How the 4-5-6 Chevy Truck illness began

[LILRED66]

Here are few photos of my first 4-5-6 Chevy Trucks. The first one is a black, '65 lwb fleet, that I bought from a retired farmer in Harrisionville, MO in 1981 for $500.00, cold hard cash. I think it was more than I had in my entire savings account at the time, so my father was gracious enough to lend me the $100.00 I was short.

I learned how to drive in that truck with it's three-on-the-three manual tranny and 250 cid straight six. I put the white spokes on it, as a gift from Santa Claus that year and rebuilt a sbc 400, I horse-traded from a local tobacco farmer for helping him put up his crop that year. I operated my small, local mowing business out of that truck. My John Deere 111 fit nicely between the wheel wells. I drove it through the high school years.

I sold the '65 to my neighbor in 1983, to make way for the '66 Chevy C10 lwb fleet. I bought it for $1,700.00, complete with a matching aluminum shell. It had a 292, big six and an SM420, granny-low four speed. I drove that truck through the college years and took an autobody course, to fix some minor rust spots. A semester later, I had it in aviation-grade zinc-chromate epoxy primer and GM Victory Red paint/clear. Shortly after the build, it was stolen in Merriam, KS on a Friday night. It was recovered by the PD, however it was torn to shambles, so I took the insurance settlement of $3,400.00.

Looking back, my 4-5-6 Chevy Truck illness started almost 27 years ago and unlike all other illnesses, I hope I never get over this one. If you have a rig you like, do everything in your power to keep it around, because once it is gone, it is hard to fill those shoes...kinda like an old dog!

Hopefully, you have a story to tell about how you contracted the 4-5-6 Chevy Truck disease and you chose to share it.

[Iron-Butt]

Thats a great story. I like the fact that you still drive one.

[Fred T]

I have no pictures, but...

I was 12. Dad had a 56 F-100 with the small six, and he did not like Fords. I assume he bought it at a good price. The old gal was starting to smoke, so we went to the Chevy dealer, where he struck a deal. We went home with a new 64 C-10. White and LWB. Nothing else, but the bare-bones pickup. 230 six and a 3-speed. We slowly added things. Custom made rear bumper from a welder dad had worked with. Camper shell. Radio. A/C for mom. And snow tires.

The next summer we hooked her to our teardrop trailer and headed for Yellowstone, via northern New Mexico (from Kansas). Going down the west side of Red River Pass, NM the road above us landed on the road ahead of us. Must have been 40 vehicles stranded and we were one of three vehicles with a shovel. Dad wouldn't let me help clear the slide, I think he figured I would trigger a slide to the road below us. But he did have me put on the tire chains. About the only time I remember dad taking precautions about getting stuck. But he would have never heard the end of it from mom.

The next day we went west over Wolf Creek Pass. Me and my sisters were riding in the topper, I was up front by the window, watching through the cab. They were building a new road and we had to stop at the foot of the grade for construction. Dad started up the hiil, and I didn't think he would ever get out of first gear. Finally he hit a short stretch where the grade lessened, got into second. The truck slowly accelerated with dad's right foot to the floor. We topped the grade at 55 mph, the little 230 was wound tight. Needless to say, I was hooked for life.

Sadly, I wrecked that truck in my first year of college. Ran a stop sign in the fog and plowed into a Caddy. Bent the frame, both sides, at a 45* angle at the crossmember.

And I just remembered, dad had named her Henryetta.

[62 short step]

Good storys guys! My dad had a 64 long stepside with a straight 6. I barely remember the truck. The only stories my dad told me about it was when he cranked it up in the morning it smoked like a freight train!! I have an old picture of it, I'll try to scan it and post.

[72BlckButy]

Great story! And... great looking first cruisers.

[greg64]

Great stories guys. I guess for me it started when I met my future wife's family (I didn't even know her at the time). Her uncle (my best friend's Dad) had a 62 farm truck that had gone over 1 million miles. It had been used as a tow truck in a former life and had the granny 4 speed hooked to 1 ton axles, behind the 6 cylinder. This was over a dozen years ago. Now, as a farm truck it was anything but pretty, with about 45 coats of blue Tremclad (we called her Old Blue). My wife's uncle has been dead for a number of years now, but I guess his old truck stuck with me.

[magooster]

12 years ago I was 17 and had a '72 3/4 ton Cheyenne. I worked with a guy who had a 66 Chevy with a factory 327 and posi. After getting a good look at his truck, I remember saying to myself "my next truck is gonna be a 60-66" So when my '72 was stolen and never recovered 3 years ago, I bought my '65 GMC with my insurance settlement.

[fercho71]

what can i said guy's for me the illness started exactly a year ago but it was trigger on a series of events that have happen over my life many years ago back in 91 i used to have a 1969 Chevy kingswood station wagon which i loved i was 19 at the moment and where on my 1st. year of marriage living in Tijuana Mexico long story short the engine broke down i was barely making it to support my family my brother in law offer me to buy mi car and fix it after things got better i was going to buy it back from him so i gave (not sell my) car to him, couple of weeks latter he sold my car broking that way my heart and illusions i always been in love of old cars and never got over it.
in 2001 i got sick and went to the hospital because of a heart disease the doctor back then gave me and estimate of 5 more good years to live this drop me on to a depression so big that i even attempt to take of my life on several times.
Every time that i saw my kid or my daughter make me feel more sad and depressed that its one of the reason that made me com back to live to the states.
And there one time on a news paper i found this old beat up Chevy truck that was on sale and made me encountered my love and passion that always have for old cars.
So i went to take a look and see that it have some potential that just like me all that it need it its a second chance in life and a little TLC so i bought the truck and this haves take of my mind the problems that i been having regarding my health its like founding a new love and connecting with it and also haves work for me as a therapy.
the last couple of times that the doctor haves seen me he comments that i look much better, its been 6 years since the dead sentence and i still around i think that this and my family its the reason that have made me stronger and probably will still be around for the time that good gives to me.
Plus it will be making a great 16 year gift present for my 7 year old kid ;-)
here are some pics .
Fer

[fercho71]

here its one when the body was taken care and another me, and a future 66 truck driver