(Editor’s Note: This 1980 Chevrolet has to be the best Craigslist find we saw this year…mostly for the Farmer John looks coupled with a sledgehammer under the hood, but because a reader scooped it up! -McTaggart)
I’ve said it time and time again: don’t ever…ever…trust the quiet one. It doesn’t matter what we’re talking about: the quiet kid in high school that got picked on everyday is either making money hand-over-fist, could stomp your ass, or possibly both. That stock-looking Honda sitting in the corner of the pits at a test-and-tune night is the one packing the turbocharged K20, has no weight whatsoever, and has a driver that somehow can never miss third gear when driving to his 11-second slip consistently. And this otherwise dead-stock looking 1980 Chevy C-10 is packing an iron fist inside of a ratty, worn out leather glove…and it might have snorted a little something extra, too, just to make your night at the strip worse.
At first glance, what do you see? I see Lohnes’ idea of a nice half-ton truck: simple model, white bumpers, some nice age on the body without being a rust bucket, dog dishes, and minimal exterior decoration. Raise your hands if you think that he’d daily-drive it. Hell, I’d daily drive it. This is the kind of truck you hope to find somewhere in the Midwest, that some farmer has decided to sell after the truck “served it’s purpose well”.
Except that Farmer John here seems to have a side hobby. Seeing a tachometer in the inside of a Chevy truck isn’t abnormal. Seeing a floor shifter, shift light and the “big red button” right in thumb’s reach on an otherwise dead-stock interior raises every possible red flag for a sleeper I’ve got. Let’s pop the hood, shall we?
Nothing against Farmtruck and AZN, but I think we’ve found a better sleeper. That is a ZZ572 620hp crate motor sitting where you would expect the 305 to sit, and it’s got some goodies. From the ad: The drivetrain has been 100% tastefully redone. First off the engine is a GMPP ZZ 572/620 hp. Pump gas, hydraulic roller cam, aluminum heads and intake and a 850 double pumper. MSD distributor and digital 7 box. Also has a ZEX nitrous system that is adjustable from 150 to 400 horsepower. The transmission is a TH400 with a transbrake. The converter was built to match the engine and stalls around 3,500 rpm. Behind the TH 400 is a Gear Vendor overdrive unit. It is shifted by a button mounted in the floor. It has a custom aluminum driveshaft going to a completely rebuilt 10 bolt. The rear end has Moser axles and aftermarket posi, 3.73 gears and disk brakes. The back also has slide a link traction bars. (They are a lot like Caltracks). The speedometer not only works but it is correct!
The stock fuel tank has been removed and a 15 gallon fuel cell is mounted in the back under the bed. It has a sender but the gauge quit for some reason. The fuel pump is a Aeromotive A1000. All braided hoses back to front.
Complete with a set of slicks mounted on Convo Pro wheels, the out-of-my-yard price on the Chevy is $14,900. The engine retails for about the same price alone. Add in the fun of having a farm truck that isn’t an internet celebrity and we’re drooling on the keyboard.
Craigslist Link: 1980 Chevrolet C-10
(Courtesy: Jalopnik)
About as innocent as dogshit on a driveway!
Did you say you are dog shit on the drive way? I guess the thought of going fast is too scary for you hua? Don’t worry, thats why they build fords and dodges.
I tend to look under the rear of cars, just to see how much rubber is being “hidden” with whitewalls and dog dishes, or look for a ladder bar. The fuel system might be a clue. Not many farm trucks need an A1000…
oh don’t get me wrong though. There’s a vault full of win going on there!!
Yeeeeee hawwww. quite the bargin, wish I had the cash
Let me add, Wheeedoggies, as Uncle Jed would say.
Holy value! Just imagine what the asking price would be if it were some inferior, 60’s unibody junk…
If the fuel cell clearly visible with it’s giant A1000 fuel pump doesn’t give away the sleeper look, the rumble of the GM 572 would certainly give away the wolf in sheeps clothing.
I still like it.
Neat truck, and nicely done.
Good luck hooking up. lol
Could use a few little details to make it an almost undetectable sleeper, and about four Dynomax Hemi Turbo mufflers to quiet it down. I’d buy it, cheaper than building it thats for sure.
I dig it but man…….it’s cool. I’d like to have seen it look more sleeperish. On a highway or going down the road I probably wouldn’t notice much. But up close its a sort of dead give away deal. To much fuss in the rear and honestly is the ten bolt going to last or bend into a u before the u joints break.
I love everything about this truck. It’s perfect. The “retired” plate on the front is my favorite part. I’ve been wanting to build a 12 valve old ram along these lines for forever.
I’ve seen 10 second Pontiacs running 10 bolt rearends, this should be fine until you have slicks on a very sticky track.
Full size Pontiacs? I think he should searched out a nine inch or a good 12 bolt. I’ve seen built ten bolts explode under power in a heavy vehicle. I know the truck is light in the butt but still once you get it to stick its going to break fast.
I had a nova with caltracs and 10.5 et drags under it. 550+hp at the flywheel plus 200 of the giggle gas. Plenty of 3 grand launches on a 10 bolt posi with nothing more than some axle upgrades and a differential cover with bearing cap supports. Lots of street and track abuse and it worked fine. Not everything rolling requires a 12 bolt or a 9 inch up under it to be durable.
Count the bolts in the rear end, looks like a 12 bolt to me!
where did you learn how to count?!?!?!?!?
Most likely the same place I did. South Georgia. I count only 8. 🙂
It’s not a sleeper unless it can hook up. Hopefully it can. What a friggin’ bargain price!
Posting deleted. Hope buyer and seller are happy
I would buy it. Nice pickup.
wonder if this is still available?
No. It’s in my garage now. Thanks for the heads up Bangshift!
I never trust anything over 5 years old. You never know what the guy has done with it.
A feature should be done on this truck. It has to be an e-ticket ride!