Chevrolet C10, Green, for sale in Charlotte, North Carolina, for $13,595.

This clean, honest 1971 Chevrolet C10 pickup offers chiseled good looks softened by a cool traditional turquoise and white paint job. Fresh off a comprehensive restoration, it presents extremely well, with straight bodywork, slick custom pinstripes, and a smooth-running small block V8. If you're looking for a way to combine work and fun, this is the answer.

The first thing you notice about this truck is the icy paint, which looks lifted directly from a 1950s palette, right down to the white roof. That ties in nicely with the custom pinstripes which are artistic, but not over-done like you see on some vehicles, as if the guy doing the work just didn't know when to quit. In this case, the pinstripes merely emphasize the C10's natural shapes, such as the raised body line that runs from the nose to the tailgate. And speaking of the tailgate, the bed has been treated to a spray-on bedliner, which is both durable and practical. Most Chevy truck fans will agree that the styling on these trucks is a slam-dunk, so there was no need to shave, French, channel, or chop anything, and the result is a machine that invites you to take a closer look.

Black vinyl is the covering of choice inside, where the original bench seat has been reupholstered and remains firm and comfortable. The dash has been painted to match the body, and pleated door panels tie it all together very nicely. The C10 offered a fairly comprehensive array of gauges, all of which are fully functional, and at some point in the past, a powerful A/C system was added under the dash. Even today, it will chill the cab until it feels like a meat locker. The simple 3-spoke steering wheel is wrapped with black leather, and an AM/FM radio has been installed front and center in the dash. Not a lot of flash, just honest, solid workmanship and elegant simplicity.

The incredibly sanitary engine bay looks virtually untouched since the restoration was completed about 5000 miles ago. Satin black is the dominant theme, keeping the OEM look and feel throughout, although no factory truck ever looked this good under the hood. A bright chrome air cleaner brightens the top end along with a pair of matching chrome valve covers. There's a cool diamond plate fan shroud up front and a ton of new components, ranging from the alternator to the entire A/C system, which now uses R134a refrigerant. Original cast iron exhaust headers dump into a new dual exhaust system that sounds great and dumps out just behind the bumper using a pair of chrome tailpipe tips. And nothing looks better on a C10 than factory Rallys, which wear fat 255/70/15 Cooper radials.

This truck represents a very mild custom makeover of a straight truck, and would be wonderful to drive and enjoy as-is, or could be the foundation of something truly spectacular. That's up to you. Call today!