Hidden away in the Pocono Mountains is one of the largest collections of unique vehicles in all the hobby. Just one example from that collection is this stunning turquoise 1966 Chevrolet C-10 Suburban Carryall. After all, when was the last time you saw one of these classic Suburbans, let alone an example in like-new condition?
Wilber Shaner is the car handler for a vehicle collector who’s collection includes the Eagles Mere Auto Museum in Laporte, Pa., and Shaner is the go-to guy for a glimpse inside the collector’s private stash. At last count, Shaner estimated there were at least 400 vehicles in the collection, “and we’re still adding to the inventory,” he said.
The fifth-generation (1960-’66) Suburban was introduced by Chevrolet and made available to the public late in 1959 for the 1960 model year. The fifth generation came to an end after the 1966 model year, when the company introduced a new design for all of its trucks for the 1967 model year.
By the mid 1960s, America’s suburban culture was firmly in place as the national population approached 200 million people. Cultural changes were happening in all areas, from a growing counterculture among young Baby Boomers to new technologies, such as artificial turf for sports fields. AstroTurf was installed for the first time in 1966, at the Houston Astrodome, ushering in an era of sports domes built not in urban centers, but the suburbs. It was also the year that “Star Trek” debuted on television.
Already in production for more than 30 years, the Chevrolet Suburban for 1966 was in its final year of a design generation that brought greater passenger comfort, amenities and safety features. However, the Suburban of the 1960s was still not the luxury-laden people carriers of today that have flip-down video screens, individual leather bucket seats at front and rear and separate climate controls for front and rear-seat passengers — in fact, a deluxe heater was still a $53 option in 1966.
The 1966 Suburban Carryall was offered on Chevrolet’s half-ton truck chassis, with two- or four-wheel drive, but it was still used primarily as a crew hauler, and fewer than 1,000 of the approximately 13,000 examples sold that year were ordered with four-wheel drive.
Power for the ’66 Suburban came in either inline-six or V-8 forms, with the standard 250-cid six-cylinder a more modern descendant of the “Stove Bolt” six that was offered in the Suburban when it was introduced for the 1935 model year.
The Chevrolet Suburban became renowned for its durability, and over the years, it cultivated a loyal following among truck customers, especially in Texas. In the Lone Star state, the Suburban is sometimes referred to as a “Texas Cadillac,” and in 1986, Texas Monthly published a story in which it said the Suburban was the “national car of Texas” and was “the most Texan vehicle there is…It’s big, it’s strong, it’s fun, it doesn’t put on airs, but it doesn’t keep you from putting on a few.”
An increasing call for greater safety in passenger vehicles during the 1960s saw the inclusion of safety belts, back-up lamps and dual-speed windshield wipers as standard equipment in the fifth-generation Suburban Carryall. New safety equipment would be included in the next-generation model for 1967.
After more than 30 years on the market by 1966, the Suburban remained a utilitarian transporter with room for many passengers and their cargo with the added bonus of excellent towing capability. It was a combination that more and more “civilian” customers were finding enticing to support their leisure activities, such as boating, camping and auto racing.
When GMC and Chevrolet introduced their all-new lineups of light-duty trucks for the 1960 model year, the redesigned trucks had a lower stance than the prior model and rode on an enhanced chassis and suspension system that provide improved ride comfort. The Chevrolet truck lineup continued to evolve with styling enhancements for 1962, particularly to the grille area, and further front suspension and frame changes were introduced under the 1963 models. The 1964 trucks received a fresh windshield design, and sloping A-pillars replaced the dated wraparound glass.
Like the other Chevrolet light-duty trucks, the Suburban Carryall entered 1966 with few obvious changes. The exterior received redesigned and relocated side fender badges. It was under the hood where performance improvements came into play. The old 230-cid inline six-cylinder engine was stroked to create the new standard 250-cid unit. It was factory rated at 155 hp, an increase of nearly 10 percent over the earlier 140-hp, 230-cid version.
Chevrolet offered three engine options for the 1966 model year. A 292-cid inline six produced 170 hp. It was joined by two V-8s, the familiar 283 cid returned with its 175 hp, and a newly designed 327 cid with 220 hp was added to the lineup.
The standard transmission was a three-speed manual. A wide-ratio three speed and a four speed were optional for both sixes and the 283-cid V-8. All four engine offerings for the 1966 C-10 Suburban Carryall could be paired up with the optional Powerglide automatic transmission.
The Suburban Carryall shared its 115-inch wheelbase with the short-bed pickups and used the same basic body as the panel truck, but with the addition of rear seats and more side windows. Suburban buyers were given the choice of a pair of side-hinged, panel-style rear doors or a horizontally split end-gate. The latter included a flip-up rear window and a drop-down tailgate.
The Suburban Carryall interior featured two-row seating for six passengers as standard equipment with an optional third two-passenger seat to accommodate eight passengers. In all Suburbans, the right one-third of the front bench seat folded forward to provide passenger access to the rear-seat compartment area since there were not yet rear side doors.
Chevrolet offered three distinct Custom packages for the Suburban Carryall. The Custom Appearance Option added bright-metal accents, including a windshield molding, an anodized aluminum grille and side beltline moldings. It also added a chrome horn ring on the steering wheel, chrome-trimmed instrument panel control knobs and accents of off-white paint on the interior door and side panels.
The Custom Chrome Option added chrome-plated bumpers and hubcaps.
The Custom Comfort Option additionally provided a padded armrest on the driver-side door, a second sunshade (visor), a chrome-plated cigarette lighter and a key lock on the passenger-side door. Special nylon-and-vinyl seat trim with additional seat cushioning was included, too.
The featured 1966 Chevrolet C-10 Suburban was factory produced with the Custom Comfort Option and as such, has the features of all three Custom option packages.
The Eagles Mere Auto Museum added the 1966 Chevrolet C-10 Suburban Carryall to its collection several years ago after purchasing it from a private collector. One of the prior owners went through the process of restoring the truck to its factory original specifications, but the engine was left untouched and in its original condition.
After following the Suburban from the museum to the photo-shoot location and hearing its engine run, it was easy to understand why the Suburban’s original 250-cid straight six didn’t require a rebuild. It ran quietly, didn’t emit blue smoke and went through the gears effortlessly while powering the truck along the roads of Laporte.
As good as it looks and runs today, this truck will long be an example of a rarely seen but popular Chevrolet truck model.
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