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This southern 1978 C10 has all the right ingredients for a great classic truck. As a square body Chevrolet short box, it represents one of the most desirable old pickup platforms. Throw in big block power along with working air conditioning and cruise control and you have something that is also enjoyable to drive too. And as the product of an older restoration it still maintains a great look throughout.
This Chevrolet was built at the Lakewood, GA plant and remained in the Atlanta area until undergoing an extensive restoration in the 1990’s, after which is spent time in Arizona. It has solid doors, cab corners, rockers, and wheelwells. A repaint in Scarlet Red along with a stepside wooden bed conversion resulted in a very sharp look. The truck also received new glass, seals, bumpers, lenses, moldings, and bed rails. It has dual fuel tanks from the factory and thus fuel fillers on both sides. The 15” wheels with spinner caps and beauty rings have new tires all around (235/70 front and 275/60 rear).
The original 350ci engine was replaced with a 454ci big block. This engine is a TSK suffix from 1977 which was rated at 245 hp and a healthy 365 foot-pounds of torque – a big increase from the original setup. Additionally, it was bored +0.030” and equipped with a Lunati camshaft. An oversized radiator was installed for proper cooling, while the dual exhaust with H-pipe has a great sound. The transmission is a TH400 automatic which feeds a 3.73 ratio rear end. Additional equipment includes power steering and power front disc brakes. A bevy of recent maintenance was performed to keep everything in good operating condition.
This particular C10 was factory equipped with the F44 “Big Ten” suspension package. Also known as the “Heavy Half”, this option is called out in both the VIN (fourth digit) and the glove box SPI label. This heavier duty suspension increased the C10’s GVWR from 4,500 pounds to a full 6,050 pounds as indicated on the door tag. Note that for the 1978 model year, trucks with a GVWR greater than 6,000 pounds were exempt from catalytic converters (except in California).
Looking inside reveals an attractive gray interior with a recovered bench seat. The headliner, door panels, and carpet were also replaced. Same with the door seals and window felts. The dash and instrument cluster are standard C10 with a simple, uncluttered appearance. This example is a very well optioned truck starting with the air conditioning which has been converted to R134a. It also has a tilt steering column and functioning cruise control. And to top it off, the sound system has a working 8-track tape player. There weren’t many pickups like this in 1978! Also in proper operating condition are the speedometer, gauges, headlights, turn signals, courtesy lights, dash lights, backup lights, and parking brake.
There is a lot to like about this pickup. The body is square, the block is big, and the box is short. That is a trifecta by itself, but on top of that it has a myriad of desirable options. The result is a well-priced classic truck that not only looks great but is also fun to drive and ready for the road today.
