Back in school she could turn all the boys heads…
Ah, the Project Car™. The physical embodiment of Man’s Search For Meaning, primarily in the form of the quest for eternal youth. Gonna get the car I lusted over as a kid, gonna fix it up, gonna ride in style, gonna be 19 again, all the girls gonna look, gonna be great!
Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.
This 1968 Chebby C/10 showed up down the street from my house the other night, I walked over this morning and gave it a once over. It’s a life lesson for us all. As a great American once said, “A man’s gotta know his limitations.”
Ran when parked
A couple of days ago the remaining criminals, er, uh, renters (the SWAT team removed most of them a few weeks ago) inhabiting this fine mid-century ranch house abode were forcibly evicted amidst much law enforcement puffery, wailing and gnashing of teeth, and roaring away of cars. As one of many parting consolation gifts for the hapless property owner, they left this carcass of a pickup.
Super tricked out with those Cordoba taillights!
Judging by the dust, spider webs, and dried grasses clinging to the undercarriage, this classic has been moldering in some plinkers yard awaiting a turn on the restoration checklist. Probably little progress in actually fixing it up happened much past the initial purchase date.
According to the VIN this beauty was made in 1968, had a V-8 as original, and was produced in Fremont, Calif which explains the total lack of rust. Yes indeed, we once had a thriving automobile manufacturing industry in the Golden State. Nowadays we crank out lots of stickers on stuff that declare said gizmo was, “Designed in California”, so that’s something.
Real wire wheels and knockoffs, when’s the last time you saw those?
Clearly this truck was once a looker. All the bits of ancient glory survive, fancy pants wheels and the big Goodrichs, chrome valve covers on the V-8, all black paint, hurst floor shifter, tonneau cover, custom steering wheel. Probably about 1985 this was a helluva desirable rig.
I was surprised this was still here.
That’s probably a 350 Chevy small block, the official engine of the Project Car™. Had a few of those back in the day. Lotsa show, not much go, in spite of that four barrel Rochester carb. Great for quickly disposing of excess gasoline though, if this lump ever managed more than 10 miles per gallon color me shocked.
What they call in the car biz, “90’s loaded”.
Future owner will need a close relationship with LMC truck parts, seeing as how a few interior bits are missing. It does come fully equipped though, you got a garden hose, soaker hose, blower, face shield and gas can with one of those newer CARB compliant spouts that don’t actually work. Notice the floorboards aren’t even rusted, I’m sure our rustbelt readers are having a sad.
The particulars.
Talked a wee bit with La Esposita about hooking a rope to this truck and dragging it home, people do it with stray dogs all the time eh, and our castle is only two doors down. Bet that I could get title. Hell it’s mostly done, got the wheels, the engine is there, I bet that it runs. I’ll source the doors at Pick-A-Part, and a bench, why I could probably have her looking pretty decent with some polish and wax, no stupid clear coat on the paint. And that 350 will rumble again! Roll down the window, my gal snuggled close on the seat, wayfarers on, heads turning, out on the open road…I could fix it up, right??
California Dreamin, free to good home. Just needs you to pony up and do a little elbow work.
Quick easy project really, couple o doors a headlight get it running a seat or two and your away at least thats what the previous owners would have thought or were they wrecking it for parts to keep another one alive.
You could not only fix it up right, you could fix it right up. But for that fee, (multiply your your mental estimate by 13 as per long established protocol), it is also possible surely to ensure a modest downpayment upon a…well, shall we say, SWAT-less Fresno environ?
“…modest downpayment upon a…well, shall we say, SWAT-less Fresno environ?”
Now what’s the fun in that? ; )
I’ve lived in this hood long enough to see it go full Gran Torino. The house in question used to be an absolute showplace, but the Francos are long gone and the absentee slum lord who rents it out exclusively courts Section 8. Makes for interesting viewing.
nuff sed
Love the gray stripe in his Do It hair, I think I could pull that off.
Well, I know just what you’re saying because I think like that sometimes.
And after another read there she stays…’cause I know just what you’re saying.
But at least you got to meet before the less contemplative element of the precinct has it junked. Be happy with that.
Some nice money there in parts alone, tow it home and sell those on Ebay, the rest will make a scrap hauler happy. Easy money.
A good polish and those wheels would sell on eBay in a hurry
Yup, having a sad alright.
The last people who left in a hurry on my street left behind a rusty Honda Del Sol with an engine transplant and a confused ECU. No thanks.
Good golly, look at that non rusty body. I would drag this home, incur some spectacular spousal anger, and drag it back, most likely 🙂
Best of luck with La Esposita on that one. We’re pulling for ya…
I think I see Chrysler Cordorba tail lights in the back.
By golly you’re right! A ’79 model perhaps?
Came to point this out myself.
Straight and major rust free, worth saving. Just need a cheap old wreck for parts, and a credit card dedicated to LMC. And lots of time and effort. I would run a vehicle theft inquiry first, though. Toughest part would be wife approval.
