C10 as a Daily Driver: Thoughts Thus Far

[cebra]

I am driving my C10 as my lone vehicle. I have put 10,500 miles on it in the last 2 months. Here are some thoughts and experiences thus far:

1. No (real) insurance makes me nervous but it is the game that you have to play if you want to drive a classic (see my other thread for info)

2. I have set aside a few hours every Saturday to resolve issues that pop up...this weekend is rear brakes, HL switch, and trying to resolve a cab leak I have had for the last 2 months...last weekend was trans seal and regluing door rubber

3. I love the LS and the manual trans but I have 26 stoplights to get out of the city so it can be annoying at times but I really prefer manuals and it is another layer of anti-theft

4. Creature comforts, I am glad I added some such as intermittent wipers (my favorite upgrade), modern radio (Autosound or Retrosound or whatever it is), vintage air is amazing, FCF seat brackets, etc

5. Having a truck is nice, somehow this is my first truck and I use the bed at least weekly hauling lumber, a Christmas tree, parts, groceries etc

6. Lastly, the thumbs up and compliments I get daily are worth the insurance concern and having to work on the vehicle weekly. It may be a bit more time consuming/stressful to drive a classic daily but I think most modern vehicles are ugly and look like space ships. I also feel good knowing I build it and know all the components/parts/assemblies thoroughly to fix any issues.

[Steeveedee]

You have some maintenance that needs brought up to snuff, is all. Once you get the rear brakes done, you won't have to do them for many thousands of miles. I doubt you will ever need to glue the door rubber again. It will eventually just need oil changes and so forth once you get it like you want it. Then it'll just be driving fun!

[72 tigger]

^ l agree, once you get the bugs worked out, you won’t need to work on it as often

[yysenhimer]

Great write up

[Aus69c20]

I daily mine and it’s the best way to have a fully sorted truck. You tend to fix issues as they arise rather than live with them.
Nice truck by the way.

[cebra]

Thanks, I already have next weekend C10 tasks planned out, my steering gear started leaking badly today. I replaced the pitman seal a few months ago but not the input seal so I get to do that....the rag joint is suspect so I am going to replace that at the same time. I am sure the constant maintenance will slow a bit once I get all the bugs worked out.

[Aus69c20]

The maintenance does slow down. Now I have to invent reasons to work on my truck.

[Andy4639]

I daily drove my 71 C10 from 86 til late 90's. I drove it from Clemson SC to Charlotte Nc which is about3 hrs each way for years working outages for the company. I never worried about the insurance.I had normal insurance. Now it's a weekend driver!When I swapped the 305 & 700R4 for the LS 6.0 it had over 300,000 miles on it. I got 89,000 out of the 307 before the TPI swap.

[68Stepbed]

This makes me miss driving mine daily!

[57larry]

congrats, keep on trucking

[clay68c10]

I drove mine to both coasts when I was in the Navy, 91-97. Then daily after I got out and it was great.
As others have said, once you go thru the bugs you will have a normal maintenance schedule. That’s a nice place to be.

[demian5]

The wipers suck.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by demian5

The wipers suck.

Rain-X. I don't even use the wipers. Drives the wife nuts.

[lutronjim]

I bought my c10 in1970. Its been a daily driver except when my daughter had it in high school and a few months when I had a friend rejuvenate the body. The LS is the third engine and I enjoy driving it now more than ever.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by demian5

The wipers suck.

They are way better than a original 56 Bel Air system. I hate the things in mine. The wipers want move if I'm over 60MPH. The cables can't move they just wiggle back and forth. Yes I said cables.

[vics stuff]

I have mine at my second home. Use it as a daily driver. I have developed a rear axle issue and will be spending my first days rebuilding the differential and doing a complete front and rear brake job. Passengers side stock cast iron exhaust has a serious crack so I found a NOS one and will be replacing that. Then back on the road.
Is a fun and great truck for running around . Even though it is a non air truck in Reno Nevada. Figured out how to manipulate the vents and not that bad.
Vic

[randy500]

Im wondering why you need to drive 5000 miles per month.

[tim_mc]

I try to drive mine every day, but it's all local. The upgrades make it more fun to drive, mostly the power steering, but I'll probably like the A/C more in a few months. It's not our lone vehicle though. Your routine maintenance is likely cheaper & easier than a newer vehicle that needs repairs not covered by warranty, or a vehicle no longer covered by warranty, and many of us consider it a hobby. As long as it's enjoyable, keep on driving.

I think I need some Rain-X tomorrow...another reason to drive.

