murphy leave. Hoping to get him back together soon so We can drive the heck out of it again. Enjoying all the story's about everyone rides!

[oldno7]

I'll tell mine again, My wife and I and are 2 year old had went out to southern Oklahoma to visit her dad. Her parents had divorced when she was little and hadn't seen him in several years so we went for a whole week. Now they are fine folks, and i enjoyed the first day or two, but after watching 12 movies and going out to eat for every meal I had had enough. So their daughters boyfriend and i decided to go scavage some old junk yards he knew of. I found some little goodies wish i would have took pics of the stuff i saw. Anyways on the last day of our trip I went for a country cruise, and off in the distance (funny how we can spot a truck from a mile away huh) I seen a truck sitting at a farmers house fairly close to the road partially tarped so i drove by it didn't seem to be anyone home so i thought what the hell i'm gonna get out n check it out so i walk through the yard looking at it behind a fence and the next thing i know i have two big ugly cowboys behind me asking what the hell am i doing on there property, and let me tell you my first thought was (deliverance) lol. So real politely I just asked if this truck was for sale in if so could i take a closer look. It was hard not to laugh when he said that he would have to talk to his paw bout that. So thankfully paw was a really nice guy that said yes he would part with the truck that originally belonged to his dad. $500.00 bucs and nothing lower. So a 67 step side with perfect cab doors and a great bed no front clip or engine was on the block. I was freaking out cause i've always wanted a small window 67 and just to buy a replacement door is $500.00 bucs. SOLD im a happy man now i gotta figure out how am i gonna drag my new prize back to IL. I dont even have a hitch on my wife's durango. Frantic, Wow the Dodge dealership happen to have one on the shelf and installed it was like $300.00 bucs so off to u-haul for a dolly. I can't believe we actually left town on time pulling my truck home. And no kidding we got out of town a mile and a herd of deer ran right in front of us at 55 mph (Hard Brakes) whew no contact! my first thought is this isn't a good sign. Cant believe it we are crossing the IL state line and make it home with no problems. I still laugh bout this. This was 11 years ago, I haven't actually done alot to the truck cause of raising baby's. A couple years ago I started a frame off It's slow going frames been painted along with inside of cab. I just did a mild drop cab is back on frame with recently new wheels and tires im at the point to finish up brakes. I wonder if i will ever finish it. So thats my story lol

[In The Ten Ring]

My dad bought my 1972 new off the lot. He happened to see it when he and mom were going to the grocery store and he feel in love. Basic stepside, wheel on side, 3 ott, 250 I6.

4.11 2wd.

He talks the guy down $400(!) and adds it to the home loan. He drives it for over 20 years and lets me have it for not "drinking, smoking, dipping, or using drugs till I'm at least 21." I held up my end of the bargain and dad held his. I still have no desire to dip, smoke, or try drugs and I drink but rarely. I've also never been arrested or had any addictions.

I drove it some in high school but parked it for 10 years. I then drove it some around 2004 but it didn't run right. I parked it again for 8 years (garages both times) and now am really working it over. All new fuel line, renewed gas tank, rebuilt/cleaned carb, some new body parts, rebuilt brakes, new cab to frame bushings, new weatherstrip....here's a couple of pics.

[Andy4639]

Here is a thread I did awhile back. This truck started my madness as well as a bunch more on here!



http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=315767

[Milo's 72]

I was looking for a cab for my 72 gmc on craigslist and found a 71 chevy c-10.went to look at it struck up a deal brought it home with me.i got my chevy from 7071 Bluck thanks man.so now I'm going to put the chevy body on the gmc frame.because it has a rebuilt 350 motor 400 trans 3.73 posi new rotors and calipers and related brake wares.i don't like the heated coils idea not in to low low I might give it a old school rake ?

[1971 cheburban]

Keep em coming, I love hearing these stories. I'm only 19 so I'm going to have a storie for the rest of my life. Like I said my dad's buddy had a six popper and my dear old dad talked him into an 8 banger. So he needed his roof on his house, 60 some squares at that. And I'm stronger than the average bear so I had to carry all of the shingles up on the roof. I still can't believe I did all that work.... But my dad got the 71 and in the mean while I was looking for an old dodge powerwagon. I'm still going to have one. But then the more I looked at the 71 c10 the more I liked it, and my dad being the good guy he is didn't want to see me spend a bunch of money. So I took it and that's how it started

[ho70]

Dad bought a 68 custom GMC when I was 12. I bought it from him when I was 15 for a grand. Paint, mags, new engine and interior. 17 years later had kids and sold truck. Brain fart and bought 70 Challenger. Spent too much on it. Found 71BB c10 but seller was difficult, so last look at craigslist found 72 highlander AC BB woodbed, 4 hours away in US. Drove 4 hours (took 8) on ice and now it is under 4 feet of snow awaiting spring

SEAFOAM-is that a Pierce in your avatar? and Fire trucks should be RED....LOL