Jim Berry was a young mechanic at the starting line of a career in the trade when he was given the task of a pre-delivery inspection of a 1971 Chevrolet Cheyenne short box truck at a GM dealership.
It was love at first sight for Jim when he saw the stylish pickup and he vowed to own one some day.
His modest salary at the time meant some day was not about to happen in the near future for him, but Jim never gave up hope that one day he would own a 1971 Chevy Cheyenne short box pickup.
Jim Sutherland
Jim’s search for the perfect pickup lasted for 35 years until he discovered a 1971 Cheyenne short box in Illinois and set his sights on becoming only the second owner of the pickup. The original owner was an older woman who decided to sell the truck because her health was failing, and she wanted her truck to go to the right person.
Negotiations were done the old-fashioned way via telephone conversations with the first owner’s son and eventually they reached a deal. Jim told the woman she was welcome to visit him and go for a ride in her truck at any point in the future and added that he established a good rapport with her son during the negotiations.
Jim lives about 2000 miles away from Illinois in western Canada, so he had to reply upon his ability to read people and concluded the former owner and her son were trustworthy. He was correct and got the truck of his dreams after 35 years.
The ’71 Chevy Cheyenne left the factory with many options, including power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, tilt steering column, and air conditioning. The truck also has its factory 400 cubic-inch big block engine, a number that is light by 2 cubic inches, according to Jim.
Jim attributed the 400 cubic-inch designation to early 1970s US auto legislation that penalized any domestic builder who went above the 400 level.
He didn’t want to tinker with his truck too much but decided to add a 700 R-4 automatic transmission with overdrive to drop the RPMs down on the highway. The result is a 55-year-old pickup that is comfortable between 70 and 80 mph (roughly 115-130K) on the highway, according to Jim. Nevertheless, Jim told MyStarCollectorCar his Chevy’s big block engine “likes its fuel”, in his words.
There are a few unique additions to the truck, including his custom tool storage unit that Jim built out of a whiskey keg. He added a racehorse shoe linked to his grandfather, an adventurous man who moved from the southern US to western Canada during his younger years.
Another personal touch is Jim’s custom-built console in the truck, complete with a hidden stereo unit and cupholders.
The main change on the Chevy Cheyenne’s exterior is his choice of rally wheels for a sportier retro look on the truck. Jim’s wheels are 2 inches wider on the back to give the ’71 Chevy truck a performance vibe.
There is no doubt Jim’s story has a very happy ending for car guys. Congratulations on a successful mission to find his dream truck.
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.
- CLICK HERE to Sign Up for the Newsletter
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest
