Vehicle Description
Panel trucks like this 1954 Chevrolet 3800 Panel Delivery have been
functional alternatives to the pickup for decades, and who can deny
their appeal when they look this good? This Champagne on Black
Cherry panel truck has been wonderfully preserved throughout the
years and restored as needed, including a repaint 5 years ago and
mechanical rebuild/freshening to make it fun and reliable on the
road today. These panel trucks don't come on the market that often,
take a closer look...
The two-tone Dark Gray over Black Cherry suits the substantial
panel truck perfectly in our opinion and the smooth body sides are
just begging for your business's logo or even a fun made-up logo
for your home shop. It's all about attracting attention, and this
truck does it quite well. Repainted approximately 5 years ago, it
spent a lot of time being well cared for by a diligent owner (same
owner for the past 28 years to be exact) so it still looks great
with only minor signs of use, mostly up front in the usual spots.
After all, who can blame the guy for wanting to drive it? Thin
pinstripes were added around the perimeter as a line of demarcation
between the two colors, and it's exactly the right signal for the
transition; not too much but enough to make you notice. The twin
cargo doors out back almost look chopped (they're not) and the
single commercial-grade taillight is all you get out back. In
addition to the usual timeless styling, 1954 was the only year for
significant changes both inside and out on the Advanced Design GM
trucks, specifically with the introduction of the "bull-nose" front
grille and the one-piece curved windshield. The chrome grill
sparkles against the dark finish, giving it a bit of an upscale
look, as do the heavy-duty bumpers that complete the
industrial-strength look that makes these trucks such enduring
favorites.
Inside the stock theme continues, with a combination of both newer
and original components throughout. The gray vinyl split-bench up
front could easily still be the original, and despite a few
imperfections here and there, it works perfectly well with the
original dash and instruments inside. Much like the seat, the door
panels look original as well and also show their age, and while
they might be a little dated, it's a very easy and inexpensive
thing to change them and the seat cover if it's not your thing. The
factory gauges and dashboard are all original too, and even though
there's a little age on them as well, the utilitarian set-up is
perfect for this panel delivery. The rest is fairly spartan, but
the 4-speed shifter on the floor, the big steering wheel, and the
rubber mats on the floor below all serve the truck very well.
Overhead there's an original headliner still in place, and the
cargo bay is a fully carpeted on the floor and side panels, and
with no seats back there, there's plenty of room to haul just about
anything inside this big 3800.
The 235 cubic inch inline-six "Blue Flame" under the hood was
rebuilt approximately 30k miles ago, bored .040 over, and now fires
up with ease and runs superbly. It starts easily with 6 volts
running through the starter and the familiar corporate blue paint
brightens up the otherwise all black engine bay. A correct oil bath
air filter, newer hoses and wires, and other pieces make it look
correct without harming its bulletproof reputation. The 4-speed
manual transmission (with a Granny low) is believed to be original
and shifts smoothly through the gears, while the rear end was
swapped in from a 1986 Chevrolet � ton truck, so it's as heavy-duty
as they come. This big delivery actually a lot of fun to drive
while cycling through the gears and listening to the familiar
grumble of the straight six, aided by the factory replacement
exhaust. It looks quite stock underneath, right down to the solid
pans and frame rails and the 9.50/16.5 blackwall tires the rig
rides on. Trim rings and hubcaps are just the right dress-up for
the panel truck, adding a little flair without getting excessive
about it.
A neat truck with a very affordable price tag means you can start
having fun and still have some room to make it your own. Call
today!