1972 Chevrolet C-10

Step Side Pickup truck

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

Gasoline

This truck is my pride and joy.  It has been built from the frame up with pride and attention to detail.  I don't even want to think about how much money - or more importantly, time - I've invested over the years, but I can assure you that you can't build a truck of this quality for what I expect it to sell for.  There will be a lot of detail in this description, and a lot of photographs, attempting to convey to you what this truck is all about (beauty is more than skin deep).  Please take the time to read it all and bid what you feel the truck is worth to you.  I am listing the truck with no reserve, as I'd like to sell it in order to pursue other interests.  Thank you for your interest in my truck. Engine - This engine started life as a 1971 Cadillac Eldorado 500ci V8 with 60k original miles.  These engines are often overlooked by the performance community, but they are spectacular engines - larger displacement and lighter weight than a big-block Chevy, with high nickel content in the alloy used to cast the block, and ever-increasing amounts of aftermarket support.  Most of the engine parts were purchased from Maximum Torque Specialties (MTS), who specializes in big-inch Cadillac engines.  With the exception of the following list of parts, the engine was treated to a high quality stock rebuild.  Variances from stock include: Block was bored .030" over, this results in a 507 cubic inch displacement (that's 8.3 liters for the metric types out there) Keith Black Hypereutectic 10.2:1 pistons Comp Cams camshaft - MTS "MT15" grind, .562" lift, 273/290 duration, 110 degree LSA MTS shaft-mounted rocker system - eliminates the somewhat-fragile stock Cadillac pedestal system MTS Street / Strip valvespring set Roller timing set Edelbrock Performer aluminum intake manifold Sanderson ceramic-coated headers Stainless steel hardware kit The engine was, like the rest of the truck, assembled with the utmost care and attention to detail.  Initial startup and break-in was done with Joe Gibbs Racing break in oil, and subsequent running has been done on Brad Penn "green" racing oil to ensure a long and healthy life for the cam, lifters, and the engine overall.  Of course, many parts are new - bearings, lifters, oil pump, etc…  everything that should be replaced was, and more.  The engine runs great and makes good power, and the cam is just big enough to provide a pleasant "lope" to the idle. The engine is mounted in the truck with a set of custom-fabricated mounts.  No firewall or frame modifications were necessary to physically mount the engine, although the top frame rail was clearanced slightly (and neatly) for the headers.  This area is reinforced by the installation of factory 3/4 ton frame braces, so there are no strength concerns whatsoever.  The mounts are bolted to the frame, not welded.  Polyeurethane bushings cushion the vibrations, and grade 8 hardware was used throughout. Body - All original GM sheetmetal!  Never wrecked, never rusted.  You're looking at the original paint (no hidden repair work), even the bed floor is original paint.  The original driver's rear fender was replaced with the blue one as the orange one had a spare tire cutout that wasn't desired.  I believe the blue fender has been painted long ago but is straight and rust-free like the rest of the truck.  The medium bronze cab and front clip came from a rust-free 1972 C20 that was my daily driver for awhile, so it has "Custom Camper / 20" emblems on the fenders, and the whole truck is 1972 vintage.  The body is in amazing condition - for example, the factory seam sealer around the roof drip rail is not dried or cracked like many you'll find.  The cab corners, rocker panels, and cab mounts show absolutely no rust and are all original parts - nothing has been cut out and replaced.  New rubber body mount bushings and hardware were used to mount the C20 cab onto the C10 frame.  The grill surround and plastic grill insert are perfect originals - no cracked plastic, and no dings in the surround!  The windshield is cracked, I had planned to replace if I painted the truck.  The doors and hood line up very nicely, and open/close easily (no need to slam anything).  The radiator support, hood latch, and inner wheelwells have been powdercoated and look very nice. Interior - Mostly original and in good condition.  I mounted a 1994 Chevrolet Silverado bench seat, it is much more comfortable than stock and fits the truck very nicely (proper width, no headrests sticking up in the rear window, and even uses 2 of the factory mounting holes).  The original parchment seatbelts are clean and in good condition, and I have the matching center seatbelt that is not currently installed.  The original glovebox is in nice shape.  All of the original gauges are hooked up to the Cadillac engine and are fully operational.  The turn signals cancel themselves properly, all of the heater controls work nicely, etc.  The heater box has been rebuilt with a new heater core and new gaskets, and the blower fan works on all speeds.  There is an aluminum plate covering the radio opening - this is where I mounted gauges for motor break-in, but once I was satisfied with everything I returned to the clean simple look I prefer.  