Vehicle Description
With patina being all the rage today, taking something that looks
old and filling it with fresh mechanicals is an awesome way to have
your cake and eat it, too. The bodywork on this 1950 Chevrolet 3100
5-Window pickup looks like it's been working the back 40 for
decades, but the slammed stance, updated running gear, and custom
interior all suggest that it's been working out in its spare
time.
The bodywork is original, which is to say, it hasn't been treated
to a shiny coat of paint. The combination of brown and black paint,
surface rust, chips and scratches accrued decades ago, and bare GM
steel gives it a look of great age, and if this one was out in a
field with the weeds growing around it, it wouldn't look out of
place. But that isn't to say that it looks bad, because we like the
honest look and the faded badging add to the well-worn, well-loved
attitude. Looking closely, you'll see that the 'paint' hides
nothing, but the panel gaps are good, meaning someone spent some
time intentionally making it look this way, and other than the
bumpers nothing major has been shaved, trimmed, or altered off of
the original 5-window design. Instead, you get a look that will
draw a crowd better than any restoration and a no worries finish
that means this truck can go anywhere, any time without a second
thought. There's a tiny bit of chrome left as well, with that
iconic horizontal grille and headlight surrounds up front, along
with the flashy 'Old-Style' rims on its feet, and that little bit
of contrast really takes this truck to another level. There's also
a real wood pickup bed out back, albeit with a cleverly raised
floor to clear the suspension, so you can actually use this truck
for its original purposes.
The comfortable yet basic interior has been partially restored but
not excessively modified, adding function without losing all that's
great about these trucks. The original bench seat is wrapped in
comfortable red cloth and the exposed metal floors gives it a
function-over-form look that we love. The dashboard includes
factory gauges to keep an eye on the warmed-over small block V8
under the hood, although they should all be upgraded for better
accuracy. There's a modern, wood-rimmed Grant GT steering wheel
atop a swapped-in tilt column, right where the original would have
lived, so there's a lot more room for the driver in the cab, and a
stalk for the blinkers was added as well. There's also a shifter on
that column that manages the automatic transmission below, updated
pedals down below, and stock black door panels at the sides to
match the blacked-out dashboard. You can use this one every day and
not get tired, which is surely the sign of quality workmanship.
The engine is a 305 HO V8 reportedly swapped in from a 1984 Camaro
Z/28, which is a big step up over the original Stovebolt Six that
lived there in 1950. With a Comp Cam, Holley carb, and an Edelbrock
aluminum intake it's running great, and with chrome valve covers
and a matching air cleaner up top, it has a dressed-up look that
doesn't upset its work-ready demeanor. Power steering and power
front disc brakes were added during the build, both of which came
with the modern subframe that was grafted on. A 700R4 4-speed
automatic is rugged and reliable, giving this truck the ability to
still haul some gear and cruise at high speeds on the highway, and
the 10-bolt rear end has friendly gears inside. A single Magnaflow
muffler, dual-pipe exhaust system sounds racy and it's been fitted
with a later Nova-style front end and tube-style shocks out back so
the ride is a lot less truck-like than you'd expect from something
of this vintage. Torque Thrust 'Old Style' wheels enhance any
vintage hauler and staggered 215/60/15 front and 23x12.5x15 rear
radials give it the perfect stance.
An incredible illusion or just an incredible truck? How about both?
If you want to attract attention, forget bright red paint and loud
mufflers, this patina-covered pickup is the hot ticket. Call
today!
