What’s with the Six-Figure C10s on the Block?

Irecently attended the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Prior to that, the Mecum Auction happened in Kissimmee, Florida. Both auctions were the first for the two auction companies for 2022, and a lot of trucks—C10s, square bodies and Blazers—were running across the block.

Well, the market is hot, and the money was right!! The nice trucks (and most were nice) went for the big bucks. One stellar 1969 C10 sold for $300,000 at Kissimmee, and the “re-auction” from the crowd was, why? Why is someone paying $300K for that C10?

Not to bore you with all the details, but it was an extremely nice truck. From the info online (www.mecum.com) it was a 2019 Goodguys Truck of the Year finalist among other awards, and it appeared in the C10 Builder’s Guide that same year. The owners spared no expense to build a very high level C10. Two weeks later at Barrett Scottsdale (www.barrett-jackson.com), I watched Kyle Williams’ 1968 sell for $275K. That beauty appeared in C10 Builder’s Guide back in 2018. OK, you get it.

The trucks—our trucks—are bringing big money. I know that, at times, this can be perplexing and, to some, just downright frustrating. So, with the rest of the space I have on this page, I will try and explain why these trucks are worth $300K.

• First, realize something is only worth what someone else will pay for it. So, that starts to set the new “value.”
• Second, sometimes things just don’t make sense. That is what’s great about these live auctions and our trucks. We love these classics. I assume some of these new owners grew up loving these old Chevy trucks. They might have ridden to school in one with their friends. Their uncle might have had one, and they always wanted one, too. Whatever the reason, I assume that these new buyers had some personal connections, just like you and I have with our trucks. The difference is, now they have expendable income. They can afford to spend $200K, $300K or more on an old truck that they always wanted.
• Another thing to think about is that C10s are among the “in” things right now. Classic trucks, Blazers, Broncos and Jeeps from the ’70s and ’80s are the hottest trucks going. It’s like the muscle cars were back in the ’80s and ’90s. Back then we were enjoying $5K shortbeds and $7K Blazers. Those days are pretty much over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yours and even restore it however you want it to be.

You can still find a decent project truck out there for less than $10K, and I am not talking about a complete $*&;T box either. The bottom line is that history tends to repeat itself. We are and have been in a once-in-a-lifetime “C10 Movement” with amazing trucks and even more amazing people. That doesn’t have to change. The rad trucks will still be out at the shows—and I hope you will be too.

The trucks are COOL, but the people are COOLER!