"Oaky" Farm Fresh '73 Short Step

[GAc10boy]

In my search to find a decent truck to drive around while building my '71, I've been on the lookout for another squarebody. I absolutely love the 73-80s so that's where my search started. My criteria wasn't too lofty other than I wanted it to be running and driving, swb, and have some sort of character (i.e. not primer). Well, i found just the truck last night in a '73 chevy swb stepper. I usually try to stay away from the term "barn find" but in this case I think it actually fits. This is a true barn find.

Now the story of the truck: Apparently it was originally purchased by Gordon County (GA) for their grave digger to use. Yes, grave digger. The grave digger used it for roughly a decade and, when he retired in 1990, the County gave him the truck as a retirement gift. Well, shortly after retiring the man passed away. Then, as oftentimes happens, the truck was parked. But in this case, it was parked in a partially covered barn with an oak tree hanging over it. Thankfully the truck was driven every few months over that 25 year period (which is what I think saved the motor/tranny). Unfortunately, the truck weathered the wrath of the oak tree and has a significant amount of moss and other tree-like particles stuck to the paint - hence the name Oaky.

The guy I bought it from was a friend of the family's and bought it at their estate sale. He wanted the tractors. They wanted the truck gone. You can see where this is going. He had to buy the truck to get the tractors.

When he first got it it wouldn't run consistently, so he changed the plugs, fuel filter, fuel pump, cleaned out the fuel lines, and gas tank. He also took the carb apart and cleaned it up really well. One thing he didn't do, which i think he should've done before driving it, was change the oil. Either way, it currently runs like a top and the transmission shifts well. It holds all fluids and isn't currently leaking anything except it needs a radiator.

A little more about the truck itself: The truck appears to be mostly original with a V8 and th350 with 4:11 gears (remember this was a work truck). It has definitely had at least one paint job, maybe two. So the character is definitely there, though maybe not in the way I'd hoped since it has a few layers of paint from the poorly painted white, to the black, to what I believe is the original color: yellow.

One weird thing about the motor: The guy swears up and down its a 327. The tag on radiator support says it's a 250 inline 6 and the spid on the driver fender well says it came with a 307. The vin just identifies it as a v8 truck. So not only is it in inconsistent across the usual identifiers, I thought they switched to 305s and 350s in 1973. Guess I'm wrong or they just used leftovers from the 67-72 trucks. Motor could've been swapped to a 327 along the way as well but that doesn't explain the 307 on the spid.

Anyway, the truck has it's share of rust issues as you can imagine. Bottom of the driver's door, a spot in the passenger floor pan that's been poorly patched and the passenger fender well and cup. The bed is in great condition. It's a base model truck with rubber floor mat, am radio, no ac, manual brakes, but does have power steering. All the glass is in really good shape. Came with the original title passed down all these years and has a fair amount of documentation. All gauges work as well as headlights and taillights. Supposedly it only has around 70k miles on it. Came with a new hood, too. Not sure if it's NOS yet but it will all (including the truck) be delivered to my house tomorrow.

Now, my plan is to put new tires on it, change the oil, put new plug wires, new radiator, drop it, clean up the paint as best as possible, and go through the brakes. This will not be a show truck or even a nice patina truck but it will be a fun cruiser for me and my family.

The tires, oil change, radiator, and clean up work begins tomorrow. Stay tuned. Much better pics of the whole truck tomorrow.









And the reason we call her Oaky.


With new tires, pre-wash. Hankook Optima H724 225/75/15