Getting its namesake from Henry Ford where the customer would literally use the Model T with a bed added to "pick up" various things to haul to another location. The name stuck. Here we have a beautifully restored bowtie version '71 C-10 pickup with performance upgrades aplenty, smooth panels, no rust, a snappy interior, and just an overall good looker. A custom oak bed in contrast with the Toyota Honey Gold paint, and I have a warm and fuzzy feeling about this C-10, and I should, it took over 10 years to complete the task buying only the best and patiently waiting to be able to afford it, it was done in earnest.
Exterior
With its laser straight rust free steel panels in abundance, all awash in Honey Gold which was professionally applied, it's a stunner. All is highlighted by some black tastefully applied pin striping and flourishes and near perfection chrome. Upfront a black painted egg crate grille is bordered all around by a shiny wide trimming. Within this framing are the single headlights on either edge and a centrally located bowtie. Side marker lights are now encircled with black bezels, and badging has been shaved from the sides. The steel is beautifully crafted to form all panels with some bump outs, pleats and rounded over surfaces which are all presenting excellent, right down to the bed sides in and out. The bed is a wonderful warm stained oak planking with shiny chromed separators between each board to hold it to the deck. The tailgate is also devoid of any badging or logos, and just has the flourishes in black pin striping around the inset chromed gate handle. The rear bumper remains, and like the front... just perfect. 5 spoke American Racing Torque Thrust 15-inch wheels are upfront, and on back are increased size 17-inch Torque Thrusts, all wrapped in hardy used black walls.
Interior
A swing of the doors and what to my wondering eyes should appear but black embossed Sheridan Styled vinyl with horizontal tuck and roll inserts. A horizontal wood grained appliqué bar framed in chrome frames the top of the black vinyl, and exterior matching honey gold is on the sills and lowers of the doors. Inside is nothing short of spectacular with tuck and roll vinyl inserts looking like a square pattern tweed in lighter and darker mixed gray. Some charcoal dark gray smooth bolsters are on the edges. Upfront is the stock looking same shaped dash but now totally cleaned and detailed sporting the circular gauges and knobs with this black textured panel. 2 aftermarket circular oil pressure and water temp gauges are mounted to the steering column. Full metal jacket gold paint covers the dash front, and on top is a showroom shiny padded black dash top. The center dash panel houses the AM radio and a temp slider panel just below. Just all pristinely clean and fully functional. Black carpeting is flooding the floor underneath the bench and some rubber floor mats are protecting it. The headliner is thick tuck and roll padded insert panels surrounded by more gold paint.
Drivetrain
Looking showroom like the rest of the truck, we see a 383ci Chevy short block built to the consignor specs. It is finished with aluminum heads, and a roller cam. A single Holley 4bbl carb, and a Tremec 5-speed manual transmission are bolted on as well. Power goes to the back wheels and tires via a 12 bolt 4.10 Auburn posi with Yukon 30 spline axles. Headers and a Flowmaster exhaust are on for the big exhale, and these are spotless and like new. All blueprinted and balanced.
Undercarriage
Highlights underneath include a new aluminum fuel tank, and QA1 suspension which is independent coil springs for the front, and a 4 link with coil springs in back. Sway bars are also all around. Power disc braking is on front, and power drums on back. Just showroom pristine condition for this 52 year old truck. Very impressive.
Drive-Ability
Normally, I'm not a truck guy, but the warm glow of the gold paint, straight lines of the steel, wood oak bed, and new interior beckoned me to get in. I'm glad I did as it performed beautifully with lots of power, bias free panic stopping, smooth steering from the variable ratio steering box, and fully functioning interior and exterior components. What a truck!
When someone cares enough to have the patience to afford to do it right and has it take 10 years to do so, you know it is gonna be good. Well I can assure you this one is GREAT and then some. Take the "IT" year for the C-10, and pour your heart into the restoration and the new owner will walk out of the Hallowed Halls with a smile on their face, content with the price paid due to the overall quality and gorgeous looks of this example. It does not get any better than this, trumping the others that are, or have been here, by a county mile!
