Ken Berg's 1966 Chevrolet Longbed Fleetside

15 March  2003

From Ken :

           My 1966 Chevy C-10 Fleetside was purchased brand new from Gridley Chevrolet in Spanish Fork, Utah in October of 1966 by my Father-in-law. It was a dealer's demo so it sat on the lot for a year before he bought it. He traded his 1961 Impala Sport Sedan in on it. It was given to me, at no cost, by my Mother-in-law when my FIL passed away in 1998.��

           I have the original sales receipt. �The options listed on the receipt that I can remember are: step rear bumper, custom comfort interior, heavy duty rear springs, 4 speed tranny, 292 six, and side moldings. I also have the original Owner's Manual and Protect-O-Plate.�

           My FIL painted the stripe between the side molding strips turquoise because he had a turquoise and white camper on it during the summers.�They looked pretty sharp together.�I have since returned the stripe to it's original color of white.�

           The hubcaps I have since found on old advertisements of 1961 Fleetsides so I don't know if they were still being factory installed in 1966 or he replaced the original caps with some older ones.�Anyway, they were original to the truck when I got it in 1998.�

           The wood bed is still in pretty good shape but I had to replace a couple of boards including the one over the tail pipe.�I won't ever replace the original hard yellow pine boards with oak because I love original.�I had repainted the bed gloss black but since discovered the factory paint was flat black so I'll make the change when I repaint it again.�

           My FIL had split rims on the rear which had to go.�He also had big California style side mirrors and a plastic bug shield (remember those?) fastened to the hood.�They had to go, also.�

           The upholstery is original but getting brittle so I've covered it with a seat cover.�

           My FIL replaced the original 292 six himself in 1978 at 214,800 miles with a rebuilt 292 six, which now has about 70,000 miles on it.�

           he body has the typical rust on the rockers, fenders, doors and headlight brackets, but it's pretty clean and I get a lot of comments on it when I drive it around.�The UT 66 plates weren't original to it but I found them on eBay from a seller in Phoenix.�I scanned them and inserted the image into this picture and they are now on the truck.�They turn a few heads, too.�

           It was a daily driver for a few years but now it sits in the garage most of the time except when I need it to haul big stuff.�Someday when I do a frame-off restoration, I will have it repainted but it will stay original -- no power steering or brakes or any retrofits.�

           You have a great web site!�Thanks for adding the newer 1960's and 1970's trucks!�Hopefully you'll be able to stay around for a long time.�

Ken Berg
"c-10ken"
Bolter # 15278
Riverton, Utah

           Ken, that is a nice looking Fleetside. Thanks for telling your truck's story and making a great Stovebolt submission!" ~~ Curator