This 1966 Chevy C20 is the kind of project that looks complete until you start checking the details. It runs, but the truck is loaded with rust, fuel leaks, worn bushings, questionable driveline condition, dead gauges, hacked wiring, and a bed floor that’s basically gone. Underneath, there’s evidence of old repairs and old parts, but not much confidence in what’s still serviceable. That’s why the first step isn’t guessing or throwing parts at it. We need to identify what the truck actually is, what options it came with, what’s been changed over the years, and what condition the major systems are in now. This one has a replacement Mr. Goodwrench 350, a full-floating rear axle, and a long list of issues that will shape the build from the start. Before a truck like this gets dragged into the 21st century, you establish a baseline. Find the weak points, verify the hardware, and figure out what’s worth saving. That’s how you turn a one-dollar C20 from a decomposing farm truck into a real project.
Banks introduced a new shop project built around a severely weathered 1966 Chevy C20 purchased for just one dollar. The premise is not restoration to stock condition, but a full modernization of an otherwise hopeless truck. The team describes it as a blank canvas only in the sense that it is so rough that nearly everything is open for change. Even the joke about the purchase price has a practical edge: registering the truck cost more than buying it.
Because the truck's original configuration was unclear, the team bought an original 1965 Chevrolet brochure on eBay for $18 to identify how a 1966 C20 would have been equipped. The brochure outlined the Fleetside pickup range, including two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive versions, the latter marketed as Full Traction. Chevrolet offered the C10 half-ton, C20 three-quarter-ton, and C30 one-ton pickups with either 6.5-foot or 8-foot beds.
The brochure also highlighted several construction details that were notable for the time. Fleetside beds used double-wall bedsides for strength. Bed floors were made from select wood planking, with recessed steel skid strips covering the joints. The tailgate used anti-rattle latches to keep it snug when closed, and support chains held it level when lowered. A larger step bumper was also part of the utility-focused design.
The original chassis impressed the team more than the bodywork. Chevrolet used heavy-gauge channel side rails tied together with what the brochure called alligator-jaw crossmembers to create a rigid ladder frame. Up front, the truck had coil-spring independent suspension with low-friction spherical joints as standard equipment. In the rear, it used a two-stage progressive spring arrangement with trailing arms.
This particular C20 was also ordered with short, single-ended auxiliary leaf springs intended to control heavier payloads on rough roads. Several rear axle options were available in the model line, but the C20 came with a full-floating rear axle and could be equipped with a No-Spin differential made by Detroit Automotive Products. The team believes their truck has that locking differential because they found the original instruction manual under the seat, dated 1965. The brochure listed two possible axle ratios, 4.57 and 4.11, although the exact ratio in this truck is still unknown.
The full-floating axle itself was presented as a long-running Chevrolet truck feature. The video notes that Chevrolet first introduced the technology on its trucks in 1936, and period literature claimed the rear axle housing was 35 percent stronger. One of the standout features was the use of barrel-shaped roller bearings that were entirely self-aligning.
The brochure also helped reconstruct what the cabin would have looked like when new. Buyers could choose a standard cab with a color-keyed vinyl seat and deep foam insert, or a custom interior with vinyl-trimmed fabric, a driver's armrest, right and left door locks, chrome-plated control knobs, a cigarette lighter, a passenger sunshade, and a horn ring. Dealer-installed accessories included bumper guards, power steering, towing mirrors, and other add-ons. The team also notes that in 1966 Congress passed the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which required seat belts in cars and trucks.
Very little of that original interior remains functional. The truck originally came with an AM single-speaker radio, but it now contains a later AudioVox stereo system that no longer works. There are aftermarket turn signals, an old trailer brake controller, loose wiring, switches with no apparent function, potentiometers, dip switches, and a fuel gauge that is not connected to anything. The truck once had air conditioning, but much of that system is missing. On the dashboard, the speedometer, battery gauge, and coolant temperature gauge do not work; only the oil-pressure gauge still functions. Even the glove box is gone, leaving only an open cavity, and the upholstery is badly worn.
