First of all, I've had lots of old vehicles and I like driving them...alot. I currently have an 07' 4runner that is a great suv but is pretty boring. I've been wanting another 60s car/truck and I found this pretty nice 1965 Chevy C10 that the guy drives everyday. He has upgraded to power disc brakes, HEI and A/C. The only problem is, I would need to sell my 4runner to get it and the 4runner is paid for. BTW, I only live 5 miles from work and could easily work from home if I had to miss a day for a break down. BTW, I can rebuild a SBC (who can't?) and do alot of work myself.

So, for a while at least, the 1965 C10 would be my only vehicle. My wife has a nice car so it's not like the truck would be our main vehicle, just something for me to drive back and forth to work and run my errands when I need to.

Just so I understand, you are going to trade your paid off 07 4Runner for a 65 Chevrolet truck? Did you lose a bet?

Well, when you say it out loud it sounds silly.........yes. and no, I didn't lose a bet.

To be fair, these old trucks are going up in value where my 4runner is going down. I'll probably end up getting a Tacoma sometime next year but for a good while, the 65 would be it for me.

Do it! I'm rebuilding a '72 Chevy c30. It will be my daily driver/BOV.

Go for it.  You work close to home, hopefully at a stable job.  If you have the dough to fix stuff that would break on a 50 year old truck, go for it.  You only live once

that old chevy will be around a lot longer than anything built today, even a Toyota

OK, maybe not a Toyota but it will increase in value, the Toyotas just hold their value real good

and for 5 miles, you could easily ride a bike.

 
Yes and no....the 1st Gen C-10's don't really have the same following as the 2nd Gen ones honestly.




I own a 66 C10 and it's fun to drive but not such a great daily driver.  If I were to make it into a DD then I'd do the following....



EFI 350/350 combo, regear rear end, add power steering, disc/drum power brakes (done already), add cruise control and put a classic air AC system into it.  I'd also soundproof as much of the interior as possible.


 

Old trucks are bringing big dollar right now. I'd get it.

I had the owner text me a few pics. 65' C10, SWB stepside, 327cui, 4spd, A/C, Power disc/drum.  




He's asking $13,500. From what I could see, it's rust free (there's gotta be rust somewhere)  but I didn't crawl all over it in the parking lot, but I will tomorrow. The only thing I don't like is that he put a 4spd manual in it last year that he says if rom a late model HD truck, it's actually a 3spd with a granny fear. Why the hell did he do that? The truck did look very good in person.

I agree. My first choice is a second gen. I fell in love with them when I was in HS, class of 91'. But they are pulling some big bucks now. I really don't have $30-40k for one right now.

Common rust areas on these trucks

Cab supports

Inner rocker

Outer rocker

Can corner

Door bottoms


Bring a scratch awl and start probing for soft spots.


At $13.5k that's about what I'd expect given its "options".  Biggest detractor I see is the radio opening in the dashboard has been cut for a single din Headunit. I doubt that was a factory custom truck given the small back window. The dash cluster and HVAC are easy enough to swap across to a non custom can truck.

It looks pretty slick.

You forgot the bottom of the front fenders along the door. Also the front of the hood is another area.

I checked out the truck today....not exactly what I was looking for. The owner had installed a sunroof (I hate sunroofs) and the opening for the radio looked pretty hacked. Not really a bad truck but I'm not wild about the transmission that was in it and the 327 sbc was pretty weak. All these things can easily be fixed but I didn't feel the truck was worth the asking price. Plus the truck wandered all over the road, like it had no castor at all, again fixable but not what this guy had led me to believe. A solid $5-6k and I would've bought it. Lots of rust underneath but the cab looked ok in the typical spots, corners and such. The A-pillers were swissed and he had treated the rust, primed and painted over it. I would drive it like it is but I know that one day I would want to restore it and thats alot of work ahead of me. Oh well.

