Patience.....I finally got a '68 SWB stepside!

[Pick]

I just brought home a 1968 Chevy Stepside shortbed!!!!!

This one had been on the Atlanta CL for what seemed like forever and the price finally started inching down to where it looked like it was worth considering. (and I finally had cash I could spend for a project.....which helps, obviously)

Anyway, I was extremely skeptical of the story behind the truck, as told by the current owner, but had to go look anyway. In the pictures on CL it looked like it could be one of the mythical 50th Anniversary stepsides so I was obviously hoping for one of THOSE deals that never seems to come my way.....ever.

I convinced my wife that she needed to ride along on this quest for the mythical stepside and we headed out for the short drive to PTC and a date with destiny. (OK, that's probably overstated.......but I had been looking for another truck for years.)

When we got there, it still looked as if it could be an Anniversary truck.....until I opened the door and saw the interior....it's brown (fawn), not white. However, opening the door revealed solid rockers, solid (although dented) cab corners, a solid floor, mostly complete and intact rubber seals, and a generally sound look and feel. The options list inside the glovebox is as short as I've ever seen.....Saddle exterior, Fawn trim, Painted rear bumper........that's it.

The 6 started right up although it wouldn't idle........and it had serious blow-by issues. The transmission shifted stiff, but manageable.........when I figured out that you had to PULL (hard) to get it to come back for 1st and reverse. (2nd and 3rd are easy.)

And.........it has the original spare tire still hanging in the carrier under the bed!? Yeah, it's useless, but has a certain "neat factor".

My wife insited I make an offer.......(she's GREAT!).........then thought I had lost my mind when she realized I intended to drive it home! (I lost my mind long ago, this was just more proof!) Yes, I had to heel-toe it and work to keep it running to nurse it home....it's difficult to heel-toe, PUSH on the manual (old) brakes AND PULL the shifter to get it in 1st all at the same time....but I loved it!

As she was following me and the cloud of blue smoke home, she decided the truck's name is "Bella".........so Bella she is.

Better pictures will come later. (sorry)

For now, this is the CL image: