Chevy C-10 Shortbed Stepside

Description for Chevrolet C-10 1978

I have for sale a 1978 one owner, unmolested, Chevy C-10 custom deluxe shortbed stepside. This C-10 comes with an upgraded 250 inline six with the “bulletproof” Muncie SM465 (M4) four speed manual transmission. The odometer currently reads 44,544. It is believed this truck has 144,544 original miles on it. The original owner ordered this beauty new in 1978 and took great care of her for the rest of his life. The attention and amount of care this gentleman showed this C-10 really shows throughout this entire truck. He owned his own mechanic’s shop and obviously knew how to maintain these trucks for the long haul. His occupation and attention to detail help explain why this C-10 is in such great shape structurally, mechanically and aesthetically.

This Custom Deluxe shortbed stepside comes with solid documentation to back up its originality and history. The original owner had the foresight to keep all the documentation he received when he bought it new in 78’. Therefore, I have the original factory build sheet, service parts identification card (listing all the options this particular C-10 came with), warranty information, owner’s manual (with business card and stickers from dealership in Washburn, IL where it was sent to from the factory) and a maintenance schedule.

Through the support of the excellent documentation accompanying this Custom Deluxe C10, the cab, engine and frame can all be verified as being original to the truck. This shortbed stepside has a vin number of CCD448S203430 on the factory build sheet and on the service parts ID. The title and vin plate located in the cab both state the same vin number which authenticates the cab. The factory build sheet states TAR as the engine ID for this particular C10. The engine id pad located behind the distributor states an ID of F0607TAR (As seen in photo). The F stands for Flint (its the plant that manufactured this engine). 0607 is the date code (June 07) and the last 3 letters TAR are the engine ID. Therefore the TAR engine ID located on the engine in the C-10 matches the engine ID on the factory build sheet verifying the engine as original to the truck. The frame has an ID number of 537-2 on the factory build sheet. The ID on the frame states 467537 (as seen in photo). As you can see the last 3 numbers of the frame ID on the frame of this C-10 match the factory build sheet again verifying the frame as original to this truck.

The transmission is the correct Muncie SM465 four speed manual transmission that came with this truck as an upgraded option. The partial vin on this transmission is on top of the housing and I was unable to get in there to verify it being original to this C10. I suspect that it is original to the truck because all other major components are in original condition and original to the truck. I think that if anything, the transmission would have been rebuilt rather than replaced.

All options located on the service parts ID can be verified as well. The only thing not original on the SPID is the seat this C10 currently has. It originally came with a green vinyl bench seat. I was told this seat had been replaced a couple times throughout this truck’s life.

The body on this truck is incredible for being 41 years old and never having any body work done to it whatsoever. This truck is incredibly straight. Looking down the sides and hood you are hard pressed to find any dings. There is a few and they are very minor. The only blemishes on the body are the areas where primer is showing and where rust has occurred. The rust on the driver’s side front fender, both cab corners, and some small spots on the front face of the hood would be the only spots in need of repair. It is all pretty minor rust repair. It would not take much body work at all to get this truck back into showroom condition!

The interior’s paint and body is in exceptional shape. Floorboards are in excellent condition with no rusting. Behind the seat is like new.The dash has some cracking going on that’s visible in the pictures. The padding on the driver’s side armrest is worn. The non original seat is in good shape and is pretty comfortable. The original floor mat is in impeccable shape and I am stunned at how it stayed so clean. Again, just goes to show you the care that was put into this truck.

I picked this car up in a small town that’s about a little over three hours away from me. When I got the truck, I had to jump start it. After jump starting it, it fired right up and down the road I went. I was honestly shocked with the ease this truck cruised down the highway. I was expecting a pretty long ride back, but, after about ten minutes of cruising down the highway I knew that wasn’t going to be the case. It was actually a pretty comfortable ride back. It cruised at 75 mph no problem and the steering was easy to handle and wasn’t all over the road like some other vehicles I’ve driven. It made the trip with ease and has fired right up ever since. This truck is mechanically sound and runs great. I will say turning from a dead stop can be a bit of a bear, but, that would honestly be the only drawback I’d say about the ride. But all of that gets negated from all the thumbs up you get!

I’ve had this C10 for a couple of months now. In that time, I have put a new battery in it, changed out the oil and transmission fluid, buffed and waxed the truck from top to bottom and have probably ran a tank or two worth of premium non ethanol gas through it. I have noticed a slight oil leak coming from the oil pan. It doesn’t appear to be anything to cause concern, but, I did want to mention it. Thanks and good luck to everyone.