In the gray, cold wet days of winter, my thoughts naturally go back to last summer, which was the best one in many years. Not only was the weather superb, but we took full advantage of it, getting in more hiking and van trips than ever. On one such trip, we found ourselves in the tall pines at Camp Sherman, on the banks of the sublime Metolius River. And there in a parking lot, I found a ’63 Chevy pickup with a very woodsy homebuilt camper.
Yes, it’s a ’63, as these are easier to date than the ’64-’66. It was the last year for the wrap-around windshield and the first year for this grille. More importantly, under the otherwise familiar body there were big changes to its frame, suspension and drive train. In 1963, Chevy trucks ditched the independent torsion bar suspension and went with a conventional coils spring setup. The frame was a new ladder type, without center X elements and fewer curves, and the venerable 235 “Stovebolt” six was finally retired for the new 230 cubic inch six, along with the 292 inch version optional. The 283 V8, rated at 175 hp was also available. The 292 six was the better choice than the 283, as it had more torque and at lower engine speed.
This one has the standard three-speed manual, which was of course still the most popular choice for pickups then. A four speed with a “granny low” or Powerglide was optional.
The camper has a gypsy vardo style to it, something that was appropriated by the hippies way back.
I can’t help but wonder how old this camper is. I suspect it goes back a few decades, at least. The age of the truck only supports that theory.
The entry way.
And vintage wood windows.
Looks like it’s gotten a fresh coat of varnish not too long ago. I suspect this rig spends our wet winters under a roof, otherwise it would not have aged so well.
The Oregon Country Fair passes are to be expected in a rig like this. The oldest one is from 1992. That’s 27 years ago. Which rather confirms my rough guess as to its age.
Naturally my attention would be drawn to a ’60s vintage yellow half-ton pickup, so the camper was a bonus. And naturally my thoughts go to imagining an alternate history where I would have built a homemade camper like this for my old yellow truck.
Is the camper constructed of plywood veneer? Remarkable combination of materials and attention to detail.
I don’t think I see a gas pedal-just the shaft that the top of the pedal would rest against. And the rubber pads that would cover the clutch and brake pedal are long gone. This camper has been places.
Cool find and very nice pics! You are blessed to live in a region where conformity has not strangled creativity, sense of independence, or the variety in your automotive landscape. 🙂
Very neat. Is it only me, or does anyone else get a strong whiff of that distinctive scent in the cab interior shot? Kind of like old VWs, these old trucks have a distinct olfactory character.
Absolutely love the gypsy caravan topper. Beautiful handiwork, right down (up?) to the stretched leather roof, by appearances.
Oh, man, that just screams “Oregon!” in the best way. It’s like if McMenamin’s were to design camper tops. Great find!
It just now occurs to me how Ford ditched the wraparound windshield in trucks a full three years ahead of Chevrolet. As did Dodge. I had never noticed Chevy’s lag on this feature before right now. Was there ever a major styling trend with a shorter life?
What a cool find. There is something about that truck and camper that just resonates with me. I am not sure if it’s just my perception, but it seems the survival rate of the ’63-66 Chevrolet trucks is much higher than the ’60-’62s. I know that the ’60-’62s with their torsion bar suspension have some hard to find and expensive suspension parts compared to the later models. I wonder if this resulted in many of them going to the wrecking yard early.
I don’t have any production numbers, but suspect that fewer ’60-’62’s were sold due to the economic recession at the time. It may have taken a generally conservative truck customer a while to trust the IFS and coil spring rear suspension, vs leaf springs all around on the Ford and Dodge. Also, the 230/250/292 sixes were probably longer lasting than the 235’s.
I have the production numbers and the 60-62 Chevrolet trucks sold well, and significantly outsold the Fords of the same era. That said, the numbers did ramp up as the sixties progressed, with the ’66 being the best selling year, but this was the same for Ford too.
When I was writing the article on these trucks a while ago (https://wp.me/p1maKU-17mL), I recall that several sites dedicated to these trucks talked about how parts were more difficult to find and expensive for the early torsion bar trucks. This along with the fact that these early 60’s trucks seem much more rare lead me to my above comment. The lower production numbers of the early trucks is surely a factor, but it’s my opinion there are other factors at play.
Nice details on the camper I like it, so thats when the 292 six surfaced I did wonder popular OEM fitment on towed orchard sprayers around Shepparton Victoria but they suck fuel pretty bad, PTO powered sprayers arent the answer as the HP required comes with too much tractor to fit down rows of trees so the Chevys soldier on.
I love funky old hand built campers like this. I would be concerned that the glass in the old house windows and door would crack if the structure flexed too much. Obviously this structure was well built since it has survived in such good shape so long.
Oh, nobody mentioned the obligatory plank of wood front bumper!
” was born in the wagon of a travellin’ show
My mama used to dance for the money they’d throw
Papa would do whatever he could
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of doctor good
Gypsy’s, tramps, and thieves…”
+1. Same thought ran through my mind.
The torsion bar IFS did not disappear forever, but only went on a long hiatus to reappear on the K series GMT400 4×4’s starting in ’88.
Really the quintessential Curbside, in one way.
A piece of ephemera, here from a more exuberant burst of time past, seen unexpectedly intact, and in apparent use.
Reverie over, you can’t, as they say, go back.
To wit, it’s probably a good thing you didn’t open the door, as nearly 30 or maybe even 50 years of collected & embedded odour from alternative hygiene options may just have swiftly taken you not back but to your end.
Paul,
While the wraparound windshield, dash and coil-spring undercarriage pin this truck as a ’63. that grill had to have been transplanted from a ’64-’66.
The ’63 grill had single headlights in round bezels, a large eggcrate upper section and one thick bar at the bottom with “Chevrolet” stamped into it.
Although a Google photo search shows many ’63s with the later grill – and in a few cases, earlier grills switched into them.
http://bit.ly/31H8GRi
In the early ’80s, an old college friend we called Cowboy Joe owned a ’63 3/4 ton with the 230-6 and a granny gear 4-speed. It had been his calling card and we’d hang out together as I was driving my ’57 Chevy 2-door sedan at the same time.