1972 C30

sericjnr · March 24, 2009

Hi guys, I'm looking at buying a 1970 c30 stepside..Mainly because it's quite cheap and it's already here in Australia and is a right hand drive. My question is to anyone who had/had one. I know that being a c30 these trucks have heavier springs, chassis and running gear, but are they still light enough and do they handle well enough to drive long distances as a daily driver? Most of my driving would be without a load in it, but I sometmes tow a double axle trailer with around 4000lb in it. Is this truck for me or should I hold out for a c10 and put a set of air bags in it for when I tow?

Thanks, Mik

grampadirt · March 25, 2009

It'll ride like a buckboard,or put about 1,000lbs. in the bed What size engine? 350?

sericjnr · March 25, 2009

It'll ride like a buckboard,or put about 1,000lbs. in the bed What size engine? 350?

yeah, with a 4 speed stick shift... very clean body though.. that's what appeals.

L29er · March 25, 2009

It would be pretty easy and not too expensive to swap front coils and rear leafs if it was way too rough riding, not much more than putting bags in a C10.

bigredmariner · March 25, 2009

It would be pretty easy and not too expensive to swap front coils and rear leafs if it was way too rough riding, not much more than putting bags in a C10.

I've owned about a dozen of that body style over the years, the C30 will ride rough. It will not be easy to find rear leafs for a C10 since they were special order for those style trucks, 98 % of the C10's had rear coil springs and trailing arms. You could remove a couple of the leafs and/or have a spring shop De-arch the leafs to soften the ride but you would also affect your weight carrying capacity. Adding some "ballast" to the bed would be easiest, you may try LMCtrucks.com. They carry just about everything for those model trucks, not sure if they ship to Aus.though. Changing front coils wouldn't be hard at all however. Either way those were great trucks, hope you get it enjoy it.

Zembonez · March 25, 2009

WOW. A C30 is a pretty heavy duty rig to drive daily. One thing that comes to mind is that a truck that has had that many birthdays may be something well beyond what it was when new. I guess a test spin is in order there. Good luck man!

sericjnr · March 25, 2009

WOW. A C30 is a pretty heavy duty rig to drive daily. One thing that comes to mind is that a truck that has had that many birthdays may be something well beyond what it was when new. I guess a test spin is in order there. Good luck man!

I would expect it to be a little unrefined, considering it's age, but late model trucks like you guys have are up around $90K. ie '05 Avalance $75K.. This makes my old '97 4x4 look pretty appealing and the c30 at $10k asking look pretty reasonable.. I'll see how it goes.

ALange · March 25, 2009

WOW. A C30 is a pretty heavy duty rig to drive daily. One thing that comes to mind is that a truck that has had that many birthdays may be something well beyond what it was when new. I guess a test spin is in order there. Good luck man!

I would expect it to be a little unrefined, considering it's age, but late model trucks like you guys have are up around $90K. ie '05 Avalance $75K.. This makes my old '97 4x4 look pretty appealing and the c30 at $10k asking look pretty reasonable.. I'll see how it goes.

It has probably had some of the starch leach out of it with time. If not I agree with adding some ballast. For an Aussie, your daily beer ration in the rear aught to be sufficient. Treat us to a picture.

pennzoil29 · March 25, 2009

WOW. A C30 is a pretty heavy duty rig to drive daily. One thing that comes to mind is that a truck that has had that many birthdays may be something well beyond what it was when new. I guess a test spin is in order there. Good luck man!

Definately a tank.

C & A s Dad · March 25, 2009

I spent hours and hours and thousands of miles in a 1971 C30 Tow Truck my Dad had. These trucks are solid as a rock and although stiff, not nearly as stiff as today's 1 ton trucks. Of course with ours being a tow truck, it had significant weight on the back simply from the bed, winch and boom. I have a friend who farms kind of "old school" and one of his primary farm trucks is a flat bed 1972 C 30.

Of course you can see from my Avatar that I am just a little partial to this body style.