1966 Custom Camper, any one have one besides me?

Hey all, I am interested in finding out who else may have one of these old workhorses. I've known this truck since it was new, and I've personally only seen one other badged *Custom Camper*, but that one was in a yard and it was originally a 4-speed.
I know the production numbers were low on this option, just over 9,000 made from a total of around 500,000 built. Here's a photo.

327 4-bbl, (high-torque,solid lifters) 3-speed automatic (400 turbohydromatic, first year offered) power steering (drag-link style) power brakes (2.250 wide shoes) custom cab (alas, small back window,but with chrome trims) heavy-duty radiator, (4 pass), posi-track (4:11), deluxe heater, 4-way flashers. Non-air, but that was probably due to being built in Fremont, CA., who needs air in So.Cal? ha ha. I've done some mods to it as well, but not that you can see from the outside. Replaced the split rims for starters...I had to learn how to change a tire on them when I was a boy. One word... DANGEROUS! Its' also running on a '74 GMC frontend, with integral power steering and big disc brakes, and I swapped out the rear from the same jimmy, its' still posi but with an easier 3:73 gear.
Thanks for reading this gob, let me know what you think and we can chat it up about these ol' pinchwaists~

 

were is the custom camper badge located on your truck? if your talking about the piece that goes from the rear of the door to the back of the cab, mine has those too. mine just says custom on them thou, not custom camper. is that what your talking about?

 

Badging

No, all custom CABS will say "custom" in script on the aluminum pillar trims, I am talking about the fender badges. The '66 models moved the badge back to the fender and were rectangular, with all the wording within the border of the badge (unlike the '64) and will have a number, either
"10" for 1/2tons or "20" for 3/4t and "30" for 1ton. The one I have looks like this. Keep your eye out for them, I have seen only one other badged the same and I look all the time~!

 

yes thats true on all the badges, i guess i just havnt seen one like yours that says custom camper. ive seen ones that say camper special but those were later years. thats a cool badge you have thou.

 

I have the custom camper badge...I are these really rare?

I was thinking about getting rid of my camper side steps......I have been told I shouldn't

next to the doors on the cab...the camper side steps are on the front panel...

 

Just a shot in the dark, Renee' ... but are you saying you have some steps in the bed of your fleetside truck? Or is your truck a stepside?
I have seen aftermarket aluminum steps set into the side of the bed on some fleetside models, the idea here was to facilitate reaching into the bed to retrieve stuff... Does your truck actually have the same emblem as mine does, on the front fender, behind the wheel opening?

Anyway, I don't have the exact numbers but in round figures,
Chevrolet produced 500,000 total trucks in 1966.
They produced just over 9,000 with the "Custom Camper" package.
That means, from a strictly numerical ratio, they are pretty rare.
Hang on to those emblems/badges....they are not in reproduction.

 

The story I have on this deal with "campers" in general goes like this:
Ford produced a model intended for the booming slide-in camper craze during the mid-sixties and called it a "Camper Special", putting that script on the cab. These were 3/4 tons with some added features to make it withstand the added load of an overhead camper on it's back. Chevrolet also was getting into the scene, but had to use the "Custom Camper" designation so as not to get into a lawsuit with Ford over the use of that name. But, Ford later in the seventies decided to drop the "Camper Special" from their line and Chevy quickly picked it up and used it on many heavy duty models thru the years, thus dropping the "Custom Camper" name altogether. These have always been a limited production run, marketed to the guy who used his truck for work all week and could load up the camper and boat, wife and kids and head to the lake for a weekend of baseball and apple pie...(maybe a Falstaff or Pabst, too)
It worked on my dad, too. He had a camper on this truck for many years!

 

Great looking truck you got bobcat77!!

 

Thanks, 283man, that's debateable, I know! I'll get around to repainting and bedwood this year or next. Post some pics of your ride, man!

 

1966 Custom Camper

Bobcat77

I just wanted to let you know if you go to ChevyTalk.com and look up hilandr451 he has one like your.

 

I know what you're talking about. I own a 1961 Apache 10 and a 1966 Custom Camper. They are actually slightly tougher than a 20 series, custom campers were C-25 leading to why they're so rare !!

 

+
great info guys. Post some pics of your rides!

 

66 custom camper

hello i have a 66 custom camper ca built truck 327 turbo 400 red and white color

 

Post some pics ~ I'd love to see it~! Mine was solid white, but I'd often thought about a red/white combo. I did add the red stripe between the trims a few years ago just to see what it could be.
Great to hear from you Yelmer!

 

hello bobcat i posted some pictures in the fourm area at the time the truck was not complete . mike

 

Your truck in fantastic, Mike. Please post some more shots and show off your great work! How did you come to own this beaut? Run down the details!

 

the truck took 2 years to complete thanks mike

 

i found the truck in oregon from the second onwer with 107000 miles shipped to colorado and started the restoration it is a numbers matching truck 327 turbo 400 411 pb ps and ac. mike

 

Thats great~! You sure have a nice truck. Someday I plan on getting this one back into shape.. I guess I am sort of the original owner of my truck, except I was 7 when my dad bought it, and our initials are the same, so the title hasn't really changed.! lol... I inherited it when dad passed away back in '89 and have just sort of kept it in average running condition until this year when I sold the camper off the back of it. We used it for many years as our RV......I've ridden and driven a bunch of miles in that old truck. It's on the third time over and is showing 46k now.
Enjoy this forum and take care of your truck! Thanks,
Bob

 

Custom Camper

I am not 100% positive that I have a Custom Camper because my truck does not have the emblems on it. It does have some things that lead me that direction though and maybe the emblems were taken off at one time. It has been repainted and (needs it again). I picked this truck up a couple of months ago. Its a white lwb, custom cab, bbw, 327, TH400, factory ac, pb, 4 core radiator, overload springs, with dual auxilary tanks. Its a '66 as well. I have the original option list in the glove box. I will have to check it.