Good Find w/ pics!!! 72 Custom 20 36K original I think!!!

[tkeduk8r]

Well it is definetly funny how when your not looking, a guy stumbles into things... I was at a garage tour last weekend with a car club i am thinking about joining and one of the members heard i was into these trucks... mentions a 72 he has in his yard with 39K original miles on it and wonders if i am int he market for one... "not really" but ill take a peek at it anyway... so i drove out there last sunday since i was in the area anyway and stop in... story goes guy and his wife buy the truck and camper brand new in spring of 72 and use it for summer camping with their son the next two years. in summer of 74 his wife was diagnosed w/cancer and didnt camp with the truck while she was ill... she dies in 76 and he loses interest and parks the truck behind their place... guys son takes an interest in the truck when he gets older and was going to get the truck when he had room for it... son buys house in 92, but before he manges to pick up the pickup he is killed in a car accident... truck sits behind guys house for next 5 years until the city passes an ordinace on seldom used vehicles in yards and guy then drives truck over to his freinds place up here where it currently sits in late '97.... a brush fire in 2002 almost burns the truck up (thats the black soot in the pics) and was last started in 2003. It may be the cleanest rust free original truck I have ever seen up here in MN... I believe the miles, but it does have the "grandpa" package installed byt he origianl owner with the various fog lights, bug deflector, aftermarket cruise control, homemade bat tray, roll up seatbelts etc., but still wears the original laquer paint, hubcaps and bias plys. The slots were purchased two weeks before his wifes cancer was diagnosed and never installed (note the nubbies still there), and the original tailgate was removed when the camper was installed and he still has it in his gargage... Im in the process of saving up money to buy this thing sometime in spring, easier to go through it when it is warmer (-9 here in Alex as I type), but I wanted to share the pics with you folks... oh and by the way im done with my classes at the U of M (funding got cut and 900+ for doc credits is a little pricy) so im back in Alex and i should have more time to participate in board stuff again!!! Enjoy the pics....

[tkeduk8r]

heres more

[tkeduk8r]

three more...

[Paul72]

Very nice!!!

Even more incredible that you found it in MN!!

Good luck in the process of buying it, and keep us posted on the progress.

Paul

[airdale94]

Wow! Good find. Are you going to keep her?

[Brad]

Dude, get that NOW before someone else does!

[Ram-Man]

Sure looks good for MN. I wonder if it comes with any ghosts? Sounds like it has a streak of bad luck with it. Anyway you have a heat wave there its -18 here in Lake Shore, MN.

[tkeduk8r]

Some of you may disagree, but Im planning on using her once I get it streetable again... The camper is gonna go (I think) the inside is pretty clean, but there was a slight water leak around a ceiling air vent and would require some repair, and I think with 30 years of neglect a person would have to go through it to get it up to reliable use I would think... But I dont think a 3/4 ton basic optioned truck would be worth ALOT of $$$ ever, but could make for a neat summer driver/puller, and just detail it out and keep it clean... Im not planning on modifying a whole lot if at all, but i do have a set of 16.5x9.5 steelies i picked up last summer and with a good powdercoat and a new set of bf goodies should look OK... It will need all the standard tuneup (belts, hoses, exhaust, brakes, etc.) stuff and the "grandpa" package would have to go!!!
--Mike

[cdowns]

i dont think those valve covers are original seems like lots of the hoses have been changed seems strange for a lomileage vehicle so's the grime factor of the engine// but does look like a real solid truck

[71MUTT]

I used to live in MN. My truck is from MN. That truck would not be in that kind of shape if it was high mileage from MN. It would have been eaten and destroyed by the salt used in the winter. For MN thats as good as it's going to get. Nice find. Good luck with it.

[71swb4x4]

Nice find Mike!

[Ram-Man]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i dont think those valve covers are original seems like lots of the hoses have been changed seems strange for a lomileage vehicle so's the grime factor of the engine// but does look like a real solid truck

Did original valve covers have that sticker on them? Whats up with the Y in the heater hose??
That grille and bumper sure look like they are in nice shape.

[1969k10stepside]

Looks like its odometer rolled over atleast once.

[s95930]

Love it!

[tkeduk8r]

thanks for the compliments... sticker on valve cover reads Date of Manufacture something something 1972... the y in heater hose is for the engine block heater, part of the grandpa package that will be replaced with the correct one...
--Mike

[FarmTruk]

Great find...I'm with you on believing the mileage. Looks like a low mile truck that's done a LOT of sitting around for the past 35 years.

Any unusual wear on the pedals ? That's always a good tell-tale sign.

[Green Machine]

Drool-------Mike you better snag that up, cause if I figure out where it is at......., well, I'll go look at it, LOL. VERY nice, that one should shine up real good.

[cheyenne10]

Looks like original miles to me. Might check pedel pads, steering wheel grain, paint under ignition key and armrests to try to verify if worried. I agree probably not worth a boat load of money but may clean up pretty reasonable. I like the slots. Original rims as the old split versions. Last I checked 16.5 tires not available in large variety.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

that thing is beautiful, keep us updated on it and i agree with miles also, its just done alot of sitting


1969k10stepside - what makes you think it rolled over?

[krue]

Looks good to me.

[Bishops Trucks]

Looks nice! Good luck with it.

[special-K]

Looks like another Camper Survivor.It doesn`t matter what part of the country,they can be found.If it was a "dedicated camper" it would not have seen winter use.Most people only camp when the weather`s good.A trip to Florida in the winter would be the most winter driving a northern camper would see.

[meathead95]

what about the chalk marks on the firewall, there are none. a repaint maybe?

[1969k10stepside]

Originally Posted by GREASEMONKEY72

that thing is beautiful, keep us updated on it and i agree with miles also, its just done alot of sitting


1969k10stepside - what makes you think it rolled over?

I heard that the way the numbers are on the odometer that its rolled over.If the numbers are lined up it hasnt rolled over.My 69 chevy had the numbers lined up and it truely did have under 100k miles.I agree the truck looks original but I dont know about the odometer.Check the pedals,ect,hell I would even check the shifter knob for wear.

[tkeduk8r]

Good Morning... A few questions about the pedals and the shifter...i didnt get any pics but the pedals are little dirty (but then what isnt) but look just like new.. no wear hardly at all... the rubber mat (no carpet) deosnt even appear to have much scuffing... shifter handle still has paint on the knob and doesnt look to worn... I have a few knobs off other trucks including my 70 and they are so worn the numbers barely show!!!.. I will prolly take the knob off and put on one of my others for driving... Since the dash is cracked (bummer) and the door panels are sun bleached,and the seat is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo mint... I have enough parts to make another black interior to put in it for driver use... dont know for sure about that though as of yet, but its an idea...the odometer, i dont know guys... is there any proof to that one???? I dont know if i can make that call... But thanks again for the compliments, spring wont come any too soon this year, but as i said I still have to work out the finalities of the deal... its 15 below now!!! but i get to do bills today b4 super bowl... ugh...
--Mike