Anybody here the original owner? Post your truck's history here

[jeffspower]

I thought it would be interesting to see how many people bought their trucks new, or at least know the history from day one. My '72 K20 was purchased new by the Beatrice, Ne. fire dept. It was used until 1976 as a rural brush fire chaser, with a water tank in the back. My (ex) father-in-law bought it from them in 1976, with around 6,000 miles on it for about $6500. It spent life on the farm as the main trailer puller, hauling grain to the elevator & cattle to the Omaha stockyards. Even though he is a Ford guy, almost all of his stories of amazement on what a truck can do involve this truck. After the truck was driven into the ground, I bought it in 1996 with 74,000 miles. I did the Cad swap & rebuilt almost everything mechanically soon after I got it. It now has 84,000 on it and sits in my yard waiting on me to restore it. I'm pretty sure I want to drop it down some & put it on 33's or 35's. I fire it up & blast down the road with it once in a while. There isn't much mechanically wrong with it, I just decided it was time to keep it off the road before there isn't any body left to restore.

[FarmTruk]

FarmTruk was bought new by my grandpa, on 08.10.68. While technically not a one owner, it has never been sold, having passed to my father and me. So, it's a one family truck, and has lived here with us since new.

We've tried to keep as much documentation as possible over the years, but inevitabely, some has disappeared, such as the original Bill of Sale. However, we do have the original 1968 NC Farm Truck tag, the Warranty Card, Owner Protection Plan booklet (w/ Protect-o-Plate still attached inside), and Owners Manual, along with some of the maintenance parts it's recieved over the years. (She got a new battery in 1978...cost $ 15.00 + 0.60 tax )

She's older than I am. But I take care of her, as she's always taken care of us. I love my FarmTruk...

[CrashEd]

I have a 72 C20 that has been in our family sence new. I got it all tore apart making it a 4x4 right now.I have all the papers that come with it too. Was looking at old movies of it and im going to try and get them on the computer so i can share. Theres one with the camper on it and we were out west on a trip sure was a sharp truck then and hope it returns to its old glory soon but only with some extra parts.The poor truck just had to much farm work to do and the year took a toll on her.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

The original owner of the truck was a farmer that lived about 15 miles out of town, where he bought it new at Joe's Chevrolet. The truck was used on the farm there till '78 when my Grandpaw bought it. Grandpaw retired it in '96 and I got it in '03. This truck was actually a chassis-cab when new, with a 350/SM465 and an Eaton 4.10 rear. When it was bought by Grandpaw it had a pickup bed on it, a different cab, and front clip. At the time it also had a worn out 327/TH350. Still has the original rear-end!

The suburban was bought new, also at Joe's Chevrolet, by the owner of a construction business and used it on the job and to pull his boat trailer with. It was then sold to another construction business in 1989, which beat the crap out of it. It still has all the original body parts, never been wrecked. When it was bought new, I was told the original owner removed the stock front/rear bumpers and built huge diamondplate front/rear bumpers for it, i'm glad he did! It used to have a winch on the front, but when I got it, the winch was gone. I'll be the third registered owner once I get the paperwork done.

[TruckinDaddy]

My 68 was my Grandpa's farm truck. He bought it Sep 30 of 1968. I have the original owner's manual and a few other pieces of documentation, but not much.

In the late 60s to mid 70s there was a nasty drought in the area. Farming sucked. One of the papers I have is the ag-loan form that was originated Sept 30, 1968 for the three year note. Then it shows the extensions my grandpa had to add to the note. He did not get it paid off until June 1, 1976. Whe I saw that I realized why my grandpa never wanted any of us to take up farming.

When I got it, 13 years after he died, no one had driven it since then. It still had plates from 1992 inspection sticker from 1991 on it. The bed wood had totally rotted out when Grandpa was still alive. He had sheet steel welded in place. But the bed was too far gone to save.

For now I have a long fleet bed on it that I got from a board member for a couple of cases of Shiner Bock and I use it to make Home Depot runs and stuff like that. Someday it will be back to a long step.

It is a long ways from a show truck, but it drives OK and I am pretty proud of it.