No fucking way I'd have that as my sole transportation. DD maybe but a back up is a must.

too bad... looked like a sweet little truck.  A good friend of mine has a 61 Apache (rubber burning machine) and my Brother has a 69 C10 4x4 shortbed.  Cool old trucks for sure...

That sounds like a horrible, terrible idea.

But you should do what your heart desires, on the matter.

No no and no.  Why no? for the following reasons.

1. The ONLY reason these trucks are marginally hot right now is because of Fast & Loud and Gas Monkey garage. Richard Rawlings is a smart guy and figured out that he has the ability now to drive market trend.  Buy a bunch of these crap trucks, blow a rediculous amount of money on them, get them MASSIVE TV coverage and every moron in town will line up and give him stupid money for it at auction.  Then....... all of the car dealers who don't know shit start buying these like they discovered an unknown oil well and boom you have a market bubble.  

Stay away STAY FAR AWAY.

2. if you must hotrod an old truck, rust drives the price.  If there's any rust PASS ON IT.  as body work blows out any ability to have the proper investment in one of these
3. do NOT pay more than $4000-6000 (NO MATTER WHAT) for a 60s or 70's pick up truck.  

Failure to heed the above will result in you losing your ass, like a LOT.  

You want to buy a fun truck that right now is under priced and will only increase in value?  Buy one of these
1. early 90's 454SS Chevy 1500
2. GMC Typhoon or Chevy Syclone
3. Ford Lightning (I'm not a Ford guy but I'm talking about the more rounded body that I think started in 95)

4-6k isn't even enough for a decent truck.

Me neither.

They were daily driven in the 60's, so go for it. If you enjoy turning wrenches like i do i doubt you will have a problem tinkering here and there. From my experience people who dont want to DD something with some age on it, are the same group who pay people to work on their vehicles.

What???

 

First off - Screw Gas Monkey on those idiots.  


$4-6K for a 60's Chevy truck?  No rust?


You can't find a rust free (unrestored) 60's Chevy truck in CA or NM, much less anywhere else.


The classic Chevy trucks have been popular long before RR and Gas Monkey.  Now if you are referring to the "Shop Truck" / "Patina" BS- then maybe I can see that a bit, but he wasn't the first (shocker).


The Chevy trucks are easy to upgrade to comfy daily driver status.  I have a '65 I'll be building once the kid gets done with college.  Power brakes / suspension / steering etc will many times interchange from the newer (70's and 80's) GM trucks to the older models.  Bolt on easy - most times.


I helped with a resto on one a few years ago - he liked driving it so much it moved to DD / Year Round status.


'66 C series shortbed (actually started life as a cheaper / easier to find longbed - we used a short bed frame and cut the long bed down.  Looks factory.  Unless you start measuring stake pockets.  There's even a template out there for where to cut / how much to take out etc)


Low Mile 5.3 and Auto from a wrecked 200X Chevy Truck.  Added aftermarket AC.  Disc brakes, power steering, thing drives great.  Gets decent gas mileage too.


If you are handy with a wrench, and you have / can buy a welder and you have some room + time and patience, replacing the rusted  metal isn't a big deal, damn near every part can be had now without breaking the bank.


That being said - $12-13K should land you a NICE, ready to drive truck.  A co-worker sold his '72 K10 shortbed and it was SUPER clean (zero rust) for $12K a couple of years ago.  It needed nothing but a fat wallet (35" tires, 350 small block, 3.73 gears and no OD)


If you do the work yourself you can build what you want for probably less than thought (not counting your labor of course) and learning bodywork and paint is NOT rocket science....again PATIENCE and willing to learn.


I daily drove a 11 second 3rd Gen Camaro for a good bit.  Only reason I stopped someone offered me what I thought was a ridiculous price and away it went.  (400 SBC chevy, modified TPI, custom tune, T5 manual etc) it was a blast to drive.


If that's what you want for for it.  In 10 years no one will be hunting for a 2007 4-Runner....but a 60's Chevy truck???