Where/How did you find your Truck ?

[FrankenCub]

Before I bought my GMC I was looking for something '99 or newer. They all had a bazillion miles on them and were rotted out and still asking better than 5K for them. One day cruising through Craigslist I saw the GMC and figured it was only 20 minutes away so I'd take a chance and go look at it. When I got there I saw it only had 84,000 miles and the body was great so I jumped and brought it home. I'll be buryed with it lol
I have some body work to do to it now (thanks NY salt) because the first year I had it I ended up driving it part of the winter when my 4x4 went down.

[54belair]

After first deciding on What I wanted, then the quest became less interesting. I knew I wanted a project, and I knew it would become an "every nut, bolt and screw" type of build so I had to find the best project that I could--at the best price and at a reasonable distance from home.
I checked the usual places--Ebay, and all craigslist ads for 200 miles around. I found two candidates, one in tulsa and the other in the KC area. Price was essentially the same for both, distance was also close to the same. Both trucks needed rockers and ??, so, I ended up choosing the one in tulsa.
Even though it probably doesnt matter Ive always wondered if I made the best choice.

Two and a half years later, over 500 hours into the project, I am at a point of re-assembly. It has been totally disassembled, blasted, welded, sanded, massaged as needed and painted. Most everything on the truck has been replaced or upgraded---and it is now patiently waiting for me to get a new blast of enthusiasm after a cold winter so that I can reassembly it and put it back into service. During the construction I have been able to trace most of the history of the truck (wont make it run better or quicker, but interesting). A point that was interesting is that for a period of years, the truck was owned by the univ. of Okla. as a maint. vehicle (still has the inventory tag).

The goal is to give it to my grandson someday-----maybe it will be ready for him by the time he is ready for it!! (He is almost 9 !!)

[mikeb81]

I found an ad in the paper for mine that was 30 or so miles away. I drove it for a month or so and then sold it to my dad. It's now sitting, and waiting on us to start working on it as a project

[Already Gone]

Sunday Bump

[BADAZ chevy guy]

I found mine in an ad on ksl.com $1,500.00 (Payed $1,350.00) It looked like just what I'd been searching for, for a long time. It wasn't until I got it home and really started looking it over that I discovered all the issues with it. The PO had "Installed" a new hood and front fenders. Maybe 3 bolts each and the rest were gone. lol Gas filler hose leaked all over my driveway.
I still love the truck and wouldn't sell it for anything. However, I did learn not to judge a truck by it's fenders.

[unreconstructed1]

I found my '67 across the road from a gas station where evryone in town parks vehicles for sale... I had about a month to go before income tax returns and just knew that it would be gone.... it wasn't, so I got her at a decent price...

my '69 was bought by my dad from a guy he knew who was moving out of State.. my dad got a different job, and needed something that was a little better on gas than the '77 C20 he was driving, and I just happened to have a Buick century that I wasn't using, so I traded him out of it...

[Already Gone]

After almost 90 days I thought a bump is in order.......

[jjdowney]

I had decided that I wanted a project truck since my '99 Silverado was starting to cost me too much in repairs (water pump, tranny issues, etc.). I was looking for a '71 or '72 and was driving out of town one day. Passed through some small town in the middle of nowhere and saw the truck on the side of the road with a "SALE" sign on it. I stopped and asked the guy about it. The sign was for a garage sale, but I talked to him about how I was looking to sell my '99 and he was interested in it. We basically swapped straight up, which I get weird looks from 'normal' people for. "You traded your 15 year old truck for a 42 year old truck?" My Silverado was maybe going to get me $5k at most, probably closer to $4k. '72 C-20 350 from southern Cali, no rust. Runs well, I have a couple small leaks to work on and I'm going to lower it, redo the interior, eventually paint after taking out a couple dings and dents.

[mattfranklin]

I found mine after looking on Craig's list for several years. I discovered that the best search technique was just to search or filter on the key word step or stepside and the visually look for chevy or gm or year.

[erikoj]

WEEEEEELL , It's real hard to find an old truck living on a salt encrusted island 35 miles out to sea. Then Ebay comes along and my California desert truck (rust free of course ) is here and waiting for the restoration that I am Planning. 1972 K 10 ochre and white, very original.Now on Nantucket island. Thanks Ebay !

[BRL]

Had a truck pull out in front of my '73 C10 and I still drove it around even though it looked like it had hit a telephone pole at 55 mph.

Decided that I wasn't going to register it for another year looking the way it did and just kept the idea of buying another old truck in mind if something were to show up.

Went to visit a friend one day and he was doing some cylinder head work on a friends 250 inline-6 in an old 1969 Bell Telephone C10 so the guy could sell it off.

The head work on the 250-6 turned out to be a waste of time in my opinion because I put in a 350 shortly after purchase.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Interesting stories

[Turbo1dr]

First, I'm really reaching back to 1988 to tell my story so bear with me.

I remember I was working in Raleigh NC when I decided I wanted an older truck. (My father had a 1970 Custom 10 and I loved it.) My boss (at that time) called his friend to see if he wanted to sell his old truck. Luckily, he did and I went to take a look. It was a very nice looking truck and I fell in love with color combination upon first sight. I remember seeing the 8/400 badge on the fender and got excited that it was a 400SB. Well, unknowingly, I *thought* it was a small block until I raised the hood and seen the big block sitting in there...air conditioning, power steering and power brakes. Those were luxuries my fathers truck didn't have so I was delighted when I seen them. I believe the guy wanted $3000 for the truck but I only *borrowed* $2500 to get one. I told the guy I'd buy the truck but I only had $2500. Anyway, I left and it seems like a couple of weeks went by and the guy called and told me he'd sell it to me for $2500. I kept the truck for a couple of years and sold it. THAT was the worst mistake I made and have always regretted it. Anyway, it's June 2014 and I bought it back from the person I originally sold it to for $2800. I felt like it was a good price for the truck since it's an original BB.

The scanned picture was from 1988-89. The other picture was June 30th 2014.

[BADAZ chevy guy]

Interesting story. I had just gotten off the #470 bus, the one that goes Downtown, and was headed for Star Bucks. The one on Main, just across the street from the Star Bucks. That's the one where I met my last girl friend. The Star Bucks, not the #470 bus. Anyway, I'm just about there when these three guys come running up the sidewalk and climb into this 1977 square body C10 truck and try to start it. Crank, crank, crank... NOTHING! Crank, crank, crank... STILL NOTHING! So, the driver jumps out and runs back towards me and I just step aside as he goes past. Then the other two guys jump out and head off in the other direction. Toward the park. That really nice park on Main and Fairfield. Anyway, that's when I notice these guys are all wearing hoods and carrying canvas bags. Now, the driver just makes it to the bus I had just gotten off of. I guess the bus was early and had to wait there for a few minutes. I hate it when they do that and I need to get someplace in a hurry. It's like "Just go already!!!" Anyway, I keep walking and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose. Sirens, cops, dogs, guys with cameras. One guy had this really cool Nikon D4 Digital SLR with the 300mm telephoto lens. But I'm thinkin' “What ya gunna do, take photos of finger prints... FROM KANAS??? So, I head over to Star Bucks... just to watch all the action. And, have a double half/calf Vanilla Latee. GOD I love those. Well, it turns out these three guys had just ROBBED the BANK!!! DUH! That must explain the hoods and bags. Not just a weird fashion statement after all. Anyway, the cops set up road blocks and start questioning everyone and one cop even comes into the Star Bucks. Turns out he just wanted a double half/calf Vanilla Latee too. I told you they were good! Now, I don't want to get involved, so I just sit there pretending to read a news paper. Actually, I did start reading it. Turns out there's this Russian submarine captain who steals a U-Boat and wants to defect. That's when I realize I'm reading the movie listings. Anyway, pretty soon one cop car pulls up and in the back are the two guys who headed into the park. Except they weren't wearing their hoods anymore. I only knew it was them because one of them had a San Francisco 49r's jacket on. Anyone know where I can get one of those. I love the 49r's. Anyway, then I see one of the cops heading towards the #470 bus. Can you believe the damn thing is still there? I just bet there's someone on that bus saying “Just go already!!” Besides the guy who just robbed the bank, that is. I really hate riding buss. So, I guess this other guy was dumb enough to still have his hood on, cause the cop didn't have any problem finding him. Another episode of “Americas Dumbest Criminals” I loved the one where the guy was breaking into a house. He sticks his head in to look around and the sash window comes down and breaks the guys neck! Or was that on 1001 ways to die? I don't remember now. Anyway, the cop drags this guy out of the bus, puts him in the police car and drives away. Then they all start to leave and in about 15 minutes you’d never know anything had ever happened. Except for this 1977, Square body C10 still sitting there. With the fricken keys STILL IN IT!! So. I grab another double half/calf Vanilla Latee... to go, and walk over to the truck. After making sure no one is looking I climb in and try to start it. Crank, crank, crank... NOTHING! So, I get out and pop the hood to have a look. That's when I see it! A Quadrajet 750cfm carburetor, under the air cleaner. But, that wasn't the problem. I actually like quadrajets. I know some guys rag on them, but... Anyway, that's also when I saw the HEI distributor. BINGO!!! Distributor Sensor! So, I open my wallet to see how much money I have. $7.50... Just enough for another double half/calf Vanilla Latee. I just can't get enough of those. Anyway, after I get back from Star Bucks I pull out my wallet again and get out my extra distributor Sensor. Because, everyone who's ever had a Square body keeps an extra one on them. So, ten minutes later and I'm heading home with my new truck!

That's sort of how I found my last girl friend also.

[BADAZ chevy guy]

The above story was intended for entertainment ONLY! There's actually no truth in it.

[73737373]

Bought my 68 in Cyril, OK in 1984 from my girlfriend's aunt. The aunt had offered to sell me the truck a couple of weeks before we broke up, but I declined. A month or so went by and I found out the truck was still for sale. I resumed dating my girlfiriend, bought the truck and then broke up again about 2 weeks later. Still have the truck.

[R.L.]

Found mine in a junk yard 350 mi from home, drove it home with out 3rd it had a 700r4 @ 50 mph with a bungie cord holding the drivers door closed. Loved every mile of the trip.

[Already Gone]

Sunday morning bump.

[Jake1971]

My first was a 1968 C10 that I bought from a co-worker in 1982... Stolen from my driveway three years later and never saw it again. In early January, 1986, after a long work day I saw a for sale sign on a '71 c10 just a few blocks from home. The engine was gone but the 3OTT was still in it and hanging from the firewall by baling wire. The seller wanted mere $100 and told me the utility bed was not part of the deal. I bought it and dragged it home with a lawn tractor. A co-worker was selling his '71 nova that had been stolen and beat to a pulp by the thieves for $250. My brother-in-law helped haul it home for parts and gave me a nice long fleetside bed for my truck. After a couple of weekends the 307/TH350 was in and running. Currently undergoing some much needed TLC after a D*dge hit me around 10 years ago (which totaled the D*dge ).

[Bad Jackson]

Great thread

[littlecents]

My granddad bought my truck from a guy he used to work with for $100 as a present for my 16th birthday. It was in his backyard facing an alley, it took us about an hour to get it onto the trailer. From the factory it was a GSA truck, it had a straight six with a 3 speed on the tree. I have slowly been making progress on it for the last 3 years, I'm currently working on lining the front sheet metal up before I get it painted. The first 2 pictures are what it looked like when we got it, the third one is about a year ago, and the fourth is how it sits right now.

[sixtyeightC10]

Subscribed. These are some great stories. I'll have to add mine in the near future.

[bdeese]

My grandad bought my 70 C20 new in 69. He died in 87 and the truck sat in a barn at my family's farm until my grandma died in 08. I inherited the truck and it has sat in my shop since then. Was going to restore it as a C20 and use it as my tow vehicle to get my 68 Camaro to the dragstrip. Sold the Camaro and decided to convert my grandad's truck to a hotrod. Just this past weekend, I bought a 70 C10 SWB frame to use for converting mine. Hopefully getting my cab swapped over this weekend!!!

[Already Gone]

Time for a bump...

[Stranny64]

My first c10 was a 71 GMC Sierra Grande Custom. A friend had it for a few years. The bed was full of beer cans when I got it. My wife was beside herself that I would buy it. I remember putting masking tape down the center of it and buffing, waxing, detailing half of it. I had gotten a set of rally's from a different friends totaled 1980 something truck and put 2 of them on. I called my wife out to the shop and showed her my "masterpiece". She finally got it. I detailed the rest of it and drove it everywhere. While on a 12 mile bike ride I noticed a truck in a guys yard so I stopped. He said you can take everything but the box. He wanted it for a trailer. I immediately went home and got tools. I scored a tilt wheel, gauges, wood grain trim... All kinds of goodies!!! I gave him like $40.00 for everything. Then I switched gears and bought a 68 RS/SS Camaro. I sold the truck and restored the Camaro. I drove it a little bit because I was afraid to wreck it. After about 7 years I sold it. My wife occasionally would ask if I miss the Camaro and I would say I actually really miss my truck. Fast forward to a few months ago and my wife surprised me and bought me a 68 C20 for my 50th birthday. She saw the add on Craigslist and her and I went to look at it. This retired guy had just bought it off of EBay from the original owner from Oregon and had it shipped to Minnesota when his friend finally decided to sell his 1 owner original 1970 Corvette. His wife said he can't have both. We bought it that night and drove it home. Part of her present to me was that her and my kids were going to have a surprise shop truck logo painted on it. She also gave me some money to spend on it. Lowering springs, wheels, tires, new bumpers, and a few more parts...Thanks for listening and these other stories are great!!!