When Randy takes his 1965 C10 to shows, it’s a head-turner.
Randy’s father owned a ‘66, and he always wanted to purchase a similar truck and restore it. The ‘65 he purchased in Florida was taken to Indiana where his friend Steve started work on it.
“Randy brought it to me on a trailer and at that point, it had stripped it down and it was just the cab on the trailer, and when I first saw it I was a bit shocked, to be honest,” Steve said. “It was rough, he said it would be rough, and it was beyond rough.”
The truck made its show debut at the 2021 World of Wheels where it won three awards. Most recently at the C10 Nationals in Nashville, Randy won runner-up in the 1960-1966 category.
“That’s what makes it worth it,” Randy said. “I’m the kind of person, I’ll never sell it.” Randy intends to hand it down to his son, a Marine Corps veteran. “He’s got some sweat in it too.”
Randy recently took the car to the C10 Nationals in Nashville where it garnered a lot of attention and even an award: runner up in the 1960-1966 category.
“A lot of people are drawn to the color,” Steve said. “And so many people asking, ‘What color is that?’”
The color — Nassau Blue — actually belongs to the Corvette, but Randy and Steve added some extra metallic flakes to make the color pop.
The hardest step during the restoration was saving the cab. A lot of the other sheet metal they fitted and replaced. The cab was another story.
“We saved the roof, we saved the dash, we saved the A and B pillars,” Steve said. “But as far as the floor, the back corners and everything, it was all replaced. A lot of sheet metal and a lot of time went into that.”
The project took three years and was built on a budget. Many of the parts came from Classic Parts of America. Randy and Steve applauded the customer service they encountered while working on the project.
For anyone wanting to restore a truck from a rough condition to an award-winning vehicle, Randy suggests they intend on keeping the truck.
“The reward for me has been coming to these shows and seeing the people who come up to this vehicle and ask questions,” Randy said.
I have 2 cars, one a 1982 GMC K2500 4D and a 66’ caddy drop top. I’ve owned the truck since new and the car since 1992, a rescue. They are not in this league of painstaking restoration, and that’s fine. I use them as designed, and keep them stock in every way. I don’t keep them because I want to be part of this industry. The truck had a long working life on my properties, and as a response vehicle in the SSVFD. The car was bought for my deceased spouse of thirty years, and is kept as a memorial, although it is a lot of fun to drive on our country roads. This big money, exacting tolerance, extreme performance stuff lost me a while ago. As Arlo Guthrie once sang, “ I don’t want a pickle, I just wanna ride on my motorcycle, and I don’t wanna die, I just want to ride on my motorcy “ Me too, vanity is not my thing.
this is my typical build start point! Thanks to classicparts – it IS possible to finish starting from THIS!!! LOL!
I like it ,excellent job . i have one like it the yellow .Its to bad iI can not find some body in San Diego to have it done.
Complimenti per il lavoro svolto il mezzo ora e favoloso. Sto provando a recuperare un pickup Chevy 3600 del 1954 con buoni risultati anche se non pari ai tuoi comunque voglio mantenere il mezzo tutto originale e spero di ultimare il lavoro per la fine del 2022. Complimenti ancora un abbraccio Claudio.
I have a 48 Chev 3/4 ton that I bought at a wrecking yard. After previously looking at that vintage for almost 10 years I lucked into this find. It’s 90% original with the engine being the only non-original part. The truck originally came with a 216 ci but it now has a 235 ci. It was my bucket list retirement project and it looks great now.
Thanks for the encouragement- I am about 30% done with a ‘66 c10
My frame was so bad that I am putting everything on a 2000 chassis which I shortened but now have disk brakes and stronger suspension !
Your’s looks great !!
I’m not sure the place you’re getting your info, but great topic. I must spend some time studying much more or figuring out more. Thank you for great info I was in search of this information for my mission.