If one wanted to preserve the patina and the engine and trans proved to be in OK condition, wouldn’t take a lot of money for a rat rod if that’s your thing.
and (it) was produced in Fremont, Calif which explains the total lack of rust. Yes indeed, we once had a thriving automobile manufacturing industry in the Golden State. Nowadays we crank out lots of stickers on stuff that declare said gizmo was, “Designed in California”, so that’s something.
Hey; GM’s Fremont factory is now Tesla’s factory, and is humming. Not only are they built in California, but designed there too! 🙂
Indeed it is the old Fremont Assembly.
I admire Musk quite a lot, his derring-do, aggressive optimism and larger-than-plans to radically change the world and make everything better harken back to a different era. That he’s a South African who seems more American than a lot of Americans is an amusing irony.
His products never fail to impress, especially how he transformed the expectation of electric cars from limp, glorified golf carts hauling granola eating old hippies to the retirement home into butt kicking supercars that are exciting, scary fast, and S3XY.
I appreciate that Musk placed his car company here in the old Fremont factory. I hope that Tesla survives and can meet his long term goals.
However…
Fremont Assembly, and the later NUMMI, built some 400,000 cars a year for ordinary people. That was a thriving plant. (In that era we also had Ford and Chrysler plants here) Tesla’s survival as a car maker remains in doubt, and his cars are in no way targeted to ordinary people. Tesla fits modern California though, becoming a land of the haves and have nots. My own town, Madera, is clearly in the latter camp, and the only time I really see Teslas are on the delivery semis heading down HWY 99 for LA.
As you undoubtedly know, Tesla is now building the Model 3 there, which technically starts at $35k. Of course, the early versions are loaded up some, but then there’s some $10k of incentives available, so the net cost is still about $35k.
That’s below the median transaction cost of a new car now in the US now, which is currently $36K and change. And eventually, the base versions of the Model 3 will be available.
But I get your point. Teslas, even the Model 3, will not likely be bought by those on the lower ranks of the income ladder. That’s just how the market has evolved. But then that’s where the Big Three are quickly heading too. What cheap cars does FCA sell? A handful of Fiats. And Ford and GM are headed that way too; towards being mostly truck and SUV/CUV sellers. The world has changed, as it always does.
If the motor isn’t stuck it is probably about an hour away from running. Couple of cinder blocks to sit on and drive it home. “but honey, it runs and drives” That would be easy enough to put back together.
A Chebby pickup, the 350 with Moroso valve covers and a 4 bbl, the floor shift conversion and the once stylish wheels – this thing has SWAT team eviction written all over it.
But never before have I seen one with Cordoba taillights in the rear fenders. Yes, by all means buy it. Sure it will be a money pit that will strain your marriage and bring you misery. But don’t be such a selfish jerk and think of your adoring public who crave a good story!
The fitting of those Cordoba lights is an act of brilliance. Makes me want to fix up this truck myself….
Considering the previous users (could it be stolen?) I say Get It, but thoroughly scour it for drug paraphernalia first. You don’t want to be busted for someone else’s crystal baggies or the dried roach husks from the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers last party…
I’ll bet this would be hell to get title to. I like the wires and the Cordoba lights. Fixable yes, easier and cheaper to get a running example and add your own gingerbread.
Getting title to an “abandoned” vehicle in California is not particularly difficult or expensive. If it has not been registered for years, it might not be active in the system. Not much of a problem with that, either. A brake and light inspection, plus a trip to a certified truck scale may be required. Since it is pre-1975, there are no smog testing issues.
I can definitely save it, and probably for cheap! Yes, the only problem could be the title, as those upstanding citizens that were “forced” to abandon it probably never titled it in their own name in the first place. I am so digging this step side though!
As long as its not stolen or any liens on it, here in VA you can get a title for it for about $300. A near rust-free, shortbed, stepside 2 wheel drive ’68 Chevy is a truck worth saving and they go for some $$$.
Do it.
I don’t know how much it costs but in my native Kentucky it is usually easy to get a “salvage” title to nearly anything. This allows you to get plates, purchase insurance and drive (legally) on the street. Here in the great Midwest salt belt any non-rusted truck is worth something and sometimes worth quite a bit of something. In all honesty this truck really doesn’t need that much to at least get it back on the road.
Not even a question, but I have an inexplicable lust for short stepside Chevy’s.
There is enough there to work with, and these trucks are among the easiest ‘curbside classics’ to restore. Most any part is readily available new, though those Cordoba taillights might be a little tough.
If the foundation is solid and you can get it indoors, DO IT.
Easy and inexpensive to make nice.
Signed, former ’68 C-10 owner
Former ’71 C10 owner myself.
This style of GM trucks is one of my favorites.
Given the mid to high 5 figures that these C10 trucks were bringing at Barrett-Jackson last month, you should definitely pick this up.
There were some guys looking over the truck this afternoon when I got home from work. Not long later they came back with a trailer and hauled it off. Good news I think, looked like they might actually try to fix it up and not sell it to the crusher.
Madera; District 1 in NW Pasadena, it’s the same deal really……
-Nate