1964 Chevrolet C10 Truck True Barn Find Patina Original 283 4 Speed Grandmas on 2040-cars

1964 Chevrolet C10 Pickup Truck Model C1434 (VIN # 4C154H162015)

Specifications:

283 V8 2 Barrel 175 HP

Fleetside Bed

4 Speed Manual Transmission

12 Bolt Positraction Rear Axle

Options:

2 Tone Paint, Turquoise / White

Side Trim Package

Comfort Package

Factory AM Radio and antenna

Deluxe Door Arm Rests

Fresh Air Deluxe Heater / Defroster

Cab Insulation Package

Full Foam Comfort Weave Seat

Passenger Sun Visor

Passenger Side Exterior Door Lock

Chrome Cigarette Lighter

Locking Gas Cap

Locking Glove Box

Seat Belts

Seat Cover

Dual Saddle Gas Tanks

Heavy Duty Rear Bumper

Windshield Washer

Dual Side Mirrors

The “Barn Find” Story as told to me by the owner’s son:  His father bought this truck around 1969 from the original owner and family member of the same last name. The truck was always garaged and continued to be garaged by the new owner. From 1969 until 1983 the truck was driven by his father running around Southern Utah but never getting too far from home. In 1983 the son was driving his father to the hospital for heart related problems. During this trip in 1983 the truck turned 100,000 miles. His father died a short time later and his mother titled the truck in her name. The truck was used by his mother to transport plastic flowers to the cemetery to decorate graves and short trips to the store. This truck was driven 6630 miles from 1983 until the truck was parked in the garage for the final time in 1991.  There were 4 or 5 bags and boxes of plastic flowers in the bed of the truck as well as a bag on the front seat.  The truck has had a bed shell for all or most of its life. It is believed that the first owner had it installed by the dealer. A large piece of very old vintage carpet was cut and used as a bed liner. With the flower boxes removed, the carpet cover revealed the factory OEM “Hard White Pine” planking in excellent condition. The condition of the bed suggests that the shell and homemade carpet bed mat were installed by the first owner as I would be surprised if the wood planking had ever seen rain. The wood planking and steel straps still show some original turquoise exterior paint.  His mother is now 93 years old and is the person I purchased this excellent truck from.  I am an extended family member of the same last name and promise NO REGRETS!!!

The trucks final day in that garage: Was early on a Monday morning. The barn doors were opened and several pictures were taken (the 68 RS Camaro in the picture has also been in the garage for about 30 years and is not for sale, I tried!). A thick layer of dust covered the truck and all 4 tires were very low on air. Pictures were taken as we unloaded the flowers and exposed the seat from under the quilt that covered it. The interior was spotless! We filled the tires with air and pushed the truck into the sunlight for the first time in over 23 years. More pictures were taken and the hood was then raised to expose the 283 V8 under the hood. The paint still had a bit of luster even under what looked to be an inch of dust. A search of the garage revealed 2 brand new Kelly Brand rear tires  mounted on the wheels now on the truck (rears are missing the caps). The decals are still on the bottom of the tires as they have never seen the road. On the shelf next to the truck were several maintenance parts and items that came with the truck. They include a set of tire chains, sets of points, oil filters, spark plugs, a 1964 Chevrolet maintenance manual, fuel pump, and several other items that will come with the truck to the winning bidder. This jewel of a truck was pushed on to the car hauler, strapped in place, and prepped for the ride north.  Before the truck was unloaded I pulled into the car wash and sprayed the exterior with a high pressure rinse to remove the dust.

The preparation prior to fire up:  The motor oil was drained and the oil filter removed. The original cartridge oil filter housing was cleaned on the inside only and a new gasket and filter was installed. This old boy then received new oil and coolant.  The sparkplugs were removed, cleaned, and checked for proper gap. They were in great condition with no signs of rust or carbon buildup. Each cylinder was treated with a penetrating spray lubricant and left for 24 hours. The fan belt was checked for cracking and wear. The wires were checked for cracking and possible grounding issues and were found to be in proper working condition.  All fuel was drained and fuel lines checked for cracking. The 2 short fuel lines attached to the inline filter were replaced. The 2 barrel carburetor retains the OEM ID tag and looks as if it has never been apart. The fuel filter in the carburetor and the fuel filter housing gasket were replaced. With the sparkplugs still removed the engine was rolled over.  The crank and pistons moved freely and the engine oil pump sent fresh oil throughout the block and heads.

