What do you guys like?

[jakeraap]

Just throwing this out there to get some opinions.
I recently bought a '66 C20 Long box that has the 327 and 4 speed tranny in it. I bought it with hopes of making it a prostreet truck but the more I think about it I hate wrecking an almost all original truck. I just need some opinions as to what you guys like? I don't want to cut the box down and butcher the poor thing so if I go prostreet I'll probably restore this and sell it and buy a later model shortbox. What would you guys prefer to have? An original truck or one restored with like a 350? What would you be willing to pay for it? Just trying to decide what to do with this thing!

[aerotruk63]

Define almost original truck!

[BUGMAN II]

I like lowered stock looking trucks

[jakeraap]

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

Define almost original truck!

Dash hasn't been cut up, no rolls pans or anything, stock motor/trans, the only things to my knowledge that have been replaced are small things that wear (shocks, did the igniter coil last week, plugs and wires later today if I have time, simple things) I haven't dug too far in to check the numbers on the engine and stuff but what the gentleman I bought it from told me was that I'm the fourth owner and nothing has ever been changed to his knowledge.
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[vin63]

I say go for it...it's not like these things are a numbers matching mid-year Corvette, GTO, etc. They were built for utilitarian purposes such as farms, worksites, etc.

[pdxhall]

It's pretty obvious you're not interested in these trucks. Just sell it as is to somebody that can build it the way they want and go get something you will be happy with.

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by jakeraap

Just throwing this out there to get some opinions.
I recently bought a '66 C20 Long box that has the 327 and 4 speed tranny in it. I bought it with hopes of making it a prostreet truck but the more I think about it I hate wrecking an almost all original truck. I just need some opinions as to what you guys like? I don't want to cut the box down and butcher the poor thing so if I go prostreet I'll probably restore this and sell it and buy a later model shortbox. What would you guys prefer to have? An original truck or one restored with like a 350? What would you be willing to pay for it? Just trying to decide what to do with this thing!

Let's see the truck. The worth of saving the originality aspect kinda depends upon what there is to save.

[BR3W CITY]

Pillage the natives...no one expects the spanish inquisition.

As much as I love these trucks, a "near original" truck is only going to be worth it if that truck is GORGEOUS and near original. An actual restoration on one of these is a zero-sum game, same as hot rodding.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

I think by and large you'll find older guys wanting you to keep it original and preserve the truck, but the younger crowd will say chop it up, lower it, put a $3000 stereo in it and turn your hat backwards.

IDK, it's your truck. Unless it's a GMC with the original V6 I say do what you want to it. There's still alot of chevys out there. A LOT. Not every one has been chopped up. As for value, decent paint and a running engine is really all you need to drop it like it's hot on Ebay.
Someone will love it either way.

[AcampoDave]

I'm for safety upgrades and also get why people do convenience upgrades like power steering and brakes and especially a/c, but personally I love the sound of gears whining in a stock tranny and the creaks that the manual window regulators make. I also got a thing for hubcaps and white walls too, and I'm just weird enough to enjoy the slight fragrance of gasoline in my cab after I fill 'er up for a road trip thru the hills. There is such a thing as going too far and ruining the nostalgia associated with driving a classic and if I cross that line, I might as well just drive my Tachoma.

[hopped up]

no pro street!!
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[jtrichard]

i am doing mine (63) to look original on the outside and in the cab but the running gear is going to 82 with a 6.2 diesel with (63) 4 speed and 14 bolt so i say keep the original look

[markeb01]

I’ve been a hot rodder since I was about 4 years old and used my mom’s butter knife to twist the axles off my slush cast cars so I could swap tires and axles. I'm an old guy now and have a real appreciation for unrestored mint condition originals, and fully restored originals.

But if I had bought a 60-66 Chevy truck brand new, the minute I had some money I would have added mag wheels, black tuck and roll upholstery, a floor shifter, tachometer, finned valve covers, a rough cam, etc. To me these trucks were as boring as a driver’s ed car when new, with about as much charisma as a refrigerator or a washing machine. They were basically domestic appliances and I would have started modifications as soon as the payments ran out and I had cash available!

Same holds true today. If I had money I’d “fix it up”. And I also agree with pdxhall. If you’re not passionate about this particular model, move on and get what you really love. Building anything old costs too much in time and money to invest in something less than what you really ache to own.

[jakeraap]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

It's pretty obvious you're not interested in these trucks. Just sell it as is to somebody that can build it the way they want and go get something you will be happy with.

Actually these trucks are very near and dear to me, I love the overall appearance of these trucks. Unfortunately being a high school kid I have to work with very limited budgets and time. I would love to hold on to this until I can do a full body off restoration but I just can not afford to do that. The biggest problem I'm having with it right now is that it's my daily driver until my other pickup gets back from the transmission shop and driving 20+ miles to school at 55 stinks. I love this pickup, that's why I bought it. It needs work and that's most of the fun for me but I realize eventually I probably will sell it and just wanted to try and see what most people would appreciate so I don't make a truck personalized for myself.
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[19666Trucker]

Pro street a c20 that a lot weight you going to need to shave on the truck running gear is great for hauling old school front engine rail
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[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by 19666Trucker

Pro street a c20 that a lot weight you going to need to shave on the truck running gear is great for hauling old school front engine rail
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Hey, 66Trucker. I too am old. Yet I still enjoy power--esp. torque. Plus I enjoy modern conveniences, like newer safety upgrades on these older pickups. For several years, I enjoyed my present old '66 with its 307 engine with 3 on tree--just changed it to power steering and split the brake system to dual-line--for crippled arms and safety, respectively. Man, I enjoyed driving like a 70-year-old man, putting around town, and putting along back roads at 45-50 to get to towns 15 and 20 miles away. Also enjoyed driving to same towns via I-states at 50-55 mph, hanging my arm across the rolled-down window, letting the breeze blow across my body to keep comfortable.

But! With the 3.73 gear, 4bbl intake, and a properly-built quadrajet, I could drive a bit faster and take off a tad more quickly when I felt the urge. Doing that once or twice, and I was ready to act my age again for quite some time! I also enjoyed the looks and comments from people, some who were "car people" and others who only recognized it was "an old truck of some kind".

Said that to say this: first, make it safe. Then make it dependable. Then make it comfortable--TO YOU! [[Forget an $8k cosmetic upgrade--the nicer you make it, the closer you gotta coddle it to avoid door nicks, rock chips, etc. Just keep it really clean and it'll ride so much better! And, what should any onlookers expect about looks? Heck, it's nearly 50 years old!!!]] Then, if you just gotta have it, make it a tad hotter--stick with just exhaust & carburetion--where you can up that travel of 20 miles to 55-60 mph, just fast enough to not line up too much traffic; but, if that speed does line up traffic, there should be a right lane just for you, where the passing motorists can have time to enjoy seeing your time machine as they go flying past, all stressed out. And they do this while you ease along, enjoying the journey, and placing in your memory all these "good old times". You'll never forget these trips as you age a bit. And you'll enjoy telling the grands about it, as they come up with the most unbelievable questions about how you managed it.

I honestly believe this post contains a real formula for great enjoyment at a small cost. And should you win the lottery/steal from savings where u got the $$$ to do a $ZZ-K resto, be sure to build a $50-K garage to hide it in, as you'll never be able to drive it with as much enjoyment as u got from the older times!

All that above subject to JMHO. PLUS, "Been there; done that." Except for the $50-K garage--luckily I'm paying $XXX/mo for a parking space in a good buddy's garage. No longer have that easy-driving, maximum enjoyment, nice-but-old pickup to putt around in! Now, it's mostly pretty to look at.
Sam