Highlights

First UK-registered in 2016
Apparatus in place for transporting two motorcycle at a time
Ideal for use as a working or promotional vehicle
Later high-performance Chevy 350ci small-block engine

The Appeal

It’s obviously true that the course of history would have looked very different if the motor-car had never been invented, but where would we be without the pick-up truck?

In America especially, by the mid-20th century virtually every single industry and trade depended on either one pick-up truck or an entire fleet of them, and away from the professional world they performed all kinds of jobs for private owners, from the mundane to the exciting.

For most of the American motor industry’s history, the two biggest manufacturers of pick-ups have been Chevrolet and Ford, with one always chasing the other.
In 1960, Chevrolet launched its new C/K-series to rival Ford’s F-Series. In a departure from the bulbous 1950s styling, the new ’60s Chevrolets were clean, sharp and crisp.

Available with all kinds of options, including two- and four-wheel drive, ½-ton, ¾-ton and 1-ton payloads, and 6½ft or 8ft beds with Fleetsides or Stepsides, Chevy really did have a truck for everyone.

Built in the final year of production for the first-generation C/K-series, this long-bed C10 (denoting two-wheel drive and ½-ton payload) is offered for sale from the collection of a prominent motorcycle collector, who purchased it for the sake of transporting his classic bikes.

Presented in excellent cosmetic condition, the truck has so much going for it, from its practical possibilities to its improved performance, courtesy of a later 350 Chevy small-block V8 under the bonnet.

The History and Paperwork

Imported into Britain and registered with the DVLA by the present owner in November, 2016
Has attended some major British events including the Hot Rod Hayride and the 2018 Goodwood Revival
Sold with the current V5 plus a selection of invoices for work and new parts

The Interior

Interior is basic, but clean and attractive
Bench seat will accommodate three adults in comfort
Modern radio and CD player

Inside a commercial vehicle, one does not necessarily expect to travel in comfort.

While this Chevy is fairly Spartan inside, with little in the way of luxuries, it is nevertheless a pleasant and comfortable place to be.

The seat is extremely soft and there’s so much legroom and headroom that you can’t help but feel utterly relaxed when seated inside. The seat will accommodate two adult passengers as well as a driver, and even then it shouldn’t feel crowded.

Purists may not care for the fact that the bench seat is not the original and is upholstered with more modern materials, but it is subtle enough that it does not spoil the appearance of the interior.

Bearing in mind that this Chevrolet is still seeing occasional use as a working material, a durable and comfortable modern seat can only be a practical advantage.

It is evident that the interior has had a repaint at some point in the past and all the painted surfaces now look excellent.

The blue and white is obviously complementary to the exterior, but it is a very attractive colour scheme in its own right and it really does make for a pleasant environment inside.

From the excellent, almost-new appearance of many of the trim items, such as the door handles and window winders, we think it is likely that they have been replaced in recent years, since reproduction items are so readily available.

American cars and music are so much intertwined that it seems like there’s something missing if you don’t have a radio, and this one comes with an Alpine unit with Bluetooth and a CD player – ideal for the long road trips you’ll be having.

The Exterior

Appears to have been repainted in the fairly recent past
Pick-up bed equipped with motorcycle wheel chocks
Aftermarket American Racing wheels
New 255/70R16 Hankook Dynapro tyres fitted in March 2022

The C10 looks so good in its very tasteful colour scheme of sky blue and white, and it’s really enhanced by the great expanses of chrome which are hallmark of almost all American vehicles from the mid-20th century.

The paint is in such good condition that we suspect it was repainted not long before it was imported, although it does have a few very small blemishes which are mainly confined to the tailgate.

The aftermarket American Racing wheels are virtually unblemished, at least as far as we were able to see, to the effect that they still look freshly painted. The chrome is in a similarly excellent way, with a very light patina on some parts but, overall, it is characterized by a bright shine.

The appearance of the truck is enhanced by some decals, such as the Mobil Pegasus and Michelin’s Bibendum, which help towards creating the appearance of a period race transporter.

The Mechanics

High-performance 350ci Chevy V8
Three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission
Starts, runs and drives beautifully
Last MoTed in 2017 with no advisories

For obvious reasons, commercial vehicles are usually specified for economy rather than speed or comfort, and so for a time most of them got lumped with unglamorous straight-sixes rather than the V8s which many people crave in an American car.

Things progressed very rapidly in the post-war years, though, and by the 1960s V8s in pick-ups were increasingly common, as were automatic transmissions.

The C10 was offered at first with the two-speed Powerglide automatic and but this one benefits from the new-for-1966 Turbo Hydra-Matic.

The best V8 available for 1966 was the 327ci (5.4-litre) small-block, but in 1967 the 350ci (5.7-litre) variant was launched as a high-performance option for the Camaro, and it was rolled out across the rest of the Chevrolet line in 1969.

If only it had been available in ’66, it would no doubt have been a popular option for the C10, but as it stands many C10s have been upgraded to 350s at a later date.

What it all amounts to is a truck which will be fast a straight line and is also very easy to drive. We have seen how obediently the truck fires up and how smoothly it pulls away, and were also struck by how quiet the exhaust note is, despite the meaty engine.

Without a current MoT test, we are obviously unable to make any guarantees as to the truck’s roadworthiness, but it passed its last test in 2017 with no advisories and it has covered less than 1000 miles since.

Some extensive work was completed not long ago by Mike’s Muscle Car Garage, which included fitment of a new Edelbrock 1406 600cfm carburettor and two new rear shock absorbers, an engine service and a gearbox service.

Summary

Classic American pick-ups are not only charismatic, they can also be enormously useful, as this Chevy has demonstrated by earning its keep as a motorcycle transporter.

Despite being put to a bit of work, it hasn’t come to any harm, and the general finish of the truck with regards to the paint, chrome and upholstery is extremely good.

When it comes to driving, the three-speed automatic and 350 V8 upgrade is really the ideal combination, giving you a truck which will perform well and still be very easy to drive.

It’s up to you what the Chevy does next, but there’s no end of possibilities.

Notice to bidders

Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.

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