A stylish 1966 Chevy ½-ton truck caught our attention at a car show because it was clearly a notch above a stock version.
Owner Faron Hermanson had a long but interrupted history with “Old Billy”, the ‘66 Chevy pickup in question.
For the record, Old Billy was named after a guy formerly associated with the pickup.
Jim Sutherland
Faron told MyStarCollectorCar that he initially bought Old Billy over 40 years ago and restored it before “life got in the way”, in his words. Circumstances forced Faron to sell his ‘66 C-10 in 1986, and he moved on with his life, but he never forgot about Old Billy.
However, things went Faron’s way 13 years later, and he was able to buy back Old Billy and bring the old pickup back into his life. The years had not been kind to the ‘66 Chevy, and it was “in terrible shape”, according to Faron.
Faron was disappointed to see his old pickup truck in poor condition but decided to make it better than ever.
He was aware a 60-year-old barebones pickup was built for hard work and “you didn’t take your girlfriend out in it on a Friday night” quipped Faron, but he wanted to bring out the best in Old Billy.
Faron liked the truck’s style–and even its long box because he believes the truck looked best as a long box. Additionally, Faron likes its small rear window even though most car guys lean toward what he called the “big back window” choice with the 1966 Chevy C-10. It would be fair to say that Faron blazes his own path in life, including his taste in old Chevy C-10 pickup styles.
As mentioned earlier, Faron’s ‘66 C-10 was a barebones truck with an anemic factory 6-banger coupled to a three-on-the-tree manual transmission, the cheapest powertrain available in the Chevy truck world 60 years ago.
Faron wanted to change the power game, so he installed a 327 Chevy small block because of its close resemblance to GM’s famous 283 engine, a V-8 option available in 1966 Chevy trucks, but not common because so many C-10s came with six cylinders during that time period.
Faron also considered his options for a transmission choice before he settled on a 2-speed Powerglide automatic tranny to handle the vintage Chevy small block. The new powertrain combination “goes down the road just fine”, in Faron’s assessment.
Other mechanical upgrades include a Square Body front suspension, brakes and steering swap to provide power steering, power brakes, and even aftermarket ac on the list of creature comforts. The ‘66 Chevy truck also has a solid stereo system and 2005 Silverado seat for an even more comfortable cabin environment.
The truck’s exterior has undergone some subtle upgrades including removal of its truck bed stake holes and hidden access to its dual gas tanks. Perhaps the coolest alteration is the tailgate because it now opens like a car door with hidden hardware for its latch and hinges.
The net result is a very cool transformation for Old Billy.
Now this 1966 Chevy is a road warrior that takes Faron to any destination, including car shows several hundred miles from his home. It’s been a great reunion for Old Billy and Faron.
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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