CE141B655709
C-4x2
E-V8
1-1/2 Ton
4-Pickup
1-1971
B-Baltimore, MD Assy Plant
655709-Sequential Unit Number
Exterior
With its laser straight rust free steel panels in abundance, all awash in Honey Gold which was professionally applied, it's a stunner. All is highlighted by some black tastefully applied pin striping and flourishes and near perfection chrome. Upfront a black painted egg crate grille is bordered all around by a shiny wide trimming. Within this framing are the single headlights on either edge and a centrally located bowtie. Side marker lights are now encircled with black bezels, and badging has been shaved from the sides. The steel is beautifully crafted to form all panels with some bump outs, pleats and rounded over surfaces which are all presenting excellent, right down to the bed sides in and out. The bed is a wonderful warm stained oak planking with shiny chromed separators between each board to hold it to the deck. The tailgate is also devoid of any badging or logos, and just has the flourishes in black pin striping around the inset chromed gate handle. The rear bumper remains, and like the front... just perfect. 5 spoke American Racing Torque Thrust 15-inch wheels are upfront, and on back are increased size 17-inch Torque Thrusts, all wrapped in hardy used black walls.
Interior
A swing of the doors and what to my wondering eyes should appear but black embossed Sheridan Styled vinyl with horizontal tuck and roll inserts. A horizontal wood grained appliqué bar framed in chrome frames the top of the black vinyl, and exterior matching honey gold is on the sills and lowers of the doors. Inside is nothing short of spectacular with tuck and roll vinyl inserts looking like a square pattern tweed in lighter and darker mixed gray. Some charcoal dark gray smooth bolsters are on the edges. Upfront is the stock looking same shaped dash but now totally cleaned and detailed sporting the circular gauges and knobs with this black textured panel. 2 aftermarket circular oil pressure and water temp gauges are mounted to the steering column. Full metal jacket gold paint covers the dash front, and on top is a showroom shiny padded black dash top. The center dash panel houses the AM radio and a temp slider panel just below. Just all pristinely clean and fully functional. Black carpeting is flooding the floor underneath the bench and some rubber floor mats are protecting it. The headliner is thick tuck and roll padded insert panels surrounded by more gold paint.
Drivetrain
Looking showroom like the rest of the truck, we see a 383ci Chevy short block built to the consignor specs. It is finished with aluminum heads, and a roller cam. A single Holley 4bbl carb, and a Tremec 5-speed manual transmission are bolted on as well. Power goes to the back wheels and tires via a 12 bolt 4.10 Auburn posi with Yukon 30 spline axles. Headers and a Flowmaster exhaust are on for the big exhale, and these are spotless and like new. All blueprinted and balanced.
Undercarriage
Highlights underneath include a new aluminum fuel tank, and QA1 suspension which is independent coil springs for the front, and a 4 link with coil springs in back. Sway bars are also all around. Power disc braking is on front, and power drums on back. Just showroom pristine condition for this 52 year old truck. Very impressive.
Drive-Ability
Normally, I'm not a truck guy, but the warm glow of the gold paint, straight lines of the steel, wood oak bed, and new interior beckoned me to get in. I'm glad I did as it performed beautifully with lots of power, bias free panic stopping, smooth steering from the variable ratio steering box, and fully functioning interior and exterior components. What a truck!
When someone cares enough to have the patience to afford to do it right and has it take 10 years to do so, you know it is gonna be good. Well I can assure you this one is GREAT and then some. Take the "IT" year for the C-10, and pour your heart into the restoration and the new owner will walk out of the Hallowed Halls with a smile on their face, content with the price paid due to the overall quality and gorgeous looks of this example. It does not get any better than this, trumping the others that are, or have been here, by a county mile!
CE141B655709
C-4x2
E-V8
1-1/2 Ton
4-Pickup
1-1971
B-Baltimore, MD Assy Plant
655709-Sequential Unit Number