1976 Chevrolet Chevy C/K 20 K20 Barn Find Low Mileage Original Pickup Truck

1976 Chevrolet Other Pickups K20 Scottsdale Description

This auction is for an original, unrestored 1976 Chevrolet K 20 (3/4-ton, Four-Wheel Drive) pick-up truck with less than 22,500 documented miles.

The truck was originally ordered in North Dakota for use on a farm. When not in use, it was stored indoors in a machine shop. It was primarily used for hauling hay seed -- which is why it was ordered with the wood bed. If you look closely between the wood slats, you can still find a hay seed or two. Key options include 400 cubic inch (6.6L) “small-block 400” motor, three speed automatic, full time four-wheel drive, power steering, power brakes, vent windows and AM radio.

I purchased this truck over 11 years ago. Even back then, it was uncommon to find an original, unmodified one with such low mileage. Because it was used to do actual work on a farm, there are various scratches, scuffs, dents and blemishes. In my opinion, the level of patina aligns well with the truck’s character -- perfect for any enthusiast who appreciates “preservationist” (unrestored/original) vehicles.

At the time I purchased it (2006), it’d been used exclusively on the farm and was riding on its original tires. In order to make it more useable on public roads, I replaced all of the body mounts, radiator mounts, transmission mounts, engine mounts, suspension bushings – basically everything rubber that was under the car -- with a combination of NOS (where it made sense) and top-quality replacement parts. For example, most of the mounts are NOS and all of the suspension bushings are new Moog parts. The shocks were replaced with Bilstein units, the carburetor was rebuilt and the tires were replaced with ones matching the same “agricultural” specs as the original. The brakes were rebuilt and an NOS master cylinder installed. The external mechanical fuel pump and in-tank fuel sending unit were replaced and the tank cleaned. All fluids were flushed and replaced – along with the associated gaskets and seals.

Everything on this truck works as it should: gauges, brakes, four-wheel drive system, floor-mounted high-beam foot switch, etc. Even the original AM radio with single speaker in the center of the top of the dash works perfectly. So does the heat, fan and defrost -- including the driver side adn passenger floor vents. Bottom line is that everything works, functions and drives as it should. If you’ve previously owned older vehicles, you can appreciate the level of effort that goes into making a 1970’s vehicle drive and ride like it did when it was new -- to get rid of every squeak, clunk and rattle that can come from dry-rotted rubber parts – while preserving as much originality as possible. For example,keeping the original “shiny” wiper arms but replacing the wiper inserts.

In terms of cosmetics, clear shield has been applied to the leading edge of the hood.For those unfamiliar with “Clear Shield,” it’s a clear decal. It’s been applied to the front vertical surface of the hoodand first 1-2 inches of the horizontal to mitigate stone chips. 3M brand product was used and it was applied professionally by a body shop. It’s designed to allow UV rays to pass through to ensure that any future sun-fading will be uniform. It is removable with hot water.

In addition, “Carwell” has been applied to the undercarriage and body panels. “Carwell” has a variety of uses. When applied to vehicles that are driven in bad weather, it’s supposed to be re-applied annually or every other year. For vehicles that aren’t driven in bad weather (such as this truck), it was applied once and should last indefinitely. It can be removed with water using the low setting on a power washer. If you’re familiar with the “old-school” use of Cosmoline for the long term storage of metal objects -- that’s my intention for the Carwell here. One of Carwell’s best features is that you can “see through” it to the condition of whatever’s underneath. Why bother doing this to a fair weather weekend toy? Because the Northeast is significantly more humid than the Dakotas where the truck came from.

One of this truck’s nicest features is the excellent condition of its original velour upholstery -- which shows minimal wear and no sun-fade (testimony to it being stored indoors). Another is that the wood bed is intact including most of the original green paint that was applied at the factory. A few factory crayon markings under the hood ("24"), on the firewall ("41") and on the frame rails ("24") are relatively rare finds – as is the paper decal on the back of the driver sun-visor (describing operation of the four-wheel drive system) and the intact cardboard parcel shelf (behind the seat).

The tires are “Power King” brand in the stock size (7.50-16). The original Goodyear tires were removed at approximately 13k miles, are in very nice shape (for being 42 years old) and will be made available to the buyer.

I’ve accumulated a very nice stock of NOS parts for this truck that will be offered to the purchaser at my cost. Any that aren’t wanted will be listed in later auctions.

I’ve done my best to take a representative series of pictures. If there’s something I missed, just let me know.

For those who watched this item on the previous listing, the winning bidder paid the security deposit, but otherwise stopped communicating.

If you’re interested in a no-excuses truck that you can make an occasional trip to Home Depot in, this is it. This is truly the nicest example of a third generation C/K series that I've ever seen -- and the Scottsdale is a really nice trim package. If you’re a tire-kicker just interested in talking about C/K series trucks, I don’t mind sharing what I know. Either way, please feel free to e-mail, text or call 315-882-4610. The sale terms are “as is” given that I’m not a car dealer. A $2,000 non-refundable deposit is due within 24 hours of end of auction. Balance is due within 10 days.

Thanks for looking,

Robert