[wesmigletz]

I daily drove my 67 for years with its 283/ 4dpd. I drove it across country a couple times while in the Army, disconnected the battery for deployments and it always started right up when I returned. The key is staying on top of maintenance. After the Army it was my daily driver in L.A. and had no problem with my 2 hour evening commute. Drove it from CA to TX when my employer relocated me. I have everything I need to LS swap it, but can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not ready to change what it has always been...

[RichardJ]

>> Aus69c20, I daily mine and it’s the best way to have a fully sorted truck. You tend to fix issues as they arise rather than live with them. <<

Some of us, me, aren't that smart or just too lazy. I've needed new door rubber for years and never get around to it. Helping a friend with Mustang problems yesterday, we needed parts from NPD in Ventura. My house to the Valley to Ventura was 70 + miles. I always forget how noisy the wind noise can be until I drive that far at 70-75. Truck ran great without a whimper, but I did ask myself why I didn't drive my 2018 Ram.
My '67 isn't pretty, but it's always up for a drive.

[Ironangel]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Rain-X. I don't even use the wipers. Drives the wife nuts.

That's funny Steve! When I took wifey out for her first ride in Sally I layed down a world class burnout, and got a ticket! She aint been in the truck since! I bought Sally 10 years ago and Belle 6 years ago to tow Sally around...Belle's my most reliable vehicle and my daily driver. I've come to the conclusion that you never "really" get done with these trucks...The last brand new vehicle I bought was in 1986, I bought a fully loaded Blazer off the show room floor, paid it off and wrecked it nearly killing myself but that's another chapter...I had a little gas saver beater car, a Cavalier that died in the boondocks on 7 hwy between Clinton, Mo. and Kansas City. Oddly enough It rolled to a stop in front of a hillbilly roadside car lot. Long story short, I sold the Cavalier for $100 and paid $800 cash for a 91 Jeep Cherokee. That was 20 years ago and that Jeep is still tagged and I drive it still when the roads get bad. It has over 750K miles on the clock but she stays parked since I have retired...I just dropped the second motor in Belle I had bought 6 years ago when the JEGS GM Performance 260HP 350's were going for $1200 delivered...Great motor, runs like a top and is my most reliable vehicle. The Jeep is my newest vehicle and after selling my KZ-1000 to afford the motor, Sally's my most fun vehicle to drive, she has the solid lifter 427 BBC motor. My point is this...You can pay the taxes and tag fees, the crazy insurance costs, not to mention the payments, for a new vehicle and never have to work on them. Or pay the nickel and dimes and devoted attentions these older vehicles command...Me? I live for the compliments at the gas pump and the occasional truck shows and burnout contests... Here's Sally winning a first place burnout trophy at the 2017 All Truck Nationals... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jXx...B&index=2&t=0s

[garyd1961]

I only live about 12 miles from work but I don't drive my truck, I have an 05 Corolla for that. My truck is my fun to drive vehicle and it gives me another reason to look forward to the weekend.

[cebra]

Originally Posted by randy500

Im wondering why you need to drive 5000 miles per month.

Good question and I have wondered it myself honestly. I drive an average of 1,500 miles for work per month (a bit over 30 miles each way). The rest well, I just can't seem to not spend a lot of time driving. In the last 2 months I have driven from NC to PA, NC to WV (2x), and several 3 hour roadtrips in NC. I also have to drive 100 miles roundtrip to skydive which I do frequently. The odd thing is it was the holidays so I drove a lot to see family but over the life of my previous vehicle I averaged around 25K miles per year and lived closer to work. I do hit the road most weekends though so I guess it adds up.

[Truckenrc]

I daily drive my 1969 C10 with a 6.2 LS3 and 4L80E about 50 miles every day with mostly freeway driving. It's on a 3in lift spindle on the front and 4in lift leaf in the rear, and I'm running it on 33s. It cruises all day long at 75mph and averages 20 miles per gallon on the freeway. The truck is making decent power at about 420hp right now but will soon be boosted by a magnuson supercharger to give it a little more tire killing power. Overall its been super fun and reliable truck to drive, its never once left me stranded and takes lots of cars on the highway to Gapplebees every day.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by cebra

5. Having a truck is nice, somehow this is my first truck and I use the bed at least weekly hauling lumber, a Christmas tree, parts, groceries etc

6. Lastly, the thumbs up and compliments I get daily are worth the insurance concern and having to work on the vehicle weekly.

I've been driving pickups as my dailys for 40 years now.

Light hauling and trailering, plus hauling my butt around.

I don't know how people live without a pickup truck in their fleet.

K