1970 Chevy Truck Specs
by Steve JohnsonThe year 1970 was in the middle of an era which had a definite shift in trend for building and marketing pickup trucks. To remain competitive with Ford and other truck manufacturers, Chevrolet trucks were produced mainly as general transportation vehicles rather than utility work vehicles. It was a year in which Chevrolet built more custom trucks, with greater emphasis on comfort, convenience and sport. It was this approach that gave birth to the C series pickups and the top-of-the-line custom sport trucks of the 1970s.
Trim Options and Features
The 1970 Chevrolet trucks came broadly divided amongst two trims; the step-side C series and the Longhorn series. The C series was available in 1/2, 3/4 and 1-ton models, each designated as C-10, C-20 and C-30. On the other hand, the Longhorn series came in 3/4 and 1-ton models.
The C series trucks had a wheelbase of between 115 inches and 127 inches, while the Longhorn had a larger 133-inch wheelbase because of its longer fleet-side bed. The lighter C-10 models were equipped with a 6.5-foot cargo box, while the heavier models came with a longer 8 to 8.5-foot cargo box. The Longhorn fleet-side trucks were adaptable to General Motor's popular Custom Campers.
Standard features on the 1970 Chevrolet trucks included a full width vinyl bench seat, wide rear window, comfortably profiled steering wheel, a factory-installed AM/FM radio with a single dash speaker and windshield wipers and defrosters.
Engines and Performance
The C10 series trucks came with the 250 cubic inch six-cylinder inline engine producing 155 horsepower at 4,200 rpm, with a torque of 235 foot-pounds at 1,600 rpm. The heavier Chevrolet trucks came standard with a 350 cubic inch 255 hp V-8 engine.
All Chevrolet trucks were equipped with a standard three-speed manual column shift transmission, with an optional four-speed manual transmission. On the C-10 series, Chevrolet’s Powerglide and Hydra-matic transmissions were available as optional upgrades.
The C10 series trucks were equipped with front and rear coil-spring suspensions, with an option for leaf springs. The Longhorn trucks came standard with leaf-type suspensions. All models came standard with front and rear drum brakes.
Pricing
As of 2010 a Chevrolet C10 truck can cost between $15,500 and $18,000 depending on the condition of the vehicle. On the other hand, a classic Chevrolet Custom Sport Truck with similar specifications as the C10 series can cost as much as $26,000.
References
Writer Bio
Steve Johnson is an avid and passionate writer with more than five years of experience. He's written for several industries, including health, dating and Internet marketing, as well as for various websites. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas.
