Survivor 82k 1972 Cheyenne - need help identifying upholstery?

[Bing]

Hello all,

I'm new here, and just picked up this 1972 C10 Cheyenne Camper Special in Medium Olive & White. Original survivor truck, turned 82,000 miles on the way home.

350 4bbl V8, Turbo Hydramatic, factory A/C, power disc brakes, power steering, tinted glass, cargo lamp, AM radio, full wheelcovers, heavy duty springs/front sway bar, camper mirrors, full Cheyenne interior. Runs and drives fantastic - cruised comfortably at 65-70 on the highway for the 70 mile trip home in the rain - had to hold it back, cause it just wanted to cruise!





Has a rear step bumper and period trailer brake installed - anyone know if those could be factory or dealer installed? I have another regular rear bumper I'll likely install to give it a cleaner look. I'm assuming this would have had the woodgrain strip on the tailgate? If so, I'll try to source one of those.



Bed is in amazing shape - very few dings.



Needs new outer rocker panels on both sides, plus a cab corner on the driver's side. Probably will replace the RF fender as well and do a bit of preventative touch up where it needs it, but just what needs to be done, as I'd like to retain its excellent original paint job and 'survivor' status.





Door trim is delaminating - is this repairable, or will I have to source a replacement?



Interior is in surprisingly good shape - dash has no cracks, carpet is mint. I really need some help finding out the history on the seat - the upholstery appears OEM, and according to the former owner is original, but I can't find anywhere where this was an option - from what I've searched on here, the Cheyennes usually had vinyl seats, the Custom Deluxe Highlander had plaid, and Cheyenne Supers had houndstooth upholstery. The driver's side is fraying unfortunately - but I have no idea whether this is OEM, or whether to replace it with the usual vinyl upholstery. A few people have looked at it and all said it looks to be original, but all brochures, option codes, and pictures I can find don't show any such option. Either it's a rare anomaly or a very good reupholstery job. Steering wheel is very cracked & needs replacement, radio doesn't work, but everything else works great, down to the cigarette lighter!



Looking forward to your guys' input - I'm looking forward to getting this freshened up and looking great again. Need to replace the fan clutch, look at a grabby brake, fix a non-op gas gauge, replace a non-op radio, etc. then move on to a bit of bodywork and trim polishing, and it'll be good to go.

[VA72C10]

99.999% sure it's not original but a nice upholstery job done many years ago. Nice looking truck!

[too much stuff]

Nice looking truck. The seat doesn't look correct to me.
Welcome from next door to ya...

[Bing]

Thanks guys - here's a grainy phone pic of the option codes.



I appreciate any help returning this one back to original! If some of the stuff isn't factory (like the upholstery) I don't feel so bad replacing it then.

[Bing]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Nice looking truck. The seat doesn't look correct to me.
Welcome from next door to ya...

Sweet - we might have to meet up! This truck resided in Grand Rapids 2 owners before me.

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by Bing

Sweet - we might have to meet up! This truck resided in Grand Rapids 2 owners before me.

It looks familiar... pretty sure it was at the car show swap for sale here a few years back. (maybe 5-6 years ago)
Eric

[DeadheadNM]

Welcome! That's a great truck - very lucky find and a great color combo. You did well. The upholstery is re-done. A Cheyenne would have a vinyl seat with an embossed scroll pattern. The door mirrors aren't original either and tailgate is missing the woodgrain tailgate band that covers the stamped CHEVROLET. Not knocking the truck at all....just reviewing what all is OEM for you. It would be helpful to see the options decal on the inside of the glovebox door so we can decode some more details for you.

[VA72C10]

Step bumper was likely a dealer installed item. I've seen many similar.

[jocko]

that's a big help (the SPID) - and welcome!! Concur the seat upholstery is a re-do, your original would have been all vinyl with the scroll work (in green) - no houndstooth, that was for the Cheyenne Super only. The truck isn't a Custom Camper (or Camper Special, a Ford term! or later 73+ Chev term - although SOME SPIDs call out "Special Camper" - they still got the "Custom Camper" nameplate) - camper mirrors and camper wiring are just options, but RPO Z81 is what would make it a Custom Camper. Don't sweat it though, all that got you was a little "Custom Camper" nameplate above the door handle (in 72) - your truck could do "camper duties" as well as any other out there, especially with the mirrors and the wiring. You've got a great looking truck there - congrats! and, again, welcome!

EDIT: oops! Just noticed I said "Camper Special" nameplate... Ha, no such thing - meant to say "Custom Camper" nameplate. Thus the point of the whole nomenclature discussion. I'm going outside to practice walking and chewing gum now...

[Bing]

Originally Posted by jocko

that's a big help (the SPID) - and welcome!! Concur the seat upholstery is a re-do, your original would have been all vinyl with the scroll work (in green) - no houndstooth, that was for the Cheyenne Super only. The truck isn't a Custom Camper (or Camper Special, a Ford term! or later 73+ Chev term - although SOME SPIDs call out "Special Camper" - they still got the "Camper Special" nameplate) - camper mirrors and camper wiring are just options, but RPO Z81 is what would make it a Custom Camper. Don't sweat it though, all that got you was a little "Custom Camper" nameplate above the door handle (in 72) - your truck could do "camper duties" as well as any other out there, especially with the mirrors and the wiring. You've got a great looking truck there - congrats! and, again, welcome!

Very interesting! Thanks for the info. I'm already loving the wealth of information you guys bring to this forum! I'm a newbie to the Chevy truck world

[Mister-B]

Very nice truck.

But, yeah. The seat cover isn't original. Probably from the 90's. reminds me of a Steven Seagal coat or something lol. You can change that out very easily


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[LockDoc]

-
On the radio, check the fuse first and check for rust in the fuse holder. Also make sure that the power connector and antenna are plugged into the back of the radio correctly. If all of that is good I would have the radio tested, but I would suspect the speaker more than the radio. If the speaker is bad you can have it re-coned or purchase a new one.

