Zane Merrill's 1964 Chevy C-10

2 April 2007
# 1904

From Zane :

           Here is my 1964 Chevy C-10. I live in Pine River, Minnesota but by truck is currently at my Dad's house in Texas. Back in 2002 when I was 14, my Dad bought this truck for me. He got it from my Uncle Wayne for $500. Since I didn't have a job to pay him back, I just baled hay for him that summer. So, then it was paid for. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

           When I got the truck to my Dad's, I went to work on it right away. I aired up the tires, replaced all the common ignition components, and bled the brakes. It started and ran perfectly.

           Since I don't know my Uncle real well, I don't know much history about the truck. I was able to figure out that at one point, probably in the 80's, it had a slight restoration. It also has a dealer rear bumper that reads "Gober-Merrell Sulphur Springs, Tx," which is the local Chevy dealer in my Dad's home town. So I don't know if the truck was originally sold there or if they did the restoration there. I would like to find out.

           Anyway the truck has a 230 straight six with a 3 on the tree. It is a base model truck and I think the only option it has is the spare tire on the fender.

           The truck is pretty clean. Since it is a southern truck, I can turn every bolt on the frame, no problem. However, the body is going to take some work because of some dents and the fender and cowl panel that I wrecked one day. That day a friend and I were out driving it around in the cow pasture for a while and decided we were going to go check on my Dad who was cutting hay just down the road a ways. We got there and talked to my Dad and he told me to show him what my truck had under the hood when we left. So I whipped a quick donut in the field and as I got back on tar I heard a repetitive thumping. I stopped and it stopped so we kept going and the noise never came back. We were just 100 feet away from the house when, BOOM! The front driver side slammed to the ground. As we come to a halt, the tire slowly wobbled by and fell over in the neighbor's yard.

           So if you don't want to wreck a fender and a cowl piece, be sure to tighten your lug nuts! I was able to quickly find a fender but it took me a couple years to find a cowl piece.

           Right now my plans are to keep the truck running and make it road worthy again. Once I get out of school in two years, I plan to put a big block motor in it, a 5-speed, power steering and brakes, and update the interior. Does anybody know how much trouble this is?

           I have gotten many impressive offers to sell the truck, but it is worth more than money to me. I don't get to work on it much because of the distance, but every time I'm there I'm always doing something to it.

Zane Merrill
Bolter # 14312
Pine River, Minnesota