The truck's defining characteristic is rust. It is present in the drip rails, doors, bed, interior, exterior, and underside. The team repeatedly emphasizes that corrosion is everywhere, to the point that they are still debating whether to sandblast the truck or preserve some of its heavily weathered appearance.
The bed is one of the worst areas. Although the outer structure is described as decent, the actual wood floor is destroyed and rotted through badly enough that a person can step right through it. What remains appears to be held down with improvised hardware, including a couple of two-by-fours and some all-thread, none of which is believed to be factory. The tailgate still works properly, but nearly every surrounding component is heavily rusted.
The fuel system is another obvious problem area. The engine runs, but filling the tank causes the filler neck to leak, which leaves the cab smelling strongly of fuel. The truck also has saddle tanks on both sides, but neither appears operational. Both contain water, likely due to rust perforation or failed sealing, and each side has drains that the team plans to inspect when the tanks are removed.
Inspection underneath the truck revealed that the corrosion extends below as well. The panhard bar bushings are completely deteriorated. The rear differential is leaking gear oil, and the fluid coming out is described as extremely gritty, raising concerns about the condition of the gears inside. Although the rear suspension layout itself remains interesting from an engineering standpoint, the actual condition of the components suggests extensive wear.
The brakes are functional, but not trustworthy. During a 35-mile drive to MotorTrend in El Segundo, the right side brake became red hot and started smoking. After cooling down, it released and the truck was driven back to the shop, and it has not locked up again since, but the incident clearly indicates a serious brake issue.
The driveline is a two-piece design. At first glance it seemed to be in decent condition, but closer inspection revealed obvious looseness that the team immediately recognized as abnormal. The motor mounts appear acceptable, but the three-speed transmission leaks in several places. There is also a disconnected mechanical fuel pump that is loose and visibly damaged, with deteriorated rubber coming off by hand.
Although the truck's early life and recent years remain largely undocumented, the team found service receipts covering the period from 1985 to 2002. Those records provide a partial maintenance history and help explain some of what is currently on the truck.
In 1985, Liebsack and Sons Auto Service in Gardena, California billed $663 for work that included replacing the pinion and carrier bearings, the transmission pan gasket, and the spark plugs. In 1992, the same shop replaced the U-joints, the front shaft, and the center support, and also replaced the differential carrier assembly. That repair bill was just over $1,000.
A major change came in November 1999, when the engine was replaced. According to the paperwork, a Mr. Goodwrench 350 was installed at a cost of $1,786.76. Additional parts included a new oil filter, gaskets, thermostat, radiator bypass hose, harmonic damper, heat riser, belt, heater hose, lower radiator hose clamp, spark plugs, and fuel filter. The total came to $3,711.11 and included a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty that has long since expired.
The receipts also show that LT245/75R16 Hercules tires were installed in January 2002. Those tires are now about 19 years old in the video, which likely explains why they keep losing air. Also in January 2002, the water pump was replaced and the speedometer was checked, even though the speedometer is now completely disconnected. Another 2002 receipt from Major Muffler in Lawndale, California documents fabrication and installation of a custom dual exhaust system using 2-inch aluminized tubing, along with mufflers, clamps, hangers, and brackets, for $375.
Based on the paperwork, the truck currently runs a replacement Mr. Goodwrench 350 installed in 1999. The stated output is approximately 195 to 200 horsepower, but the team is skeptical of that figure and does not intend to accept it without testing. Their plan is to put the truck on the dyno and establish a real baseline before beginning more serious modifications.
That dyno session is positioned as the next step in the project, and the team hints that preparing the truck for testing does not go smoothly. Even so, the overall direction is clear: this one-dollar 1966 Chevy C20 will not remain stock. The truck's original engineering, unusual options, and surviving documentation make it interesting, but its rust, mechanical neglect, and improvised repairs make it an ideal candidate for a comprehensive Banks hot-rod build.