Know the history of your truck ?

[Steeveedee]

Our truck has been in the family since '73. Don't know anything about it before that. My father in law had a '63 1/2T truck with a 283 and 3OTT. Their family (dad, mom, my wife-to-be) went camping all over the country. That '63 had to make 4 tries to make it up the hill in Wolf Creek Pass, so when they got back to California, my FIL went and bought this '70 Longhorn CST Custom Camper with a 400 engine, 400 trans and a 3.55 Dana 60 rear axle. Leaf springs and all. It's a stump puller, for sure. First thing he did was put a camper shell on it. My wife learned to drive in it, all 98 pounds of her (power steering and power brakes!). She drove that barge to college in downtown Los Angeles traffic in the mid-'70s, until her dad bought her a '69 Nova. I met her in '80, married her in '81 and did the majority of the maintenance on it from there on, as I was a mechanic at the time (and going to university on the GI Bill). Grandpa and Grandma took my young sons camping and fishing in this truck for many years, during the summers out of school. My FIL passed away in 2010, and we got possession of it. I've upgraded it to front disc brakes, rebuilt the front suspension (original parts!) last year, and put a new shell on it this year. While I had the old nasty shell off, I cleaned up and painted the roof. My middle son helped me with that front end rebuild and disc brake upgrade (and the paint). He's the only one interested in having it when my wife and I kick the bucket. We'll be using it for awhile, since we just bought a new travel trailer in September.

[rustytruck50]

Don't know much past the PO....would like to find out more info, but I'm having difficulties.

[Sweeet67]

My 67 gmc short fleet side has been in the family since new. My great grandfather wanted a new truck and grandma wanted him to save the $2700 and change so they could pay cash. He did that over the next while (couple years). He finally had the money for the truck. He ordered the deluxe heater and 3.92 rearend. I still have his original signature on the sales order. He drove it to work on the railroad for 6 months then had a heart attack and passed away. My great grandma then drove it to get the mail,groceries, and to church etc. I came along in the early 90's as a teenager and told her I would love to have it. She just giggled at my attempt as a kids random comment. Well, much to my suprise on my 16th birthday she called to tell me I could pick up my truck anytime I wanted to. I was there within hours, drove it home, and began the restoration the next day. I was able to complete it before she passed away. I entered it into a 4th of July parade in her home town, and she and I drove it on the parade route. That was over 20 years ago. Last year my 18 yr old son and I built a real nice 383 with a fitech and a Boyd fuel tank. It's driven quite regular but never in the winter. It will end up in my sons hands one day!

[custom10nut]

Things I know:
I'm the fourth owner
The third was another soldier
The second had a lot of well documented work done
The original owner bought the truck in Winner SD, and took delivery on 30 January 1970.
Things I don't know:
How long the third owner had the truck or where he bought it.
I ve had her for 25 years, and have documented everything I've done down to the oil changes. I have all the receipts on all work done by the second, and the third owner kept everything, and I've carried it on.

[dfwright]

My truck was purchased new by my grandfather in 1972, in Midland, Texas, and has always been in the family. It was my grandfather's "baby" -- he bought it to haul his boat to the lake when he retired. My dad inherited the truck around 1981 when my grandfather passed, and my sister learned to drive in it. We have many, many family memories around this truck.

I've only recently gotten it all put back together again, and this past weekend, my sister and I went on a road trip to visit all the places where we have special memories with the truck. We went back to the house where we lived in the '80's and took a picture out front where we used to park it -- fortunately I don't think anyone was home, so I don't think we freaked anyone out.

We went by the lake near our old house and got some pictures of us and the truck there. I had to take it by the old high school where I graduated and get some pictures there. It's a junior high now, and they've built a new High School, but I wanted the picture for the memories.

It was a real trip down memory lane for us. I hope I haven't bored everyone to tears, but it was fun for us!


Here's just a couple of pictures to make the story more interesting...

[KQQL IT]

From '69 or '70 I do. With abut a 10 year gap in the time line.

1971 Parents moved to CA from NY

2017 back in my driveway

1978 after winning the Mint 400

[FleetsidePaul]

I know my truck was purchased new from Colliau Chevrolet in South Pasadena CA. It had a camper on it, and spent time in the Lake Mead area. I'd love to know more.

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

I know my truck was purchased new from Colliau Chevrolet in South Pasadena CA. It had a camper on it, and spent time in the Lake Mead area. I'd love to know more.

Love the slots, dad's 68 had staggered 16.5's.

Would love to find a set and modify for 16'' or 17''

[68bowtie]

cool thread. the father of the guy i bought my truck from was the original owner. i asked a few times respectfully if he had any photos or stories or anything. he pretty much blew me off. disappointing. but what can you do.

let's see some more vintage pictures!

[Stocker]

I bought my K20 forty years ago, so I know most of its history. Just missing the first five years of its life. PO had an equalizer hitch welded to the frame, and that was removed before I saw the truck.

[BRL]

PO told me this was an OD green Bell Telephone work truck when I got it from him in '95.

Can still see traces of that color on the firewall near the manual HD drum brake master cylinder.

Said his daughter picked out the new color for it.

Other indicators would be the plug behind the rear bumper and the plugs on the roof that probably had antennas.

Took out the 250 IL6/3OTT with 4:11 diff. and replaced with 350/350 and either a 307 or 308 geared differential.

Just noticed the dang thing is filthy...hey I look at the pictures, but I drive the dang truck a lot!

[71threequarterton]

I bought my 71 Custom 20 in the summer of 2016. The PO gave me several bits of info about the history and I don't have much reason to doubt him. The truck came from the Fremont plant. The original owner kept it for maybe a couple of years and then sold it to the 2nd owner who supposedly lived in the Los Angeles area and used it to haul a camper around on family camping trips. He replaced the original 350 with a Goodwrench 350 crate engine that has approximately 40k miles on it according to the odometer. The truck spent the majority of its life with the 2nd owner until he got up there in age and sold it to the 3rd owner. The 3rd owner said he bought it to drive around while he was restoring another 67-72. I've only seen a picture of both trucks in the PO's driveway prior to me buying the C20 off of him. PO provided a folder full of receipts which date back far enough to confirm what he's told me about it. He even told me about a few of the "quirks" to expect and I have not really had any major surprises beyond what he told me about the truck. I bought the truck up in the central CA area and my first drive was about 6-7 hours back down the coast to coastal Los Angeles area. I had zero problems on the long drive and the truck has been great so far. Other than putting new wheels on it to replace the outdated 16.5s that came on it, I haven't done much but drive it and enjoy it.

[CharlieBrown]

Dad bought mine from the original owner...who was a school superintendent

in Charleston Arkansas...where he bought it new.

That was September 26th 1978...been mine ever since.

Drove it everyday till 1986..sometimes was still warm from the night before when I got in it the next morning.

Stored it a year..then Dad drove it 3 years and put 100,000 miles on it.

After that...been driven for fun off and on till I started a frame off as we speak

[JJR]

I bought my 70 C10 from the original owner. He was a retired postal worker and attended the Church I did at the time. He told me that another individual had ordered the truck but didn't buy it. It is a relatively low optioned model. It has a 250 with 3-on-the-tree but the guy optioned a 3.07 rear axle ratio instead of keeping the standard 3.73. I love the 3.07 when I'm at highway speeds but not so much when loaded down or pulling a camper.