[project1971]

Well not exactly orig owner, my father ordered it in Scottsdale Az. I have the papers he wrote on when he was calling around to find the best deal, the places he called and the prices he was quoted. He also told them NO NAME PLATES from the dealer. He said i will buy your truck but I will not advertise for you. They said ok and he ordered it, med olive white top, 350 3 on the tree, NO options, HD leaf spring rear with posi. Long bed. The general manager came by the house and picked up my father, my mother stayed home pregnant with me. Feb of '71. When they got there they walked to the truck he said thats a nice looking truck... buts its not mine. He said sure it is just like you ordered it. My father said nope! you have name badges on it, i told you no name badges. Back then they SCREWED metal badges on both front fenders. He turned and started to walk home. They chased him down and talked out a deal and he took the truck. They took off ALL the badges including the ones from the factory and welded the holes and repainted, also threw in a set of the what my father called "fancy" hub caps to replace the little dog dish ones that came on it. Well needless to say it spent it's entire live in Az and 29 Palms. He was back here in Ok. 4 years ago and said he was going to sell the truck. I spoke up and said " You can't sell that truck! I had plans for that truck when you were dead!" He looked at me kinda funny and few months later trailered it out to me! So now it's in my shop getting with the motor and trans out of it, getting a new TBI aluminum headed steel crank 350 with 700r4, with a/c and PS and PB. He made it hard on me to build it like i want since he ordered it with NOTHING! Oh well it will be what I want when it's done.

[Green Machine]

The 68 in my sig was bought by my dad in 1972, although not really one owner it has been in the same family for 35 years, it has had one repaint and fix about 14 years ago and a total restore about 2 years ago.

[centsless]

Mine was purchased new by a salesman at the Chevrolet dealer that my father works at. He sold it to another employee in the early 90's. I had tried several times ( every time I saw him!!! ) to buy it, and he would not sell it to me. He passed away suddenly about two years ago, and I bought it from his daughter. Everyone at the dealer told my Dad we were crazy for buying "that hunk of s#*t". When it was finished, Dad took it to work. We had to show them pictures of it in progress so they believed it was the same truck.

[chevyfarmer]

Jeffspower,
I really like your truck, and it sure does not look like it is that bad for rust!! My dad and I have several trucks and blazers, with my dad's previous boss owning his 67 long box that now has over 700k on it that he still drives. I just recently bought a 69 4x4 blazer body that was supposedly a border patrol veichle, that has 26 bullet holes in it that I have counted so far, but it is rust free!!! in michigan that is supa rare........

[woodridge]

My dad bought a 71 GMC short step 4X4 in 73 with 13k on the clock, drove the hound out of it in high school, he drove the wheels off it on the farm, my oldest son has it now, he is a little kinder but the damage was done. He is collecting parts now for the restore.

[jhow66]

Brother-in-law bought this one new-(picture was taken after complete makeover last year)

[jeffspower]

Originally Posted by chevyfarmer

Jeffspower,
I really like your truck, and it sure does not look like it is that bad for rust!!

Thanks! It has alot more rust than the pics show- RF fender, doors, rockers, cab corners, cab supports, starting into the driver's side floor... but all the metal is original yet so I won't be going thru the "2nd time troubles" of repairing repairs. I have a rust-free set of original '67 doors and a '72 RF fender, most of the repair panels and a darn near rust free box for it. My original box actually has less rust than the donor, but my left box side is messed up from my ex bro-in-law bumping it with the loader setting in bales or something. Plus a big square hole for an old obsolete kingpin style 5th wheel. The donor box is really straight with rust starting in the floor over one crossmember, which I figure should be fairly easy to fix.

[jeffspower]

I really enjoy reading everyones stories here & the pics- I hope we have a few that can chime in with a story of "wrote the check myself & drove it off the showroom floor".

That would be so cool

[WorkinLonghorn]

I bought mine from the estate of the original owner when he passed away. It had an old camper on it which apparently had been on there since around day one.There wasn't the slightest ding on any of the chrome trim.I was amazed at the state of preservation,except for the wooden bed which had rotted with the camper always on there.So I offered them $600,bought it and sold the camper to a neighbor for $300.Unfortunately my other '69 hit some black ice (in Burbank,Calif!!) and was wrecked and I had to put the old truck to work.

