Ford Vs Chevy, Which Cabover Would You Rather Have?


Ford Vs Chevy, Which Cabover Would You Rather Have?

Cabover trucks have turned my crank for as long as I can remember. It’s like I was genetically programmed to love Cabovers, Crew Cabs, and Suburbans, because they continue to be my favorites. So when these two came up on my regular SoCal Craigslist search, I thought I was going to die. The Chevy sounds a little pricey, although I can’t remember the last time I saw a Chevrolet Cabover from this era so maybe it’s on point. The Chevrolet appears to have been in service until recently and is said to run mint. We like that. The short chassis means some fabrication will be in order if you want to do anything but haul short box trailers around town but that wouldn’t both us. We’d either ramp truck this bitch or toterhome. It would rule.

The Ford is much new, 1985 in fact. Yes, Ford kept the Cabover truck series virtually identical from 1963 to 1990 so that means you can get a later model truck and still have it look cool. In 1985 this would have been the best looking thing coming out of Ford Trucks. This one is 460 powered, and backed by an Allison, so it’s good already. And with a 20 ft flatbed and liftgate we can see this sucker being a really cool project that wouldn’t cost much. We’d shorten the bed as much as we could to allow the liftgate mechanism to become out hydraulically operated dovetail so it would tilt down to the ground and let us load a car on it. It would rule.

My heart is with the Chevy, my wallet with the Ford. Which would you guys rather have? And what would you do with them?

1985 Ford C600 flatbed 1

1972 Chevrolet Cab Over 3

 

 

Here is what the seller has to say about the Chevrolet:

Truck 1972 60, ceres Chevy 10 speed c cab cab over single axle run good $ 8000.00 obo

951 2693301
No texting

1972 Chevrolet Cab Over 2 1972 Chevrolet Cab Over 4

Here is what the seller has to say about the Ford:

Truck runs and drives but doesn’t idle correctly I think from sitting and the carb might need to be rebuilt. Will start and drive anywhere without a problem. Has a 460 motor and an Allison transmission. Has a 20′ steel stake bed and a 4500 lb liftgate that works good also. Truck is registered in Arizona so no fees to transfer to California. Front tires are new. Please call Jason for more info at 9514532923.

1985 Ford C600 flatbed 2 1985 Ford C600 flatbed 3


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11 thoughts on “Ford Vs Chevy, Which Cabover Would You Rather Have?

  1. Greg Rourke

    The Chevy appears to be propane powered. Being a tractor it likely has air brakes, so the Chevy for me.

  2. The Bushwacker

    I don’t know exactly what you want out of this truck. But I’m going to put my 2 cents worth in. I love C cabs myself. I drove a ’69 Ford C-600 for years as a delivery vehicle carrying milk to stores and restaurants. I have only driven Chevy C-cabs a couple times. I actually kinda like the Ford better for everyday living. Gosh those C-cabs have room in them. And with that rear shelf, I carried rain gear, and all that stuff you might need if the day turned on you.

    My C-cab had dual heaters. Seemed odd to me at first. One was for defrost only, the other was for floor. I lived in Minnesota, and in the winter, delivery work is brutal in a truck. This dual heater set-up was great!! I drove in blizzards, ice storms, you name it. I never had frost on the windshield, and I never had ice build up on the floor. Sounds funny, but you track a lot of snow into the truck jumping in and out 100 times a day. Some trucks end up with 2 inches of ice on the floor.

    Another thing I notice is you mention the Ford you’re looking at has a 460. That is a transplant. They never put a 460 in one.
    Ford 300 cu in (4.9 L) 300 inline-6
    Ford 401, 477 & 534 Super Duty V8
    Ford 292 & 292HD Y block (1957-1963)
    Ford 330MD/HD, 359XD, 361 & 389XD, 391 cubic inch FT V8 (1964-1978)
    Lincoln 302 and 332 cubic inch Y-Block V8 (1957-1963)
    Ford 370 (1979-1990)

    You are going to laugh, but my C had a 300 six in it. It was a beast and got great gas mileage!! I’ve driven trucks all my life, and those big old gas engines were pigs! They sucked gas, they were always breaking down, they never seemed to run quite right … always blubbering and banging … I hated them. I loved that 6 cyl. It started. I ran smooth. And had almost as much power! If you think you are about to haul more than I did. I had a insulated box on mine that weighed 8,000 pounds with refrigeration, all by itself. Then I’d put about 10,000 pounds of milk and dairy in it. And that 6 cyl laughed at it. You couldn’t even tell the weight was back there.

    What I’m saying, if you plan on driving it much, and are concerned about gas mileage, I’d take the damn 460 out and put in a 300-6. I got 15 mpg while delivering around town!! With a 2 ton truck!! You could not stop it either. I got to horsing around with guys sometimes, as guys will do. We’d have a little pulling contest or something. That damn Ford with the 300 would embarrass ’em all! They walked away muttering to themselves.

    To be honest, it has a lot to do with gearing and weight. My truck was geared low, maybe because of the 6 cyl. I don’t know. As a result, it wasn’t a high speed machine. 50 mph was about as fast as I ever drove it. This may not work for you.

    If you know 300’s, you do not run them hard on the highway. They would blow oil when they were brand new if you tried to drive them 90 mph. Treat a 300 with respect and it will run and run and run.

    When I got out of the milk business, I took the milk box off the truck, put on a flatbed, painted it, etc. I drove it around as a driver most the time. I love that damn truck. It’s sitting in the yard smiling at me.

    Oh. I think she has about 600,000 miles on her now. LOL I did replace the original engine with one I rebuilt, back in ’85. I never had to screw with that complicated steering mechanism or the shifting mechanisms. They seem to be bullet proof. I did brakes once. I had a rear oil seal go out one time. A couple things like that. I never had wiring problems, or fuse problems … nothing!!

    And you will laugh. I consider myself to be a GM man.

  3. geo815

    Ford. I’ve never been a fan of bow-tie trucks, nor will I likely ever be. I’d take one with one of the Super Duty engines (401,477,534), or one with a Cat. Diesel. The 300’s were beasts, though. Most of the flat bed delivery truck where I grew up had the 300 in them. Inexpensive, reliable, not much on speed, for sure, but when most of its life is spent running from dock to dock in traffic, who cares about speed?

  4. Richard Wallendal

    Recently deceased friend had a ’63 chevy COE fire truck
    It needs to go away
    409 even
    Runs but no brakes
    Very rust free
    Hundreds, not thousands
    In south louisiana
    [email protected]
    I will put u in touch with his widow if any of u are interested

  5. colinv

    for my money neither, I’m a mopar guy so gotta say the L600 or if striving for a full on tractor then the L1000

  6. C.M. Bendig

    No statement as to what engine the Chevy cab over has. It could have a SBC, BBC 366TD or 427TD, a Detroit Diesel. And yes Virginia I have seen medium duty trucks with a SBC & air brakes.

    The Chevy would be Awesome for pulling a 3 car Ramp trailer with the 4th car underneath. Also would be the coolest RV/toy totter at the camp ground.

    The Fords I have seen a 8000/800 with the medium duty Gas engine. It is a psychically larger block then a FE or 429/460. A lot of those also had Cat 3116’s.

    Either truck could be converted to Super Singles and get away from death inducing wheels.

  7. Roger

    I’m a Ford guy but I’d take BOTH 🙂 ! I’d put a 7.3 PowerStroke in the C and a Duramax in the Bowtie and have me a couple of killer haulers.

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