The Start: The old battery was removed and replaced.  With the air cleaner off, a small amount of fuel was poured into the carburetor and the moment of truth was now. The engine cranked strong, within a couple of seconds and for the first time in over 2 decades the 283 V8 fired! It idled amazingly smooth for 8-10 seconds before running out of that first sip of fuel. The main fuel tank was then filled with fresh gas, carb primed again, and engine started. I think a bit of bad gas was hiding in the line because for a few seconds the engine choked a bit and then…..smooth as silk! The engine idled for over five minutes and warmed to proper operating temp. Oil pressure, amp gauge, temp gauge, and fuel gauge were all spot on! I adjusted the idle up about an 1/8^th of a turn and there you have it! I start the truck every day and let it idle. This engine starts perfectly and quickly without touching the gas pedal.

The Exterior:  I was told that the truck has never been in an accident and the paint is original. I have not found anything that leads me to think otherwise except a couple of paint overspray areas that could be from the factory as I do not know what was masked or installed OEM prior to painting the exterior color. The “Normal Rust” areas behind front fenders and doors were repaired by the second owner in the late 70’s. The paint and body work is not all that impressive but slowed the rust from getting out of control. He also did a small amount of “Chip and Ding” touchup with this not exact color but close paint. The trim has some dings/dents and the front passenger side trim point is missing. There is no rust in the bed seams, upper cab, rockers, door jams, or other typical problem areas (see pictures). Lifting up the rear corner of the OEM floor mat revealed solid floors. There is a dime size hole below the left rear tail light. It appears the hole was from backing into a piece of small rebar or pipe of some kind. The now cleaned truck exterior as seen in the pictures was NOT washed with soap and water. I used CleanBoost Nano-Sheen waterless car wash and a terry towel after rinsing off the thick layer of dust. No wax or polish used as I wanted to leave the patina as found.

The Rest:  The front tires are in excellent condition and the back tires are new as talked about previous.  All of the gauges work as normal.  Dimmer switch, high beam, and dash lights work as normal. Windshield Wiper functions correctly. Dome light and cargo light in the shell both work as normal. Blinkers are consistent and work as normal. Cigarette lighter works quickly and probably never was used. Ashtray is clean. Clutch is tight and works perfectly. Brakes function as normal. Park Brake works correctly. AM Radio works as good as an AM Radio can and the radio light shines. Horn works as normal. Data Plate and VIN # Tag in place and not tampered with. The rear view mirror and driver’s side door mirror are in good condition but the passenger side mirror has some cracks. Has a trailer brake installed just left of the steering wheel. Appears to have dealer or OEM rear axle overload springs and camper tie downs are bolted to the bed. The right rear tie down is in the glove box. The dealer installed saddle fuel tanks appear to be in great shape with no visual cracks or dents. The gas tank selector valve works correctly as that is how I drained the old gas.  The glass is in great shape and appears to be original except for the windshield. The windshield has no cracks or pitting that I can see. The seat slides forward, back, and tilts as normal. The behind the seat fuel tank still has the original press board cover that is complete and in great shape. Gas tank is free of leaks or problems (no smells).  Steering wheel shows normal wear. The seat is probably perfect! The seat cover is thought to be dealer installed when new. I lifted the cover to reveal the Fawn Deluxe Cloth seat bottom. Looks Great! The dealer installed seat cover is clipped or hog ringed in place but by feeling every square inch of the seat makes me confident that it is perfect (see Pictures). No tears or degration of the Deluxe Foam or seat can be detected. The driver’s side has all of the same integrity as the passenger side of the seat and viewing from underneath and the back shows no signs of wear or problems (see Pictures).  The water pump and alternator look newer than the rest of the engine and were probably replaced in the late 70’s or early 80’s. Under the hood also shows a radiator overflow bottle and bracket that is not OEM. I drove the truck 3 miles and the brakes, steering, transmission, ride, and engine are in excellent working condition. No smoke could be detected from the exhaust! This may be the cleanest and most original unrestored C10 to hit ebay.  BID TO BUY! These clean vintage trucks do not come along very often and this one is loaded with options.