Is "Custom/20" standard fender badge?

[SoCal Dude]

I'm selling a 1970 C20 for a dear friend & they say it's a "Camper Special" but the fender badge says "Custom/20". Is a "Custom/20" a standard C20 or is it really a "custom" anything & possibly a "Camper Special"? Sorry to trouble ya'all but you're much more of a resource than me & the daughter of the late owner. Thank you!

[Keith Seymore]

"Custom" is a marketing term that means anything and everything - depending on the context - just like "Deluxe", "Grande" or "Special".

See the attached to read up on what it means in this case.
https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

[Keith Seymore]

I didn't see any camper/k20 info in the previous attachment so I'm going to leave the '71 version here, assuming they are the same or at least similar.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

[factorystock]

There were 3 trim levels in 1970: Standard, Custom, CST. You have the mid level "Custom", a package of appearance and comfort options. The "Custom" some extra chrome in the window moldings, color keyed floormat, extra insulation, full depth foam seat with color keyed fabric and vinyl trim, vinyl trim door panels and custom emblem on glove box door. If the truck was a camper special, the fender emblem would say "CustomCamper 20". The Custom Camper package was just a easy way to order heavy duty suspension, its possible this Custom 20 has some of these componets ordered separately. A photo of the SPID ( white and blue decal inside glove box door) and truck would be helpful to answer any more questions about this vehicle.

[jocko]

A 70 will have CustomCamper20 emblem on the fender like factorystock says. Custom/20 nameplate on the fender is first tipoff that it's someone that thinks he has a custom camper because the SPID says something like camper mirrors or camper wiring. That doesn't make it a CustomCamper - even thought it'd be a very camper-capable truck. Keep in mind that Custom Camper is ONLY the nameplate. Doesn't get you wiring or mirrors, but does require that you have some of the heavy duty suspension. You could have a CustomCamper20 trim nameplate (Z81) AND be a Custom (one of the lower trim levels), Custom Deluxe (71 and up), Cheyenne or CST (Cheyenne 71 and up, CST, 70 and down), or Cheyenne Super (71 and up) across the years (but, in 72, the Custom Camper script on the door replaced the fender nameplate and the actual trim level remained on the fender (i.e. Custom, Custom Deluxe, Cheyenne, CST, Cheyenne Super, etc)

So, in a nutshell, unless your friend replaced the fender CustomCamper20 nameplates with Custom/20 nameplates, it's not a CustomCamper20.

[special-K]

A Custom camper in '70 could be a C/20, custom/20, or CST/20, but the Custom camper badge would be seen rather than the trim level. At least in 69/70 the Custom or CST badge would still be on the glovebox. I had a '71 Cheyenne Custom Camper/20 and there was no emblem that stated Cheyenne, but the trim makes it obvious.

[Already Gone]

I believe this is the spid form the truck you are talking about. The truck has the Z62 which is the mid level trim package for 1970. The Z84 CST Package is the top trim package for that year. Although this truck is a C20 ( 3/4 ton) and can easily handle most Campers or pull a decent sized trailer it doesn't have Camper specific items like camper wiring, auxiliary battery etc. and these were stand alone items and would show on the spid if put on at the factory.

[SoCal Dude]

Thank you everyone for the insight! I knew the brain trust here would provide a thorough answer! I'll advise my friend of this information. She'ls already sold the Air Stream her late father used to pull with the C20 & now Old Faithful needs to find a new home. Such is life. Thank you all again!

[special-K]

Yep, mine had to go, too, and I feel nothing but regret. Just had too much to work on and it was ready for a well deserved restoration I didn't see happening any time soon. For that reason, it was still the best decision.

You could have every option required to handle a camper on any C/20. You could have more options suited for a camper than a Custom Camper. Custom Camper option is a nameplate. Camper wiring, mirrors, etc can be on a non- Custom Camper and a Custom Camper can come without. Mine didn't even have a sliding window. I put one in, removed the fixed window on the camper, built a frame to trim opening, and used a boot to seal air and rain out

[SoCal Dude]

We're driving it over the weekend to keep the battery charged & since the fan we kept moving the fan switch up/down and now the fan works! I guess so many years of those contact points not touching took some time to get them together again. Also, the camper shell has an interesting back panel: there's a short camper door but there's also some hinges where the entire rear panel can be removed. I assume it's if you wanted to put some very large items or maybe even a small loader could drop material in there. I'm impressed! Very innovative for 45 years ago!

[special-K]

Yeah, I always liked that style. You only saw the cap/canopy/toppers in the west with the door and back east only a hatch. Not that you couldn't order one and a few existed. The hinged back panel was a great added innovation. In the west at this time it many folks had a get out and away rig of some sort. So many get-way trucks, Jeeps, etc. No big deal to head out hundreds of miles away. Most stayed in commission for that use all these years. Many are great survivor finds. I can't tell you how many Cheyenne/Sierras (& Supers/Grandes) I have bought that had the woodgrain and black accent all sun-burnt on one side from sitting parked in same position most of the time. Probably the western side. That's how my '72 Sierra is and the two K/20s I had since joining this site

[SoCal Dude]

Wow, a refurbished and lightly modified 1970 C10 w/crate engine just went for $14K at the Mecum auction in Seattle!

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by factorystock

There were 3 trim levels in 1970: Standard, Custom, CST. You have the mid level "Custom", a package of appearance and comfort options. The "Custom" some extra chrome in the window moldings, color keyed floormat, extra insulation, full depth foam seat with color keyed fabric and vinyl trim, vinyl trim door panels and custom emblem on glove box door. If the truck was a camper special, the fender emblem would say "CustomCamper 20". The Custom Camper package was just a easy way to order heavy duty suspension, its possible this Custom 20 has some of these componets ordered separately. A photo of the SPID ( white and blue decal inside glove box door) and truck would be helpful to answer any more questions about this vehicle.

Humm, I thought it was the base trim but i could be wrong. My truck had the custom/20 emblem, spring seat, no chrome trim anywhere but the, seafoam med green with dark green plastic and colume.. Nothing fancy

[special-K]

In 69/70 a Custom was mid-level. In 71/72 a Custom became the base trim model and the new Custom Deluxe designation replaced the Custom as mid-level.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by special-K

In 69/70 a Custom was mid-level. In 71/72 a Custom became the base trim model and the new Custom Deluxe designation replaced the Custom as mid-level.

That makes sense ..

[factorystock]

Anyone on this site buy it? Another great example of a clean survivor, appears to have been bought originally for recreational use, which so many 3/4 tons were during this era, and obviously not the more punishing commercial or farm use. http://www.getusedcar.net/detail/us/...pecial-Pick-Up A 3/4 ton set up this way was a very familiar site in the 70's.