Chevrolet C20 Crew Cab Conversion Is Truly One-of-a-Kind
Chevrolet C20 Crew Cab conversion is a rare and interesting classic, but that doesn’t make it valuable.
These days, Crew Cab pickups are the primary choice of the vast majority of truck buyers. But it wasn’t always that way, of course. Decades ago, regular cab pickups reigned supreme, and any other configuration either wasn’t available, available in scant quantities, or required an aftermarket conversion company to make happen. The latter applies to this interesting 1972 Chevrolet C20 that recently sold for pennies on the dollar at a Hemmings auction.
Yes, this classic Chevrolet C20 started life as a regular cab model, but after leaving the assembly line, it was promptly shipped to Scott-BILT in Oklahoma City for a Crew Cab conversion. There, a whopping 42 inches was added to the cab to make room for a full-size set of rear doors. What sticks out the most, however, are those triangular-shaped B-pillars, which are apparently necessary due to the fact that the conversion has to use front doors – with their steep front rake – as rear doors.
Other body modifications required to make this extra-long C20 include an 11-inch extension for the floor, custom fabricated hinge pillars, and a roof extension made from 18 gauge steel. These modifications oftentimes led to rust issues, and this one has some rot in the drip edges and bottoms of the doors. But the truck was repainted around 7 years ago, so it still looks pretty good.
The benefits of all of that work show up inside the cabin, where a full-size rear bench provides room for two or three more occupants. They’ll also enjoy tremendous legroom, too. But we imagine that maneuvering this long bed, Crew Cab C20 takes a bit of work, though it should be solid in the ride department thanks to a boxed and fishplated frame.
Under the hood lies Chevy’s trusty 350 V8, though the seller doesn’t know if it’s the original powerplant or not, nor if it’s ever been rebuilt. It’s connected to a TH350 automatic transmission, which sends power (way) back to the rear wheels.
This classic Chevrolet C20 Crew Cab conversion is no doubt an interesting piece, and though no one really knows how many were built, it’s also quite rare. But those attributes don’t seem to have endeared it to collectors, because this relatively nice example only sold for a hair over $10k. But at that price, we imagine that it could be a sound investment, and certainly an awesome conversation piece to boot.
Photos: Hemmings
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