1964 Chevrolet C10 – Neale W.

Canadian up here our on Vancouver Island. Yes, there are a few of us old guys (I tell my wife’s Millennial nieces – “Be careful what you say and do – there still are “dinosaurs” that walk amoung you – – – at least for a little while longer anyway.”) around here that like classic trucks – as opposed to ’70s muscle and there is a LOT of that around here. Grew up in Southern Alberta in the ’60s in farming and ranching country, so everywhere you looked and went there where Chevy C10s and 20s. Spent almost 40 years up in the Yukon Territory and Alaska as an old time forest ranger and a smokejumper, but I always knew that once I retired (having had enough of 50 below and shoveling snow for 8 months of the year!!) and got back to some place where there actually were “roads” and they weren’t “gravel” I’d work on checking off that big #1 on my bucket list of a first gen Chevy C10 – “The Heartbeat of America”.

She’s a short box stepside pretty much “bare bones” basic utility/farm truck but was in pretty good shape when I got her. The VIN # indicates that she came out of the Fremont, CA plant and made her way up to Vancouver Island in 2021. Thank goodness the guy I bought the truck from still had the “Canadian Customs Import Insurance Inspection Report” otherwise I’d have had to jump through a half dozen “Government” burning hoops of fire in order to get my Classic license plate. The original 230 cu in 140 horse “Turbo Thrift” still purrs infront of an upgraded T5 manual transmission (had to put in a Cable X conversion out of Arkansas to get the dash speedometer working again). There were power brakes and steering to make it safer and easier as a “driving” truck and not a “show” truck. If you’ve got it you might as well show it because, that’s what the truck was originally bought for. But it needed to be “brought back” to when it rolled off the Dealers lot. First off and I don’t know why, it had 16″ rims when original 15″ rims would still fit over the front disc brake calipers with 1947 to 1953 vintage hubcaps? Lucky for me my next door neighbor is a 40 year “master mechanic” and he’s done his fair share of work on classic vehicles – with a hoist in his Shop. But more importantly – “He knows guys!!!”. He spent two months trying to find original 15X7 5 hole Chevy rims – in Canada – – – – nothing. However, there is an old guy in Milo, Alberta – “Wheel Master Classics” – and he knew a place that would custom make my rims – – – in California! Original “Coker Classic” 7/8″ whitewall tires with the original tread pattern – – – made in Mexico!

Had to put an original steering wheel back in and the rear bumper – – – why the guy before me decided to take it off and put one of those rollpans on – – – why would you do this!!! Being 62 years old (with a beautiful patina on the original paint!!!) you can imagine that that there were other parts that needed to be “refreshed” and the odd little upgrade – like a sun visor on the passengers side (like I said, this was a “bare bones” truck) – for this LMC has been my go to place because up here in Canada – – – – – – well let’s just say that “there ain’t much”.

So! On a nice warm Sunday afternoon you will see “Freedom” – a good name for an classic truck don’t you think – down at the Cone Zone in our little Hillbilly comuntiy of Qualicum Bay (and I say that with a deep heartfelt respect because I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else) with me and my wife sitting on the tailgate with an icecream cone just like in a Trisha Yearwood Country Western song. “It don’t git no better than that!”.

Thank you Becky.