One of the more remarkable stories in today’s vintage vehicle hobby is the incredible rise of the pickup truck in terms of popularity.
One of the more popular examples of vintage light trucks is the 1972 Chevy pickup because of its timeless style that marked the end of a 6-year production run for that design.
Consequently, the 1972 Chevy truck is one of the most sought-after pickups in the hobby, even before the recent rise in vintage truck prices.
Jim Sutherland
Ken Adams is the proud owner of a 1972 Chevy Cheyenne survivor short box truck that only has 40,000 original miles (about 65,000 kms) on it. Ken bought the truck about 11 years ago and is the fourth owner of the ’72 Cheyenne.
This Cheyenne was a North Carolina pickup that was eventually sold to a long-haul trucker who brought it back to his Canadian home when he became its owner. The former owner was unable to make the Chevy truck run properly and decided to sell it to Ken.
Ken was able to correct the carburetor issue when he bought the ’72 Chevy and never looked back after the repair. For the record, his solution was to rebuild the carb.
A 1972 Chevy Cheyenne short box truck in original condition is a collector vehicle that ranks very high on the desirability scale, a fact not lost on Ken. His main goal has always been to maintain his survivor truck’s excellent original condition while making a few minor improvements along the way.
For example, Ken added a sliding rear window in the truck’s cab, along with a tonneau cover to protect the Cheyenne’s bed and give the truck a sleek look. He also replaced the booster on the pickup’s power brake system, while adding dual exhausts to make the truck’s engine breathe easier under load.
The ’72 Chevy truck still sports its original paint, and it is in amazing condition. The truck’s factory interior is also in excellent shape and shows no signs of excessive wear.
A 1972 Cheyenne was situated above the garden variety Chevy Custom or CST models on the General Motors pickup truck totem pole, so it was equipped with extra trim to justify a customer’s investment in it.
For example, the woodgrain trim in the Cheyenne’s tailgate was an extra touch not offered as a standard feature on lesser Chevy pickups in 1972. Ken’s ’72 Chevy truck still has every one of its factory trim features and he intends to keep it that way.
His truck also has its original powertrain, including its 350 cubic-inch small block engine and Turbo 350 3-speed automatic transmission. The ’72 Chevy pickup also has its factory power steering, along with its original and reliable front disc/rear drum brake system.
The net result is a highly pampered and low-mileage 1972 Chevy Cheyenne pickup truck that had a series of owners who looked after it, including its latest owner.
His truck has led a charmed life and Ken has no plans to change his Cheyenne’s good fortune.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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