I'd been on the hunt for an original c30 for a while. Finally found a really great one, mostly unmodified and well preserved. I had to make quite a drive to get it, but I'm happy I did. I plan on keeping this a work truck, just with a bit of new styling. It will keep all the manly 1-ton features (roof lights, big honkin mirrors, stick shift), but it will look a bit different than how it started.
The truck was originally fitted with a big cabover camper. So the cab was very well protected over the years from rain and sun. The camper unfortunately was damaged beyond repair so I had it removed. Here is how it looked when I found it:
The whole interior is extremely nice, and I won't be changing it at all. The only damage is a few small holes in the top of the seat where the PO installed some snaps for the pass through, and a few small cracks in the steering wheel. I plan to disassemble and fully clean and detail the interior, but that’s about it.
Here is the plan:
- Replace the split ring wheels with a set of 19.5" p30 wheels I've been saving (black with chrome caps)
- Possibly drop the front end a smidge if it won't rub
- Polish up the original oxidized paint
- Trim up and paint the back half of the frame
- Paint the front bumper black (it's a crappy white repaint otherwise I'd keep it as-is)
- Replace the grandpa mirrors with stainless equivalents (or maybe have them re-chromed)
- Pull behind receiver with a semi-truck style receiver/tail light section
- “Maybe” paint on some door logos. Not really my thing, but I think it could be a nice touch
- Not sure about a flatbed just yet, but it might happen
Here's a quick and dirty before and after photo shop edit of what I have in mind:
