On a sunny afternoon, in the summer of 1972, Donald Collins walked through the doors of Peacock Chevrolet in Dublin Georgia. He needed a new work truck for his farm, and Chevy's C/10 seemed to be the right truck for the job. Those 300 acres needed constant attention, and the new Chevy C/10 would make those farm chores a lot easier.

He wound up buying a brand new Chevrolet C/10 short box. It was bronze with the white top, and featured Chevy's 307cid V8, three-on-the tree, and a 3:73 rear end. The truck didn't come with air conditioning, so Mr. Collins bought and installed an A/C kit from JC Whittney.

His new C/10 was intended for farm use only. Mr. Collins had a 1963 VW Beetle that he used when he wasn't on the farm. So, the C/10 rarely went farther than the local feed store. As a veteran of two world wars, and the Great Depression, Mr. Collins took care of his truck. He saw it his Chevy as an investment, not a “lifestyle accessory”. His generation didn't believe in getting the “latest and greatest”, as soon as it hit the showroom floor. They believed in getting the most out of what they had. Perhaps that's why the old C/10 is in such good shape after 400,000+ miles.

If you ask Mr. Collins' family, there are many memories associated with Donald's old truck. But none of these memories are more special than those shared by the truck's current owner, Donald's grandson, Brian.

“The earliest memory I have of the '72, is smacking my head on the dash when granddaddy hit a ditch”. It had rained a lot that year, so the field surrounding the Collins' pond was really over-grown. “Me, and daddy were riding through the field with granddaddy. The field grass was so high that granddaddy drove right down into the ditch surrounding the pond”. This resulted in the dent on the C/10's front bumper. Ironically, this is the only body damage the truck suffered in it's 10+ years of hard, farm use.

Brian (Donald's grandson) first learned to drive on the C/10 too. You see, in the country, you helped out on the family farm...as soon as you were big enough. Age didn't matter much when there were 300 acres of crops to harvest. If you were big enough, you were doing something to help out.

At the tender age of 6, Brian was big enough to reach the pedals on his granddaddy's C/10. So, while Brian's daddy, granddaddy, uncle and several farm hands loaded hay bales onto a trailer, he was supposed to pull the C/10 forward as they went along. “I remember granddaddy and daddy running for cover because every time I let the clutch out, the wheels would spin, covering everybody in sand”.

Donald's '72 C/10 had Chevy's smallest V8. At 307 cubic inches, this torque machine replaced the venerable 283ci V8 and featured a 327 crankshaft, housed in the 283 block. It was rated at a modest “net” 135hp, but it produced the torque of a 350. Often mistaken for an Oldsmobile engine, Chevy produced its own 307ci V8 from 1968-1972.

Straddled by the strict, new emissions regulations, Chevy was being forced to redesign its engines to run on the forthcoming, unleaded gas. The new EPA regulations required emission controls to be fitted to every new car sold in the United States. These new parts were supposed to recirculate the engine's exhaust in an effort to reduce the harmful toxins produced by burning fuel in the engine. However, with the adaptation of any new technology, comes the inherent bug, and inefficiency. These early emissions systems were crude, and they reduced horsepower ratings significantly.

Adding insult to injury, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) introduced a new standard for measuring horsepower in 1972. Meant to give more accurate power ratings for the upcoming unleaded gasoline engines, automakers were forced to advertise their horsepower in so-called “net” numbers. This meant, taking the gross horsepower of an engine, and subtracting power, based on emissions equipment and the car's accessories. A more realistic number was produced, and insurance regulators were satisfied.

Mr. Collins was very satisfied with the power that his '72 Chevy produced. Its hearty 307c.i. 4bbl, coupled with the 3-speed manual transmission and 3:73 rear end meant that he could handle nearly any farm chore with ease. While it was in service on the farm, the '72 pulled countless trailers, over-loaded with hay and corn to market. It also served as a mobile well drilling rig, using a pull behind drilling machine.

The 307 has been replaced 3 times, with the current one purchased by Brian's father in the early 90's. He bought the crate motor from Autozone, and it even came with a mild cam. This engine has proven reliable, and much more powerful than the original 307.

Mr. Collins took meticulous care of everything that he owned. Having been through the Great Depression in the 1930's, he was appreciative of everything that he was able to buy.

Nearly every farm tool and vehicle that he ever bought were so well cared for that the family still has most of them stored in a barn on the Collins farm. And nearly every item in that barn is in like-new condition. Including his Ford 8N tractor, which looks almost as good as it did when he bought it.

His old '72 C/10 still sports the original paint, and all the original equipment. Including the JC Whittney A/C kit. Even though the white paint's starting to fade a bit, everything on the truck still works. Pictures really don't do this truck justice. Because, in person, you're very aware of how original this truck really is.

Brian received the truck as a gift from his grandmother in 2002, and he hasn't changed a thing on the truck. “I don't drive it because I'm scared I'll mess it up. Granddaddy loved that truck, and I'd sure feel bad if anything happened to it.”

So, once a year, Brian fires the ole' C/10 up and drives it to the cemetery to visit his grandfather. “A lot of people ask me why I don't drive it more...but I like to think that I'm treating it like granddaddy would have...this isn't a truck to me, it's a collection of memories. And every time I drive it, I remember...granddaddy.” 

By Teddy Field

Teddy Field is in the collector car brokerage business, which is first became interested in at any early age while attending a Kruse collector car auction.