It’s a beautiful drive in new ’ 66 Chevy
Newly acquired classic pickup offers great year- round travelling even on the cold, cold mornings
The 2012 Fraser Valley World of Wheels is going to be the debut of my stint as classic car driver instead of just a car photographer! I recently bought a 1966 Chevrolet C10 pick up with the 6- cylinder, a three- on- the- tree transmission, wood floor box and under 45,000 original miles. Despite all those great names for cool paint colours in the 1950s and ’ 60s — Artesian Turquoise, Tropic Turquoise and Willow Green — the great- looking light green paint on my truck boasts the boring factory name of Light Green.
In early January I drove up to the Sunshine Coast on a beautiful sunny morning to take a look at her, and after hooking up the jumper cable she fired up on the first turn of the key. I was hooked. My brother- in- law Wolf drove home my VW Cabriolet, with me at the wheel of my new old truck, and I haven’t stopped grinning since.
The truck was originally a farm truck in the Fraser Valley and virtually everything electrical — all five items — work.
She runs beautifully, even passing Aircare after my fantastic VW mechanic Duane adjusted the carb. The clutch was grabbing way too high so he also adjusted that so it works great now as well.
The second owner was a BC Ferries captain and apparently wanted to paint it, so he sanded her down and painted the whole truck except the inside of the Box and the roof. He babied her and basically drove her on nice days and stored her inside. The next owner always wanted a classic car and bought her in 2004, but only drove her when he was at his summer place where the truck was stored. So now she is mine. Perfect for me as she can be driven daily, starts even on the cold, cold mornings and is not too bad on gas. I will be able to set up at car shows throughout the summer right in the back of the truck.
Yes I realize the hypocrisy of this car nut owning a truck, and no, I do not intend to change my name.
It started out that we were looking all last summer for a first generation Chevy II/ Acadian, and my wife saw a ’ 66 truck for sale. Although we did not buy that truck, the search was on since she mentioned how much she liked that style as her dad had one when she was little. In terms of functionality, it would work, too, as I could get rid of the dirt- bike trailer and haul the bikes in the back of the truck.
When I got the truck in mid- January the odometer read 43,300 miles, and the previous owner is certain that is correct. Judging from the condition it is apparent the truck has been well cared for. The wood and the metal strips in the pickup bed had been replaced and the bumpers repainted many times.
Driving her for the first time was a learning experience as my only real experience with a three- on- the- tree transmission was on an ancient driving simulator when I took driver training 34 years ago. The one amazing thing to me is the fact that shifting into first requires you completely come to a stop to avoid a sound not unlike a hammer- smashing contest.
After driving her for a month I can say I have drastically altered my driving style. One cannot overstate the importance of anti- lock brakes to the safety of the numerous pickups we see on the road today. I leave plenty of room between me and anything as aggressive braking locks the rear wheels up pretty quickly. The previous owners had somewhere along the way added a dual master cylinder with a proportioning valve for safety, and it is much appreciated.
The ride is quite car- like, albeit a car from the ’ 60s; and the non- power assisted steering, heavy clutch and brakes have allowed me to let my gym membership lapse. Coil springs in all corners allow for a softer ride but you always are left with the impression you are driving on a mattress.
I intend to lower the truck and add 4- wheel disc brakes with an upgrade to the transmission with a couple of more gears. I also might paint the roof a white or cream colour and change the bumpers and grille to chrome versions, but my main plan is to drive it.
On that note, I have a bit of a prediction on the future of the car hobby. I have seen some great restorations and some mediocre ones, but I am pretty sure that there are a lot of old cars out there right now that are basically toys but will soon be daily drivers.
With the price of these older classics coming down, and the increasing availability of public transit, I believe many younger people will opt for an old vehicle that can be worked on at home with parts easily available at many parts stores.
They may not ever be commuter cars, but we will soon see many of the older cars driven ... and that is a very good thing.
( For more on this weekend’s car show in Abbotsford visit www.fraservalleyworldofwheels.com).