[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Austinjay

I got pretty lucky and had first shot at this truck over the weekend. I could not pass it up for the price. A price so good I would have been a complete jerk to even try to haggle so I paid asking price. It was about 3.5 hours away so I loaded up my truck and trailer and grabbed it as soon as I messaged the seller. I am not in the business of flipping trucks, I just love finding gems that need to be revived and driven. The story I got from the seller was that he had purchased it from the widow of the original owner about 9 years ago. He bought it for a "ranch" truck at his meat butcher facility in Salida Colorado. Apparently the truck was bought new in Westcliff Colorado for a farm and never left until the original owner passed away. This truck has very little rust, probably one of the best I've ever owned. The seller I bought it from purchased it with no engine and he never got around to to installing a 350 he bought for it. I pulled apart the engine that came with it because it had been sitting in the bed for 9 years (covered) but it was stuck. It is a 77-79 350. To my surprise, as I was pulling it apart it appeared to be recently rebuilt. Bored .060 over, very clean inside with no ring ridge. Lifters, pushrods, rockers and valves looked brand new. Unfortunately it did get some water in the cylinders at some point and its a little crispy. I am going to do a quick hone and reassemble. I think it will be just fine. Here are some pictures and I will try to update this thread as I go along.

If anyone reading this has a driver side door panel in the original red please message me.

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