1970 Chevrolet C10 Custom Pickup

This truck, Lot 470, sold for a whopping $110,000, including buyer’s premium, at Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auction on October 4, 2019.

Are we finally seeing peak truck prices? What does it take to build something that would fetch this much money?

Ever-growing popularity

You’ve probably heard all about the 1967–72 C10 pickups. Maybe a buddy of yours had one in high school, or it was one of those vehicles that you lusted after yourself. But these trucks are popular — there’s no doubt about that — and that’s why some of them are fetching some pretty high prices. In this case, it was more than $100k.

This is a super-clean ride with a lot done to it, but it’s not the base model itself that brings the value. Chevy made a lot of these trucks, but short beds in particular are rarer — they made just under 41,000 of them in 1970 compared to 234,904 long beds. That’s almost six times as many, making the short beds the more desirable collector choice.

These trucks also sit in a sweet spot of American truck history. The late 1960s brought a ton of cool muscle cars, and the trucks were no different. Dodge, Ford and Chevy all released new body styles around this time, and although each one has its fans, the Chevrolet C10s were far and away the most popular ones. As a result, many people have nostalgia for these trucks, and probably grew up riding in the passenger’s seat with their fathers — or owning one themselves. It’s a truck built for Baby Boomers in their prime, and that can bring in the bucks.

The later the better?

So there’s an interesting wrinkle in this story. If you were to go out and ask the average C10 enthusiast which particular year and model they wanted, they’d say a 1967 short bed with the big back window was their unicorn. If forced to pick a second, the 1968 model would do, but ultimately, many collectors want that 1967 because of its rarity and exclusive options. And yet, that’s not what this sale tells us.

In fact, if you look down the lineup of sales for these models, it’s the later years that seem to do better. All sorts of stock trucks from 1969 on up are getting over $30k, and in some cases, over $35,000. What does this tell us?

First, the relative scarcity of the 1967 models may mean that our data is incomplete; not many have sold, so we don’t have enough information. Or it could be that the later models have more options (which is true) and are therefore becoming more desirable among collectors. Or it could just be that it’s because those trucks are what’s out there. And if the choice is a later C10 or no C10, then any year model will do.

Features stand out

This particular truck isn’t stock. It’s got a clean coil-over suspension, and there was a complete frame-off restoration, so between those two things alone, you’ve got a fun truck to take out and drive. That 6.2-L V8 doesn’t hurt things, either, and when you throw in big brakes and a fully modernized, well, everything, there’s a lot to love about the truck. But above all else, it doesn’t look outrageous. This is a truck that appeals because it’s mostly stock-looking but has a bunch of touches that make it super-clean.

Other trucks done up with aftermarket parts have gone for these kinds of numbers in the past, too. But again, the big question here is whether or not we’ve reached peak truck. Is this as high as these things will get? Should the savvy investor rush out and pick something up so they can see their value appreciate? Well, maybe.

These trucks — the ones that get over six figures on the block — are the outliers. There are a few that pull the big numbers, sure. But for the most part, they’re not the norm. No, instead it’s much more common to see them go for anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000, with a few peppered in at higher numbers.

Of course, you could go another way and build one for yourself. And if you want to go that route, you’re still in for an uphill battle. If you’re looking to replicate this sale, you’ll want to find a short bed, and then restore it with upgraded equipment. It’s not going to be cheap, but in the end, you could end up making some cash on the deal.

They’re not making any new ones

At the end of the day, these C10s are some of the most popular trucks ever built, and as a result, they can bring in a lot of cash when they’re built using current trends crossed over original looks.

Will all of them score big? Probably not. But in a truck like this, which is just packed with clean details, it’s certainly worth every penny.

(Introductory description courtesy of Barrett-Jackson.)