1983 Chevrolet C10 Scottsdale with a 250 six and 3-speed, no reserve and bid far below squarebody sales

Why we picked it

This 1983 C10 Scottsdale Fleetside is offered without reserve on Hagerty Marketplace from West Allis, Wisconsin, and the auction ends November 17. It has the 250 cubic-inch inline-six with a column-shift 3-speed manual. It was repainted once in the factory Light Blue Metallic and has blue trim inside. The seller says the frame and floor pans are outstanding and the door jambs are very clean, and it comes with a clean Wisconsin title. The clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing have been replaced.

The bid is $4,000 with several days to go, and it will almost certainly rise. Even so, driver squarebodies with V8s have been selling between about $10,700 and $16,300, so this truck looks good value up to roughly $10,000 (20% under the comps). A solid six-cylinder short-bed or Fleetside like this is a popular starting point for a squarebody build.

The value check

The current bid is $5,000. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $10,700–$16,300, so the middle of the market is about $13,500. That put this car 63% under. Bids usually climb in the final hours, so the discount will likely shrink.

Compared price is the $4,000 current bid plus Hagerty's buyer fee (7%, $500 minimum), so $4,500. Driver-grade squarebody C10s sold on Hagerty Marketplace for $10,700 to $16,318 between late 2025 and September 2026. The current $4,000 no-reserve bid, about $4,200 with Hagerty's buyer's fee, is about 69% under the $13.5k midpoint. Bids usually climb a lot near the end.

Where the numbers come from:

• 1985 C10 Custom Deluxe 305, driver paint, sold $15,783 (Hagerty, Sep 2026)
• 1981 C10 with 454 swap, out of storage, sold $16,318 (Hagerty, Sep 2026)
• 1982 C10 Scottsdale 305, bid to $13,750, not confirmed sold (Hagerty, Apr 2026)
• 1975 C10 383 lifted driver, sold $10,700 (Hagerty, Dec 2025)

What to check

• Bids usually climb in the final hours. Set a limit and include Hagerty's buyer's fee (about 5%) plus shipping.
• The listing notes underside rust. Check the cab corners, rocker panels, the bed floor and wheel arches, and the front fender bottoms.
• The seller says it sometimes won't shift into reverse, possibly a clutch adjustment. Rule out a worn column-shift linkage or gearbox.
• It has been stored for several years. Plan on tires (they are old), brake hoses, fuel system and fluids before regular driving.
• The 26,600-mile figure is listed as true mileage unknown.

Making it drive like new

The six and 3-speed have little resale value, so the obvious path is an LS or small-block swap with a 4L60E or 5-speed, a drop spindle and coil kit, and front disc and booster upgrades. Squarebody aftermarket support is huge, from bolt-in subframes to dash and wiring kits, and the reportedly solid floors and frame keep the build budget for the drivetrain.

7 builders make a complete chassis for the 1973–87 Squarebody C10 pickup. Compare them side by side, along with what it takes to stiffen the factory frame.