Vehicle Description
This 1951 Chevrolet 3100 pickup truck is looking for a job. Willing
to put in long hours, carry heavy loads, and look good doing it, it
can still be used as a truck. On the other hand, this is also a
nicely restored truck and these are great-driving vehicles with a
decent ride and reasonable power in addition to those timeless good
looks. Capture the best of both worlds with a hobby vehicle that
you can use as Chevrolet intended without worry, and still drive it
to the local cruise night where it'll draw a crowd.
Traditional Hunter Green is the right way to restore one of these
trucks, and this one is looks just about how it might have in the
early '50s when it was still being used regularly. It has that
no-nonsense look that makes old pickups appealing, but also carries
an accessory windshield visor, chrome bumpers, and dual taillights,
so it looks like it just got home from the dealer ready to get to
work. The Advance Design pickups are a favorite among truck
enthusiasts, and they were one of the first trucks to take into
account that just maybe all those farmers and carpenters wanted
something that was stylish and comfortable as well as durable and
versatile. Up front there's a simple painted grille with correct
off-white inserts, a pair of sturdy running boards, and all the
body panels appear to be OEM. The bed's finished with painted oak
planks, which is correct; those beautifully refinished beds aren't
how Chevy was doing it in 1951. This truck shows off its
blue-collar roots with pride, so it's nicely dressed but it doesn't
mind being a truck!
The interior covers the basics, and that's part of the truck's
charm. The bench seat will accommodate three, and we believe the
interior is mostly original, not restored. The round gauges and
steel dashboard make a handsome design that's functional, although
the speedometer is offline. Like the exterior, the interior is
fitted with a few upgrades, including an AM radio and a heater,
both of which were optional in 1951. The radio isn't working, which
isn't unusual, but it looks right up high in the dash. The
three-speed manual transmission is easy to shift and the big
steering wheel makes this truck easy to wheel around town. Seat
belts have been added for safety. It's not exactly luxurious, but
it's a great place to experience the '50s.
We believe that's the original "Thriftmaster" inline-six engine
under the hood doing its job, and if you've ever driven a vehicle
with one of these engines, you know they're smooth and torquey. The
gray paint gives it an industrial look and this one shows plenty of
signs of proper care over the years. It fires up easily and idles
well, and moves the truck easily, empty or loaded. Maintenance is
easy, and keeping these running is never a chore thanks to a
booming aftermarket. On this one, the hoses, belts, plugs, and
wires also appear to be recent, and it retains the original 6-volt
electrical system, oil bath air filter, and coil mounted on the
side of the block. It's solid underneath with no structural rust,
and it rides on a proper set of truck-like blackwall tires mounted
to the original steel rims with chrome hubcaps.
Fun hobby vehicles don't get much more practical than this, and
when they're also handy around the house, well the argument is easy
to make. Call today and give this truck a job!