LockDoc

[DeadheadNM]

SPID is useful....looks like it was repainted (originally upper cab was white remainder of exterior medium olive) and someone added the full wheel covers (yellow bowties on the caps indicate these came off a 73-plus truck otherwise correct). You guys in MN find some nice trucks!

[Bing]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
On the radio, check the fuse first and check for rust in the fuse holder. Also make sure that the power connector and antenna are plugged into the back of the radio correctly. If all of that is good I would have the radio tested, but I would suspect the speaker more than the radio. If the speaker is bad you can have it re-coned or purchase a new one.

LockDoc

Thanks! I will give that a shot!

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

SPID is useful....looks like it was repainted (originally upper cab was white remainder of exterior medium olive) and someone added the full wheel covers (yellow bowties on the caps indicate these came off a 73-plus truck otherwise correct). You guys in MN find some nice trucks!

I noticed that three of the wheel covers have the yellow bowties, and one has a blue one. Would these be the "chrome hub caps" listed on the SPID, or are those a dog dish style?

[Mint68]

What is on it now would be listed as full wheel covers on the spid, I believe the chrome ones would be the dog dish style.

[SS Tim]

Overall the truck looks pretty good.

The seat cover is a replacement and not even close to the olive green vinyl Cheyenne seat cover.

The mirrors were originally the larger fold out camper style and the present mirrors are the 71 down style.

The hub caps were the chromed version replaced here with the upgrade wheelcovers.

The paint scheme is correct. Code 465 is the Deluxe Two-Tone and is medium olive green (504) with a white (521) roof and between the bodyside moldings. Unfortunately you cannot always go by a SPID description due to the individual plant and year variations. But the paint code is correct as presented.

The tailgate is missing the woodgrain band.

It was not built with a rear bumper. In this case a chrome standard or a painted step bumper were the factory options. The existing bumper was likely dealer installed.

The camper wiring is an interesting option not normally seen on C10 trucks. However in light of the camper mirrors, springs and the wiring it may have been ordered to carry a small day camper.

Your truck is an early build out of Fremont,CA and I'm guessing the blue door sticker says 9/71 in top right corner.

Now being a Fremont truck it may very well still have a build sheet stuck in the seatback if it wasn't pulled out during the recover. If it is there I would like to see it, actually really any documentation you will share.

If you need expansion on any of the individual RPO coded options just ask.

Congrats on a nice Cheyenne 10!

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

The paint scheme is correct. Code 465 is the Deluxe Two-Tone and is medium olive green (504) with a white (521) roof and between the bodyside moldings. Unfortunately you cannot always go by a SPID description due to the individual plant and year variations. But the paint code is correct as presented.

Huh - that's good to know.

[jocko]

correct, PO3 are the hubcaps shown in the pic below (lower left hubcap for 1/2 ton, upper left hubcap for 3/4 ton, BOTH are considered "PO3")
Your truck would have had the lower left one from the factory with the PO3 option (THANKS to Classic Bowties great pic):

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by jocko

correct, PO3 are the hubcaps shown in the pic below (lower left hubcap for 1/2 ton, upper left hubcap for 3/4 ton, BOTH are considered "PO3")
Your truck would have had the lower left one from the factory with the PO3 option (THANKS to Classic Bowties great pic):

I also noted that the wheel covers have the wrong centers for a 72. The ones one the truck look to be 73 +. can you tell if the centers of the wheel covers are plastic or die cast metal?

Nice truck.

[Mint68]

SS Tim, I have heard only fremont trucks had the build sheets on the seat and gas tank, and I've also heard that is wrong and all trucks had them. The way I read you post kind of lent me towards only fremont trucks had them. Do you know which way it was? Just wondering for my own curiosity.

[SS Tim]

Freemont (Z) trucks seem to be the only intentional placement of SPIDS. Others have been found in 67-72s but I suspect these are only captures during the build. Can't recall what other plant SPIDs people have seen though.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Freemont (Z) trucks seem to be the only intentional placement of SPIDS. Others have been found in 67-72s but I suspect these are only captures during the build. Can't recall what other plant SPIDs people have seen though.

I wonder too, if we see more freemont SPIDS, because those trucks were more likely to end up in an arid climate somewhere in the West. Trucks from another plant may have gone to a more humid part of the country, which could be harder on a piece of paper and make it fall apart into pieces and disappear after a couple decades.
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[Bing]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Now being a Fremont truck it may very well still have a build sheet stuck in the seatback if it wasn't pulled out during the recover. If it is there I would like to see it, actually really any documentation you will share.

If you need expansion on any of the individual RPO coded options just ask.

Congrats on a nice Cheyenne 10!

Thanks! I will take a look later this week and find out if there's any additional documentation I can find. I'll also take a look at the wheel covers as well when I get a chance.

Originally Posted by da-burb

Very nice truck! Welcome to the board. Drop me an email if you need any parts for it.
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Will do!

Originally Posted by Mister-B

I wonder too, if we see more freemont SPIDS, because those trucks were more likely to end up in an arid climate somewhere in the West. Trucks from another plant may have gone to a more humid part of the country, which could be harder on a piece of paper and make it fall apart into pieces and disappear after a couple decades.
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The previous owner told me that the truck came from the Arizona area at some point - not sure how long it's been in the MN area, but he had it since 2007. So, that does make your theory make sense - trucks, let alone their documentation, don't usually make it this long in this condition up here.

[70cst]

Hey Bing ...

to the forums and from Ohio.

on a very truck

[da-burb]

Very nice truck! Welcome to the board. Drop me an email if you need any parts for it.
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