[mr402]

I have a long history with mine but I'm not the original owner. I'm owner #2. I bought my 71 in December 75. Gas was going up and this was (OK is) a 1/2 ton long bed with 402. They guy bought a car (Vega??) to get better gas mileage. I only paid $1,200 and she had about 40,000 miles on her. At the time I figured the money I saved buying the truck at a cheap price would buy a lot of gas. I'm glad I hung on to it over the years. It's on the 3rd redo but this one is taking a lot longer. I don't know it's first 4 years but I sure do know the following 22. I've had a lot of fun in her and plan to have a lot more.

[AKChevyman]

My 71 was purchased brand new from a dealer in Monroe WA by My great Grand father in 1971 as an RV it was given to my Grandmother in 1981 for a farm truck during that time I remember taking cows to market and even riding to the zoo two hours away in the back with lawn chairs I was about 10 or so The she gave it to me three years ago even though I drove it all through High school. I will more then likely pass it on to my daughter even though she wants a 68 Camaro (She is 5) or maybe the grand kids

[Yeller68]

Not original owner, but I have been around the truck since it was 1 year old. (And I was 5). My dad bought it in 69 from a gentleman who bought it new to do some camping with in retirement. Unfortunately for him, he had a heart attack, which he survived, but changed his retirement plans. My dad had been looking for a truck, and was about to buy a new one, when he found this 1 year old with about 1200 miles on it if I recall correctly. The truck had a camper shell on it, and I remember being 5 years old, and being able to stand up in the bed and not have my head touch the roof of the camper. I also remember that he paid around $2400 for the truck and about half of that was in rolled quarters, that had been saved from my Dad dumping his pockets at the end of the day. I can still remember seeing him lug boxes of quarters into the man's house. Dad drove it to work from 69 to 82 until he retired. In about 85 his eyesight got too bad for him to drive, so the truck got parked, and was rarely driven. In about 96, or so I decided I wanted to fix it up, and took it home. Sadly my dad passed away in 97 before I did anything to it. I got started good in about 2000, and when money, and time have allowed have been working on it. Almost a frame off, (did not pull the cab off), but finally the end is in sight. Trying to finish up the interior now. Sorry for rambling on, but believe me, I could have written more.

[TruckinDaddy]

Originally Posted by Yeller68

Not original owner, but I have been around the truck since it was 1 year old.

Yeller68, That is a gorgeous truck. Good job on it!

[WorkinLonghorn]

That really is a beaut. Well done.

[fourty1]

Everyone, Great pictures & stories...
Yeller68 - sweet ride & wonderful color to-tone combo,...

They sure can't seem to make em that sweet anymore. really tired of all the look-a-like- one color stuff...they are safe but these ole' ones are classic.
- 41 -

[Joesjunk]

I am the second owner of my 72 C/20. I bought it 10 years ago from the original owners. I had been watching this truck for years and it didn't look like it ever moved. I asked about it in 1995 and the old man told me all about it, it had just rolled over 50k miles. They ordered it new ( I have lots of paper work with it) to pull and air stream camper. After about two or three years they bought a motorhome and didn't use the truck any more for trips. I stopped by again in January of 1997 and the old man had passed away and the lady remembered me liking the truck and said she would sell it to me, but I HAD to take care of it. It still had just over 50k miles on it! Well, it is very well cared for. I take it by and talk to her every now and again. It has 64k miles on it now. Original paint too!!!

[Joesjunk]

Not a truck, but my Dad ordered this new!! I have owned it for 15 years. Very plain SS 396/325hp 4-speed.

[jeffspower]

Originally Posted by Yeller68

Sorry for rambling on, but believe me, I could have written more.

Ramble on!!! I started this post for the stories as well as the pics- keep 'em coming

[msgross]

1968 K-10 SWB Fleet, 327, 4spd, tach, hooks, 78K was a 1 owner. I bought it last summer off of the mans son (he passed away a few years ago). His dad used it as his mechanic "push" truck for local towing jobs. Built, bought and lived in NY until last summer. His dad also had a 65 Impala SS in the shop with 33K miles....

Currently in the teardown of a frame off. Will look original except for wheels and tires.... also adding tilt and front discs. Check out the build pics in my sig for more!

[RicksTrucks]

I am the second owner of the 69 SWB. Bought it from the original owner's widow back around 1986 while living in Little Rock.