1968 Chevy C10 With What The Seller Says Is An Original 396 Big Block Is Listed For $12,000, But It Needs Floors, Rockers And A Complete Bed

Somebody in northern New Jersey has a 1968 Chevrolet C10 short bed in Tuxedo Black, and the seller says the big block under the hood is the real deal. The price is $12,000, and the ad says the truck turns the engine over by hand.

An old rusty blue vintage pickup truck sits in overgrown grass, much like a project C10 that needs floors and rockers.

Before anyone gets too excited, there is a catch, and the seller lays it out plainly. The truck needs floors, rockers, cab corners and a complete bed.

Seller Says The 396 Under The Hood Is An Original XE-Code Engine

According to the Craigslist listing, the truck carries a factory 396 cubic-inch V8. The seller describes it as an original XE-code engine and says it “turns by hand,” which usually means the motor is not seized.

That matters, because a 396 was not the typical engine in a pickup. Most C10s of the era left the factory with a six-cylinder or a small-block V8, so a big block in a half-ton truck is the kind of thing collectors look at twice.

Three On The Floor, A 12-Bolt Rear And A Truck With Almost No Frills

Power goes through a 3-speed manual transmission with a floor-mounted shifter. The seller notes the shifter was moved from the column to the floor, and says the gearbox is a Saginaw rather than the heavy-duty Borg-Warner the truck should have had.

Out back is an LL-code 12-bolt rear end with 3.07 gears. That is a tough, well-regarded axle, and the gearing points to a truck built for easy highway cruising rather than drag-strip launches.

The listing says the truck came from the factory without power steering, power brakes or air conditioning. Anyone who has driven a big-block truck with manual brakes and manual steering knows that is a workout, so buyers should plan accordingly.

Red Buddy Bucket Seats Hint At The Truck It Used To Be

This is a C10 CST, the upscale trim package of the day. The seller describes a red interior with Buddy Bucket seats, gauges and chrome pedals, and calls the interior complete.

The seller also says the S.P.I.D. label, the factory sticker that records a truck’s original options, confirms the CST package and the other equipment. A clear New Jersey title is said to match the VIN, which is exactly the paperwork a restorer wants to see.

The listing shows 80,000 miles. It was posted on November 8, 2026.

The Bed Is Wrong, The Floors Are Tired And The Rockers Need Replacing

Here is where the $12,000 price starts to make sense. The seller says the truck is currently wearing a stepside bed that is an incorrect 1966 bed, so a correct short bed is needed to finish the job.

The ad also describes a truck that needs full restoration after sitting for years. The frame is described as solid, which is good news, but the rockers, floors, cab corners and bed all need to be replaced.

Those are the panels that rust first on a truck of this age, and they are not small jobs. Replacement floors, rocker panels and cab corners all take real time on the welding table, and a complete bed is a big-ticket item on its own.

Cash Only, Local Pickup And A Seller Who Wants A Phone Call

The seller says the sale is cash only with local pickup, and asks buyers to call or text. The listing gives the truck’s location as Hampton Township, New Jersey.

That is a fairly standard way to sell a project, and it puts the burden on the buyer to show up with a trailer and a plan. Nobody should send money for a truck they have not seen.

How To Decide If A Big-Block Project Truck Is Worth It

A truck like this can be a smart buy or an expensive lesson, and the difference usually comes down to homework. Here is how to approach it.

First, add up the whole bill, not just the asking price. Floors, rockers, cab corners and a bed come before paint, chrome, glass and the hundred small parts that go missing on any long-parked truck.

Second, check the paperwork against the metal. Look at the VIN on the dash and the cab, compare it to the title, and ask to see the S.P.I.D. label for yourself. The seller’s claims about an original engine and factory options are exactly the sort of thing a serious buyer should confirm in person, ideally with someone who knows these trucks.

Third, remember that originality is a big part of the value. A seller’s say-so about an XE-code engine is a starting point, and a casting number and date code check will tell you more than any ad. A truck with the correct bed and drivetrain is worth more than one that has been patched together from spare parts.

Fourth, think about what you want out of it. If you want a weekend driver, a rust-free truck with a small-block may serve you better for the same money. If you want a big-block classic and enjoy the restoration itself, a solid frame and a running-condition engine are the two hardest parts already taken care of.

Finally, bring a flashlight, a magnet and a friend. Walk the whole truck, press on the floors from above, look at the cab mounts from below, and ask the seller anything that does not add up. A good seller will not mind, and a good project truck will still be there after you have asked.

At $12,000, this C10 is the kind of truck that gets a lot of attention from the old-truck crowd. Whether it turns into a proud rebuild or a long-term garage fixture will depend on how much work the next owner is ready to take on.

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