'71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

I have a history with this truck going clear back to December of 1986. A friend and I went to Arkansas looking for short bed trucks and parts. Driving down US 67 headed toward Little Rock, we saw a truck on the Chevy dealer's lot (Teague Chevrolet) in Walnut Ridge. We stopped and found this truck, a '71 Custom deluxe with 65,000 miles. My friend bought the truck, drove it home and started tinkering with it. He lost interest in it and put it away in his machine shed where it sat for 30 plus years. Ron died in 2011 and his son kept the truck but moved it to another building, where it sat until today.
I approached him several times but he never wanted to sell it. Last December, I talked to him again and we finally worked out a deal. Today we got it out of storage and I'll start the process of getting it back on the road.
Ron added a Highlander seat, tilt column, factory AC, some Cheyenne Super trim and cruise control. There are few things missing.......we've determined someone got in the Quonset hut and stole some parts that we know were on the truck.

A red letter day for me...at 74, I'm like a kid at Christmas. I have a new toy!

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Very cool rig.
Those factory floor mats last for years. I replaced the one in my '68 C/10 Stepside in 2005 with a repop from LMC. It was shot in under 5 years. Exposure to AZ Sun kills most of the rubber stuff. Shielding from radiation, and a ''refrigerated climate'' extend those parts.
Just curious what a thief would have stolen from a stored truck?

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Real nice project. Glad you were able to get it, good luck with it and I-hope you will get many years of enjoyment from it.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Lookin' good!

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

The missing parts are the rear bumper, AC control panel, parking lights, wiper arms, grille emblem and shift indicator on the tilt column. The truck was stored away from the farm home so it was possible for someone to enter the building and work behind closed doors. The truck was an unmolested original except for the items that were added so we are sure the missing items were there when it was stored. I guess it gives me more things to find....I do love the hunt for parts!

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Great looking truck and story.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

nice truck! You KNOW we want to see the SPID when you get a chance to post it! :)

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Nice that is going to clean up real nice!

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Nice score and congrats

Its a good start in making new memories besides the ones that are already there

Besides that , i think most of the item(s) that is missing can be obtained fairly easy unless you want nos . That can be a little challenging to source out

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

An unusual shopping list for a thief. None impossible to replace.
I guess you're lucky he didn't get back for more.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

How cool is this!?! Thanks for sharing. I hope you will post progress.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Happy for you!
Keep the pics and progress coming

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Very nice looking truck. Glad to hear the story and looking forward to you bringing it back.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

This is a great story that you are part of. Looks like it was a great Custom Deluxe to start with. I'd go back with the Custom Deluxe badges, if it was mine. Are you going to fix it up unrestored?

I had a '72 Blazer from New Mexico sitting on a farm I rented space on. Someone robbed the power steering box off of it and the gauge cluster. It ended up stashed on my parent's farm and someone stole the dang gas caps off the rare auxiliary tanks, ruining those. They took other dumb stuff like the headlight bezels and lenses. I hate thieves. The dumbasses stole those gas caps and I had a N.O.S. Blazer tank in the back, along with N.O.S. tie rod and passenger mirror. I guess I was a dumbass for having that stuff in there.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Nice truck, I'm glad you were able to get it.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Nice score!

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

I love the color of that truck. Great story.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Fantastic story and a very cool truck! Take a video of you first attempts(s) to start it.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Thanks for all of your comments. I intend to put it back as a Custom Deluxe, get the 307 running, all new brake components, restore fuel system, load it with OEM accessory items, upgrade a few items but nothing to detract from it's survivor aura. Paint and interior will remain as is. The under hood area needs a major cleaning. Should I consider powder coating inner fenders and core support? The under side has surface rust but I'm leaning toward leaving it alone other than a good steam cleaning. Any thoughts appreciated.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Good looking truck, I painted under mine rustolem hammers paint. Took my time did section at a time, holds up and looks good.

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

If you paint the inner fenders it will look messed with.
You could do something to the wheel side to preserve them while driving it?
Only original once.
The wheels are unique.
Cheers

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

Nice Truck and the history to go along with.

You will enjoy this truck.:metal:

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

nice truck and nice to see you keep stock. please show us the spid

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

The spid is gone. I can't find the original glove box door. The owner was going to make it into a Cheyenne Super so it has an original Super glove box door. I am putting it back as a Custom Deluxe so I need to find a really nice Hawaiian Blue plain glove box door.
I know pretty much what options the truck had from the factory. 307, turbo hydramatic trans, two tone paint, upper and lower chrome, Custom Deluxe trim, power steering, deluxe wheel covers, non gauge instrument panel and chrome front bumper. We added factory AC way back when!
It will have several other original options: power brakes, tilt wheel, AM FM radio, factory cruise control, chrome rear bumper and dual exhaust. I have all these items to add plus I want to convert to a volt meter and add an intermittent wiper module. I'm going to use a washer fluid reservoir from a mid 80s square body so it has an electric squirter pump ( I did this on a recent '64 pick up project}....a whole lot better than the original wiper driven pump system. Later, I plan to re-drill the rotors and axles so I can run '15x8 Corvette rally wheels or late '70s Covette aluminum wheels. For now, I have 15x8 truck rallys or some original 15X8 Cragar SS wheels.
The theme is a '70s-'80s look on an original paint SWB.

OK, should I consider lowering (3/4 drop) or leave stock height?

Re: '71 Truck, in storage for 35+ years.
 

I vote stock height.:metal:

Hope you can find a original paint glovebox.
If you chose to remake the SPID?

Jeff at www.outintheshop.com does a Great job.