A leather / aluminum steering wheel replaces the bus-sized original. Frame and Suspension - A factory 1972 shortbed C10 frame (NOT a cut-down long bed) was stripped down and painted, then used as a platform for a lot of goodies from Early Classic Enterprises (who specialize in 1960-72 Chevrolet and GMC trucks).  They provided 2.5" drop spindles, 1.5" drop front springs, and 4" drop rear springs for a total of 4" lower front and rear.  They also provided the supplementary parts to lower the truck correctly - shock mount relocator kits to keep the new KYB shocks at an effective angle, an adjustable rear panhard bar to keep the rear axle centered under the frame, low-profile front swaybar mounts to prevent them from hitting parking blocks, along with many miscellaneous parts such as rear coil spring mounting cups, grade 8 hardware, new bumpstops, and more.   Speaking of the front swaybar, many of these trucks don't have one at all and cornering can be a scary experience.  This truck not only has one, but it has been upgraded to a thicker 1-ton bar for enhanced handling and stability.  The rear trailing arms have been powdercoated and treated to new polyeurethane bushings. Brakes - Nearly everything is new, nearly everything is Raybestos brand, and nearly everything was purchased from Early Classic Enterprises.  Rotors, pads, wheel bearings, seals, calipers, rubber hoses, rear wheel cylinders, rear drums, rear springs and hardware, rear rubber hose, everything is new.  There is a B&M Launch Control line lock mounted to the brake booster bracket.  It is plumbed into the system and wired through the firewall, but there is no interior switch to control it as of yet (I hate "extra" switches cluttering up the interior, and I decided a line lock was less important than an uncluttered interior - it's waiting for the next owner to wire it. Simple job.) Wheels and Tires - American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels (15x7 up front and 15x8 rear) mount 255/60 and 285/70 tires with raised white letters.  Please note, the wheels are the Torq Thrust II, not the newer 2.1 made-in-China wheels!  Tires and wheels are pristine - no curb rash or other damage, and are mounted with a new set of McGuard lug nuts for a very clean look. Transmission and Driveline - Rebuilt TH400 automatic with "Switch-Pitch" torque converter - if you aren't familiar with these, do a little research - they're really cool.  Basically, you have the choice of a stock-type low-speed converter or a higher stall performance converter all in one unit!  This was a factory option in some 1966 and 1967 GM vehicles.  This one is wired to the brake light circuit - when you step on the brake pedal it automatically switches to the higher stall speed.  So, for example, say you're sitting at a stoplight.  The converter is in high-stall mode, which prevents the rumpety cam and lopey idle from trying to propel the truck forward.  The light changes, you lift off the brake and apply the throttle - you're leaving the light with the benefits of a higher stall speed, which gradually tightens up automatically to allow for cruising without the sloppy-feeling slip or added heat of a full-time performance converter.  Pretty slick, eh? The transmission also has an adjustable vacuum modulator installed, along with an ATI Performance locking dipstick and tube.  I will also include a B&M Governor Recalibration kit (various springs and weights to fine-tune the shift points).  Aluminum cooling lines are neatly routed to the radiator.  A Lokar column shift kit replaces the somewhat complicated factory setup, making the column-mounted shifter tight, responsive, and accurate.  The rear axle is a GM 12-bolt with 3.08 gears for easy highway cruising.  The huge torque of this engine allows for effortless acceleration even with the "highway gear" that would make most engines seem unresponsive (Cadillac engines like to "tug", not rev).  The one-piece driveshaft is custom built and uses the large 1350 u-joints for added strength. Cooling System - New 4-core radiator, new Napa heater core, new Napa water pump, new 17" stainless steel engine-driven fan, new Napa belts, new Napa thermostat (of the proper type to retain Cadillac's quick-warm feature), new Napa hoses all around.  Everything is very neatly routed - again, a lot of attention was paid to the details!  The engine runs cool and has no overheating issues even on the hottest summer days, and of course the heat works very well and will bake you out of the cab in the winter.  Our high altitude here in Colorado can really test automotive cooling systems and you can rest assured this one is up to the task. Ignition System - The ignition consists of a rebuilt (with performance in mind) HEI distributor and various MSD parts.  An MSD Extreme cap and rotor kit supplies the spark to MSD 8.5mm Super Conductor plug wires.  A Crane adjustable vacuum canister provides vacuum advance, and also various springs to tune the mechanical advance curve.  These will be included with the truck, along with a few different sets of factory GM centrifugal weights. Exhaust System - Starting with top-shelf (and expensive) Sanderson ceramic-coated street rod headers, the exhaust flows through SCE Pro copper collector gaskets (won't burn out) to 2.5" dual pipes.  