New guy with questions, imagine that :-)

[Thunderace1997]

Hey all, new to the board and thinking of getting a Chevy pickup. Not new with cars just new with the Chevy pickups so I have some questions. I used the search bar and was unable to find my anwsers...says that my key words are to common and wouldn't come up with anything.

I'm looking at a 72 C/20 long bed with 350 and three speed automatic. I'll get some pictures tonight when I go to work if its still light out. the cab has rust in the lower inner and outer rocker below the door, rusted all the way through. The floors appear to be solid. the cab corners are sollid. not sure about the fire wall. the door bottoms are rusted through. the front fenders and hood are good with no rust. the bed floor is rusted of course. the bed walls appear to be in good shape and the tailgate has rusted holes in it. It runs but I would tear it down and rebuild it. the wiring looks ghetto to....then again the truck is in the ghetto so that might explain it. The guy wants $800. Does any one think this is a decent price, I know its hard with out pics so I'll try to get some tonight. I was thinking of waiting a little while and if its still for sale offer him $500.

Whats the difference between the C/20 and C/10? Is the three speed auto that Chevy made in 72 the same as the turbo 350 3 speed my buddy had in his 84 monte SS? Is the C/20 worth getting to hot rod out? Did the 72's come with a 12 bolt and 10 bolt rear that year or are they all 12 bolt?

Thanks for any imput that could help me out.

Josh

[kyull67]

pictures would help but $500 is a good price for a decent project. The C20 is like a 3/4 ton compared to the 1/2 ton C10.

[Thunderace1997]

Yeah, I'll try to get pics tonight. It depends what time I get into work. So suspension and some body differences and thats about it between a c/10 and c/20?

[DMX84]

I don’t think the C20 will have coil springs, so it’s harder to lower it.

[ClassicRedneck05]

the 3spd in it if its auto then chancesa are is a TH 350 its what i have in my 72 C-10 LWB

[Longhorn Man]

tranny wil be a non lock up Th350, or a non lock up Th400... if original. The monte ss should have a 200 4R 4 speed overdrive in it.... as original.
The rear could be leaf or coil, coil is still more common on the chevys, even in 3/4 ton.
The rear, not a 10 or 12 bolt... 3/4 ton would have a GM corporate rear with an Eaton diff... looks like a ford 9 inch with the drop out section, but with a cover on the back side too. It may have a Dana in it, but the eaton is more common.

[Thunderace1997]

[QUOTE=Longhorn Man;1973615]tranny wil be a non lock up Th350, or a non lock up Th400... if original. The monte ss should have a 200 4R 4 speed overdrive in it.... as original.QUOTE]

His monte ss was original, i think it was 83 or 84 but I know it was the first year they came out. the first year it came out it was a 3 speed and after that they all went to 4 speed overdrives.

[Thunderace1997]

So is the eaton a good rear for hot rodding it out or should I switch it out. So the coil rear on a c/20 is hard to drop 4-6 inches? I have some pictures and will get them up when I get home tomorrow from work. I will also stop by there tonight and get the VIN and see if anyone can decode for me. I'll post that in a couple of hours.

[PanelDeland]

Hey Thunder,where are you in NC?I'm in Greensboro and there are a few other members nearby.If this one doesn't pan out for you let us know.There are always a few for sale on the board and many of the members have one for sale.

[Longhorn Man]

The eaton is a tough rear...also tough to get parts for. It may hold up for what you plan, it'll probably have 4.10 gears, which you'll like for launching.
I didn't know the first year monte SS had a TH350.. .thanks. It'll be pretty much the same tranny, it should be a short shaft with no lock up, verses the later ones with lock up and a longer shaft... but other than that and some small improvements, it's the same tranny.
You could drop the rear 4 to 6 inches easily... springs and blocks, but I'd go easy on blocks. Lotsa power and blocks are a bad combo.

[Thunderace1997]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

Hey Thunder,where are you in NC?I'm in Greensboro and there are a few other members nearby.If this one doesn't pan out for you let us know.There are always a few for sale on the board and many of the members have one for sale.

cool deal, thanks man. I have family in the greensboro area so it would be easy to check out. I really wanted a short bed but its really whatever is cheap.

[Thunderace1997]

Here are the numbers on it, can anyone help decode.

The VIN is CCE242B101681 The W/Base number is 127.
The model # is CE20934

The codes are as follows
-F59 Front Stabilizer
-G50 H D Rear Spring
-LS9 350
-M20 4 speed (he told me previous owner put in a hurst three speed shifter on a three speed tranny.
-Q20 16x6 Spare
-C29 R/V Mirror
-F60 H D Front Spring
-L08 Chart Emission ID
-P10 Wheel Carrier
-514 Light Red

[breeh]

I really feel for you guys out east. I wouldn't touch a truck with that much rust. The rust that you see, you can double that for what you cannot see. Then again, in Washington state we don't have as big of rust problems. If you are looking for a truck that you want to go the lowering route on, I would keep looking for a 1/2 ton truck (with less rust). Spend some time finding what you really want and can afford. You will be dollars ahead in the long run.

BTW, it looks like you have already decoded it.

[72 CustomCamper]

Originally Posted by Thunderace1997

Here are the numbers on it, can anyone help decode.

The VIN is CCE242B101681 The W/Base number is 127.
The model # is CE20934

The codes are as follows
-F59 Front Stabilizer
-G50 H D Rear Spring
-LS9 350
-M20 4 speed (he told me previous owner put in a hurst three speed shifter on a three speed tranny.
-Q20 16x6 Spare
-C29 R/V Mirror
-F60 H D Front Spring
-L08 Chart Emission ID
-P10 Wheel Carrier
-514 Light Red

Vin comes up as a 1972 3/4 ton chevy pickup with a v8 built in Baltimore Md.

[Thunderace1997]

Here are the pics. The frame appears to be straight with no rust and the bed isn't as rusty as I thought. Its solid under the rubber mat with one rust hole in the corner. The cab supports brackets are rusted on one of the sides, forget which side.

[68C15]

those creases in the bed sides scare me. but some of our board vendors do sell patch panels for that area. too bad they dont make complete sides for the LB

[breeh]

I would say that it would make a great work truck. If you want to turn it into a hotrod then I would say not so much.

[68GMC454]

id say if it runs and drives ok,,id pay 800 for it in a heart beat..would make a good daily driver or work truck...not sure about make a show truck out of it,,but i have brought worse home to for more money..it basicly depends on how much of the work you can do your self,,if you cant do the work,,how much can your wallet stand to spend on it..if your looking for a show truck tyoe truck to buy,,and cant do the work,,go out and spend more, and get a decent truck to start with..

[Robznob11]

well your looking at fixing or replaceing most of the body with exceptions of fenders withc are the cheapest. lol i think id finde a better canidit to make into a hot rod unless your gona get a fiber glass bed and all from us body source then it would be ok. it will be easy to lower with the coils not to mention this is a better riding and launching set up than leafs. nascar designed ther chassies off the chevy trailing arm suspension.. if you buy it you will likley have to replace bottom of door pillars bottom of vent cowls on both sides of cab, kick panels, inner outer rockers, and the floor supports you already noticed. also look for rus buy the rear view mirror becuas these cabs have been known to leak at the rear seam of the cab and ruin the head liner etc. inside...bed floor is no prob as is the tail gate youl want to get rid of that weight to go fast... good luck...

[WorkinLonghorn]

I've had a 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton ('69) and have weighed both on a scale. The 3/4 ton weighed around 800-1000 lbs more (depending on how many bean and cheese burritos I'd eaten that week). I would say that a 1/2 ton short bed would be the truck to hot-rod for that reason alone.-cougar

[Thunderace1997]

The guy lowered the price to $650 yesterday when I went to get the VIN. Can anyone tell from the VIN what rear is in the truck. Also the drivers door won't really open well because the hinges are rusted. I'm thinking I would just replace both doors with new shells or donors. I can do everything myself and if I can't...I learn or have friends that know how.

This is what I'm thinking, everyone else chime in afterwards and tell me what they think because like I said, I'm new to Chevy trucks.

If I decide to get it I'm gonna try to get him as close to $500 as I can. I'm gonna pull fenders, inner fenders, hood, radiator support, bed, and doors. then i'll pull motor and drop tranny. then pull the cab off. I figure the bed, cab, fenders and hood will go to a blaster and primered. I'll get it back and weld some new metal in the rust spots and fix the bed. rebuild motor, rebuild tranny. depending what the rear is like, do work to that. POR 15 the frame and drop the suspension and replace anything suspension wise.....I know I'm forgetting some stuff. But all of you get the idea.

[Thunderace1997]

Also, I think I misled everyone. I'm not gonna make a drag beast. Just want something that has some balls and can handle somewhat as far as braking and turning.

[68GMC454]

you could also look into just picking up a clean cab some where..i always firgured the more that was rusted out and fell off,,was less weight..my old chevelle shed a few hundred puonds all by herself..

[Longhorn Man]

CCE242B101681
C Chevy
C 2 wheel drive
E V-8
2 3/4 ton
4 cab and bed (not specific to any certian bed)
2 1972
B baltimore assembly plant
101681 1681th truck off that assemblyline for that model year.

You have a very early 72 truck there, probably a nov or dec of 71. There may be a sticker in the drivers door jamb, on the door it's self, that'll give the month.
if that sucker runs and drives, then it is WELL worth the money IMO. The prices of these things have gone through the roof thanks to the idiot with more money than brains all out at the Barret Jackson auction tent.
Some will tell you that a 3/4 ton is pointless if you drive like an animal... in some ways, they are better. They are built like a tank, and can go just as good as a 1/2 ton, and by the books, don't weigh a whole lot more. The CE flett side (model number CE20934) supposedly weighs in at about 4118... the 1/2 ton LWB (CE10934) is a claimed 3715. I've had a SWB 1/2 ton that came in at 4100 with hardly any gas.... with headers, alluminum wheels and intake, and lots of rust... so go figure.
If you can get that truck for 5 bills, you are WAY ahead.

[AKChevyman]

Every one hot rods 1/2 tons go against the grain like me and hot rod that 3/4