'74 Crew Cab Dually 4x4

[Powerhouse Ranch]

I'm putting this in introduction because technically i'm introducing the truck, if it needs to be moved to a better section, so be it. Obviously.

The adventure of a lifetime began on the 26. My brother told me the best square you can get ahold of is a 4wd crew cab dually, and he isn't wrong. Everytime i see one i'm in awe; they're so unique, powerful and more badass and the pieces of junk new ones nowadays. In the Marketplace i have a filter set to find the "dream truck" and the other day i came across one. My brother was instantly hooked and the roadtrip was scheduled.

This mint '74 Cheyenne-Super K30 Crew Cab Dually 4x4, automatic with a 462 big block was for sale down in nothern North Carolina, us being in Western PA. My dad decides to come with us and we left Sunday morning. After about 500 killer miles we got there, diagnosed some things and bought the rig of a lifetime. Started our way back Monday morning and only made it about 50 miles before the fuel pump crapped the bed. Truck's been local for at least the past 10 years. Hasn't had a stretch like this for ages. Bit of a pipe dream thinking it would make it 500 back. Could've changed it but then what else would've happened? Bit of a wiring nightmare too. That's pretty much our luck nowadays, starting with my Jimmy. After about two hours of calling every rental or towing service, someone actually agreed to flatbed this massive piece of metal back and the price was actually really good.

After two missed turns and having to backtrack about 100 miles (FLIPPING GARMIN!!!) and almost dying about twice, we finally made it back to find the truck sitting at it's new home where it will raise hell and turn heads for yearrrrss to come.

And the trip with my brother and father was just great. Travelling God's country, going places i've never been. If i could do it again, i would. But probably give it a few years. They made me drive the whole time. And North Carolina was pretty bad. I was somehow able to sneak into a Wendy's to use their bathroom since some teenager forgot to lock the door for Covid. THANK THE LORD IT WAS OPEN.

Definitely a trip for the ages and one for the books. Totally about 1200 miles in the end. With a heck of a prize at the end!

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[AyWoSch Motors]

Damn man. Awesome story, and awesome truck. What a great find. Glad you guys had a fun journey and got back safe.
You're gonna have fun with that beast of a truck.
Dont kick the jimmy to the curb tho, hahaha.

 

[Big Chip]

Very nice! Don't forget some interior pictures though.

 

[Babs]

Beautiful truck, nice find !

 

[Powerhouse Ranch]

Damn man. Awesome story, and awesome truck. What a great find. Glad you guys had a fun journey and got back safe.
You're gonna have fun with that beast of a truck.
Dont kick the jimmy to the curb tho, hahaha.

That Jimmy is still my pride and joy bud. Wouldn't part with thati if my life depended on it

 

[Powerhouse Ranch]

Very nice! Don't forget some interior pictures though.

Don't worry, there will be plenty. Just got in late last night is all

 

[bucket]

Is it a 4x4 conversion or a cab swap?

 

[1973c10]

Welcome aboard

 

[Powerhouse Ranch]

Is it a 4x4 conversion or a cab swap?

Neither, i believe it's original

 

[bucket]

Neither, i believe it's original

There were some super rare crew cab K20's made in '75 and '76, which were single wheel of course. But there was not a K30 before '77. '73-'76 1-ton trucks were available as 2wd only.

 

[Corvette Ed]

That’s a beast,thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Powerhouse Ranch]

There were some super rare crew cab K20's made in '75 and '76, which were single wheel of course. But there was not a K30 before '77. '73-'76 1-ton trucks were available as 2wd only.

interesting, i'll have to look into it more

 

[Grit dog]

Wow! Beautiful truck! Quite the Christmas gift! That truck is like getting 4 wishes from the squarebody genie. BIG block, 4x, crew cab AND dually!

 

[Rumbledawg]

sweeet! love the crews! the "real" trucks
acquiring my crew was so similar to yours
where i live, crewys are extremely rare. only used by loggers, mining, rr's, forest service....they get used and abused, and almost never find one for sale.
i too went on a 950 mile trip for mine. couldn't get no one on short notice to go (gov auction) so i took the greyhound...never again. 8 hr trip there was 12 on the bus- stopped at every frikkin town plus a 1 1/2hr layover. did NOT like riding with a bunch of coughin, hackin', snottin' loud as hell, smelly people.
when i got there called the wifey, she says you buying or coming home. told her even if i didn't buy it, i would buy a beater or a scooter or a bicycle and ride home before i did the bus thing again.
looking back i guess i took a chance. just like you i decided to drive it home. it came from the gov, forest service, so i figured it should be fairly good mechanically. i had brought a small toolbox wit me, but the only thing it did was burn a hole in my wallet-was like 300 clams in fuel getting it home...
the things you will go thru for the truck you want

 

[bucket]

I live in Ohio and bought mine in southeast Tennessee, I too had the intentions of driving mine home. The fuel gauge didn't work, and of course I only made it about 10 miles from the lady's house before I ran out of gas. I didn't know which tank was the one that worked, so I called the lady and asked her... she said that she 'thought' is was the driver's side tank that worked. So we drove 30 minutes to the nearest gas station and filled up my 5 gallon can ( I was super happy that I brought it with me) and drove 30 minutes back to the truck. Dumped fuel in the left tank. No dice. Drove 30 min back to the gas station, filled up the can, drove 30 minutes back and put fuel in the passenger side tank. Bingo! Drove 30 minutes back to the gas station and filled up the truck. That was the only time I have EVER filled that crew cab up and nobody commented on it, but it was a weekend and not far from Tellico (still open then) so the whole area was crawling with old 4x4's. Anyway, I got back on the road and about 40 miles later, I was broke down on the side of the road. I thought the transmission or transfer case had failed. Called AAA so they could tow me to a friend's place in Greeneville TN. I told them that it was a crew cab, long bed, with a winch and big brush guard on the front, so it needed to be a very long rollback. Waited an hour for a short rollback to show up, I told the driver that it wasn't going to fit. We tried anyway... nope, didn't fit. Waited 2 more hours for another rollback. That guy showed up and we loaded up. The driver asked how to get to the destination and I said "I'm not entirely sure, but you should know since you live here". We followed that guy around for almost 4 hours as he fumbled his way to Greeneville, which my friend said should have only taken an hour or so. It had been about an 18 hour ordeal just getting from Turtletown to Greeneville. I ended up leaving the truck at my friend's house for a couple weeks, then payed a local rollback driver 500 bucks to go get the truck. I should have done that to start with.