Dave Lewis'

1965 Chevy C-30 1-Ton


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07 March 2007
# 1865

From Dave :

           I guess I am firmly committed to living life on the forums now that I am learning more and more about my 1965 C-30 1-ton. Here are some pictures that can be added to the Gallery.

           The first pic (shown) is the truck as she sat in the parking lot when I first saw her. The second is a pic of the original fuel sending unit that I pulled from the tank when I started working on her.

           The story to date ... I am a tinkerer, and recently I have put my restless hands to work rehabbing my first house. In that time I have learned that there is only so much lumber and concrete you can haul in the back of a 2001 Chevy Impala. I had been casually looking at used pickups for about a year. (Until now, I have been a hard core sedan type, never owned a truck.)

           I found this truck on Craigs List. It was over a hundred miles away from me, but I fell for it with just the pics in the ad.

           She is a 1965 C30 1-ton with a hydraulic lift stake bed. (The engine turns out to be a later model 292 from the serial numbers.) I guess I got carried away with "bigger is badder / better" and decided to commit. The trip up to the truck cost me a promise of future brush hauling by a very nice friend who donated a whole Saturday to the cause.

           She test drove fine, with the usual old age issues ... loose steering, slack shifter, and a loud / old exhaust. But nothing I thought, at the time, was a deal breaker. I started changing my mind about breaking the deal about 35 minutes later .... and 40 miles down the road. She blew a big ol' backfire and died. Many hours later and multiple side of the highway adjustments ... (I did think to bring tools!!), I finally had to give up. She would only run for about a mile and die again.

           She ended up parked in the lot of a consignment shop. "Don't park her in front, people might think it's for sale! " "I'll take $2250!"

           Well, she was still there when I showed up with a tow truck. Work has started on her and she now has a whole new fuel system. The old sending unit gave me nightmares about what was actually in that tank.

           The rehab continues ... and I hope to make her a solid work truck again ... and use the Impala as intended.

           Thanks for the site. They have been a life saver in the last four weeks. It has been invaluable for my truck and me. I'll send an update when she is in ship shape.

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."

Dave Lewis
"sablesurfer"
Bolter # 13564
Kansas City


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