The 1965 Chevy Step Side truck was a critical model year for the Chevrolet C/K series of trucks. Apart from being the penultimate year for its first generation of C/K trucks, it came with an assortment of perks – thanks to five years of fine-tuning.
Even though the 60s Chevy Step Side truck was made for durability, it borrowed some features from the automaker’s line of cars for functionality.
For the ’65 model year, potential owners had a line of engine choices from the 230-cu in inline-six making 140 hp (142 ps) to the 327-cu in V8 in the heavy-duty pickups, capable of 220 hp (223 ps). It also came with a coil spring front suspension and roller-bearing front hubs.
On the exterior, the 1965 Chevrolet Step Side truck came with redesigned front grille and featured a wraparound windscreen, popular on the 1964 model year unit.
This ’65 Chevy Step Side truck has been sitting in a barn for a while. According to Darren of Mustie1 YouTube channel, it was last on the road in 1988.
It was in reasonably good shape, considering it had been off the road for 34 years. The body lines and cargo bed were still in solid condition but missing a taillight and wood and metal strips on the underside. The exhaust lines were busted, and the brakes looked worrying.
Under the hood, things didn’t look too bad. The carburetor was stuck from years of sitting unused; nothing Darren couldn’t fix with some service. Still, the truck’s straight-six engine roared to life after fiddling with the distributor.
However, the bulk of the work was getting the brakes to work. The master cylinder was faulty, and the brake lines weren’t building enough pressure to stop the wheels from turning.
We recommend catching some of that rescue action in the video below.
It’s a massive cliffhanger, but Darren’s step-by-step tutorial is gold for anyone looking to work on classic vehicles in the future.