The mufflers are Walker Dynomax Super Turbos (seems like everybody has Flowmasters these days, I wanted something different and not too loud), and the tailpipes are 3", exiting straight out the back.  A detail you might notice in the pictures - the exhaust was routed over the transmission crossmember and THROUGH the trailing arm crossmember, instead of underneath them.  This keeps the pipes up high, never below the frame, to allow for effortless cruising - there is no concern about driving over speed bumps or into gas stations, even with the lowered suspension.  There is plenty of ground clearance! Fuel System - Starting with a clean original GM tank, a 1/4" return line was added to a factory sending unit.  A 3/8" supply line and a 1/4" return line were created out of aluminum line, and are all one continuous piece from the trailing arm crossmember all the way to the front of the truck.  Short rubber hoses allow for engine and cab movement in relation to the frame, but were kept to a minimum.  All lines are neatly bent, routed, and properly supported with rubber-lined Adel clamps and stainless hardware.  The mechanical fuel pump is new from Napa.  The supply line from the pump to the carb is polished 3/8" aluminum line, again properly supported with Adel clamps and stainless hardware.  The carburetor is an Edelbrock 1910 Performer RPM Q-jet that flows 850cfm and has an electric choke.  These are wonderful carburetors and are quite desirable on large engines such as this one.  The small primaries make for good economy and excellent throttle response, while the huge secondaries let the engine gulp as much air as it wants.  They are set up for performance applications out-of-the-box.  This one has been slightly leaned for altitude, but the original parts will be included with the truck, along with the box, owner's manual, etc.  The air filter is a large K&N unit.  The throttle cable is factory 1972 Chevrolet truck, as is the throttle cable bracket and return spring - a very clean and simple setup. Electrical System - This area of the truck has consumed a huge amount of time and effort.  Everything has been done very neatly, with emphasis on "correct", "simple", and "reliable".  An Optima battery provides the juice when the rebuilt alternator (with cases painted to match other engine accessories and pulleys) isn't spinning.  Most of the wiring is TXL-rated from Painless Wiring.  The TCI Performance high-torque starter draws power from an oversized 2-gauge battery cable.  The Cibie H4 conversion headlights have relays to power them, drawing power from a circuit breaker instead of a fuse.  They are incredibly bright with a nice pattern.  All engine bay wiring is run through the factory bulkhead connector (including some auxiliary wires for future accessories), there are no extra holes in the firewall.  Things like the electric choke, HEI power and tach connections, and the alternator all use new proper factory-style connectors, not cheap crimp-on parts store specials or ratty junkyard parts spliced in.  All connectors, loom, heatshrink tubing, etc is high quality and very neatly done.  Again - very clean and nicely detailed. General - Everything mentioned in this auction is quite new.  I've driven the truck less than 3000 miles since it was built, and the truck is stored inside my heated shop most of the time.  I kept all of the part numbers for things like belts and hoses, so replacement parts are easy to obtain.  I have a ton of receipts, manuals, and various paperwork for the truck, as well as a clean Colorado title.  I will also include a factory 1970 Chevrolet chassis service manual and a couple of Cadillac books, along with the owner's manual. This truck is quite fast, yet has great road manners and is pleasant to drive.  The automatic transmission, power steering, and power disc brakes all combine to make the truck easy for anyone to drive.  It looks sharp, it sounds great, and runs down the road nicely. If you have any questions, please ask them prior to placing your bid. If you are local, or know someone who is, please consider coming to see the truck in person. Different things are important to different people, and while I have tried to describe all important aspects of the vehicle, it's impossible to cover every little detail. I reserve the right to end the auction early for any reason. If you're serious about purchasing, please get in touch with me. Terms of Sale Buyer will be responsible for either having the vehicle shipped, or picking it up in person. I expect a $500 deposit via Paypal within 24 hours of the end of auction. Payment in full is due within 5 days of the end of auction, no exceptions. I will accept cash, cashier's check, or wire transfer for balance of payment. If picking up the vehicle in person within the 5 days, I will require the balance due in cash at that time. The following pictures were taken on Sunday December 11th, 2011.  They accurately portray the truck you are bidding on.  Further down, I will include several smaller pictures taken during the build process, in hopes that you can get an idea of the time and effort that went into the truck. These smaller pictures show the truck in various stages of completion.  Please note, the green stepside bed shown in a few of the pictures was used for mockup purposes only.  It was replaced with the orange bed (which is in much nicer condition) and is not available or included.