1965 Chevrolet C10

Description

Automotive archaeology is one of our favorite parts of the hobby, and seeing original documentation on any vehicle is fun. For example, this one-family-owned 1965 Chevrolet C10 pickup shows just 33,873 original miles and has an interesting story to tell, complete with the original invoice that tells you a lot about its origins.

At a glance, it's your basic blue-collar pickup and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. According to the original invoice, it was purchased new by Mr. Pledger Kinsey of Cleveland, Georgia in late 1964, and includes a rather long list of options that obviously meant it was due to do more than just work on the farm. The big thing is the 283, but Mr. Kinsey specified more than $570 worth of additional options, a pretty hefty figure on a truck whose base price was only $1837. The light blue paint was the original choice, refinished nicely about six years ago and still looking great today. Obviously, with the low mileage, Mr. Kinsey didn't work the sucker too hard, and as a result the bodywork is in great condition with everything lining up quite well. Now how much of that is due to care and how much is in the restoration is hard to say, but the bottom line is that this truck sure doesn't look like it worked too hard over the years. And since other options include the bright trim, whitewall tires, chrome bumpers, and something called the Custom Comfort group, it's quite possible that this was a daily driver in addition to pulling job detail now and then. All that optional equipment is still in place, with the chrome bumpers shining better than new and the unusual side trim adding a distinctive look to the slab-sided pickup.

The interior appears to be quite stock and possibly even original, given the materials and condition of the seat itself. The tan upholstery still looks great with its striped seating surfaces trimmed in durable vinyl, and again it suggests that this truck probably had an easy life. The steering wheel is a neat-looking piece with integrated horn ring, all framing the cool instrument panel with the needles hiding behind a single piece of clear plastic on which the markings were printed. The rubber mat is simply too nice to be original, and Mr. Kinsey seemed to have his priorities in order, as he specified tinted glass, an oil pressure gauge, and two-speed windshield wipers, as well as an AM radio, which is still in place. Three-on-the-tree shifting can be a lot of fun, giving this old pickup a vintage feel that's right in line with its condition and attitude.

The engine is the original, numbers-matching 283 cubic inch V8 dressed in gray, which was the commercial vehicle color used in trucks. The big air cleaner up top is correct, and it wears reproduction decals on the valve covers to help re-create the period look. It starts easily and runs like a small-block Chevy should, with a crisp V8 burble from the single exhaust pipe. The undercarriage shows what years of clean living will get you, and it's still ready, willing, and able to work around the house thanks to optional auxiliary springs. Simple black painted wheels with dog dish hubcaps keep it honest, and it wears 225/75/15 whitewall radials, which try to replace the original look.

This is a fun old truck that's all the more appealing thanks to a nice bit of history behind it, and thanks to a nice freshening, it remains a great choice in vintage haulers. One-owner, low-mileage, documented