I’ve heard some pretty clever automotive paint color names, but “Mango Tango” is one of the most intriguing I’ve heard to date. And the last vehicle I expected to see it on was a square-body pickup truck.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1983 Chevrolet C10 Pickup being sold by a private party in Debary, Florida, and the auction will end Tuesday, December 3.
Aside from its vivid exterior hue, the truck has a lot of other eye-catching attributes: The build incorporated a billet grille, a black tonneau cover, and a staggered set of American Racing Torq Thrust wheels on Nitto tires. Also important is the fact that the truck has an equally compelling story to tell when it comes to features you can’t readily see – namely, the engine, transmission, suspension, and braking system. More about all that shortly.
The third generation of the C/K Series dates back to 1973 and had a lengthy lifespan in the automotive marketplace, with some variants of the truck being produced into the early 1990s. There were updates applied during that nearly-two-decade timeframe, though, and one of the facelifts took place in 1981. That was the year the truck lost about 300 pounds in curb weight – an engineering move that was driven by the 1979 energy crisis and resulting emphasis on fuel efficiency.
Marketing materials said, “Touch Chevy trucks are taking charge.” In order to back up the “toughness” claim, Chevrolet promoted features like the square body’s double-wall construction, anti-corrosion protection, and rugged girder beam suspension. Perhaps that durability is one of the reasons why today’s featured truck survived over 40 years and is still racking up miles.
Power comes from a 350ci small-block V8 with a nice list of performance enhancements: Equipment includes a 600cfm four-barrel carburetor, an aluminum intake, an MSD ignition system, an aluminum radiator, and ceramic-coated headers. The listing says that the carburetor has been replaced, and power is fed rearward through a rebuilt 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission and a 3.73-geared differential.
Square body trucks were probably not known for their road-handling manners when new, but that’s all changed with this custom build. Thanks to a RideTech sway bar and a shock/spring system, the truck is ready to be thrown a few curves.
If you’re ready to tango with a classic vehicle that will catch a lot of looks and haul plenty of cargo at the same time, consider a Mango Tango pickup. Dancing shoes are optional.
The auction for this 1983 Chevrolet C10 Pickup will end Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery