Vehicle Description
The best resto-mods are the purest: they look mostly stock on the
outside, but offer modern performance and all-day comfort
underneath. This 1946 Chevrolet 3-Window Restomod pickup truck is a
perfect example of a modern restoration done tight. At first
glance, it's a beautifully restored old pickup, but under the hood
there's a 5.7L LT1 V8 engine, an automatic overdrive transmission,
and all the performance and comfort of a newer machine. Coupled
with a handsome, leather-clad A/C interior in the cab, this
all-steel vintage hauler is one of the coolest early Bowtie pickups
we've ever featured.
Although WWII was technically over in 1946, American automakers
still had pre-war cars and trucks they needed to liquidate after a
long hiatus where they were pressed into service of the war effort.
So, if you've ever wondered why trucks like this '46 model look
eerily similar to the '41-'42 models, now you know. We happen to
love that there was an extension of the AK Series model run,
because these beautiful 'Art Deco' haulers are some of the coolest
pickups ever designed. Torch Red paint is always a wonderful choice
for an old pickup, and it work exceptionally well on the 3-Window
design. We can all envision a truck just like this, which years ago
was working in a field with a denim-clad farmer tossing hay bales
into the bed. Today it has been restored to better than new
condition, with a glistening, miles-deep paint job that really pops
under our photo-booth lights. A lot of these Chevy pickups were
worked to death out on the farm, but by the looks of the
laser-straight and evenly gapped sheet metal it seems this one
lived an easy life since day one. '40s pickups have become
collector's items in their own right, combining timeless good looks
with great drivability, and this one seems to have distilled the
essence of that idea into sharper focus. The bumpers were deleted
and there's not a ton of chrome or brightwork contrasting the red
finish, but you do get a highly polished waterfall grille up front,
chrome hood trim, and those bright, flashy wheels. Out back, the
oak bed is as clean as a dance floor, with beautifully finished
wood separated by chrome slats. It looks so darn good you'll think
twice before filling it with dirt, although it's certainly still
capable of hauling half of Home Depot away with you.
Inside, the basics are a lot less basic than they were in 1946,
with fresh materials found throughout the cozy cab. Although the
goal was to make this a truck capable of cruising like a modern
vehicle, the builder didn't want to lose the flavor of a vintage
machine. So, there's a bench seat still in place - although it's
now upholstered in plush tan leather - and the original metal dash
has been painted and restored, but not overly modified. Inside the
chrome gauge panel ahead of the driver is a full set of white-faced
Dolphin gauges, including a digital/analog speedometer. A
leather-wrapped banjo three-spoke steering wheel is mounted on a
tilt column, so the driver can get comfortable behind the wheel,
and a Lokar-style floor shifter is just a short reach away. Options
include a Vintage A/C unit that was neatly installed under the
dash, power windows, and a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit that
manages the upgraded speakers tucked away in the kick panels. Plush
tan carpets replace the original rubber mats and help insulate the
cab, and the custom headliner above was bespoke-built to match the
seat.
The original six-cylinder engine and stump-pulling gears are long
gone, replaced by a rebuilt, fuel-injected 350 LT1 V8. The motor
has plenty pop, although the primary goal wasn't tire-shredding
horsepower, but rather comfortable cruising without disturbing the
character of the original vehicle. And in that regard, it is
extremely successful. The engine runs without a fuss, inhaling
through a modern fuel-injection system up top and exhaling through
a great-sounding dual exhaust system with Flo-Pro Max mufflers
underneath. The engine bay was designed to show off, with a
smoothed red firewall and matching inner fenders, plenty of
polished and chrome pieces on the block, and a big aluminum
radiator with an auxiliary fan that keeps it all nice and cool.
Managing that added power is a modern 4L60E automatic transmission
with overdrive, and it spins a durable 10-bolt rear end that
cruises effortlessly at high speeds. A TCI front suspension sets
the stance and plants the truck on the road, there are upgraded
shocks and springs throughout, and the power rack-and-pinion system
and power front disc brake system means this Chevy has great road
manners. Chrome Cragar wheels add plenty of flash and wear
staggered 275/60/15 front and 235/60/15 rear blackwall radials that
fill the fenders perfectly.
If you're attracted to an original truck but would like to have one
with a wider operating range and the comforts of a modern machine,
here you go. With only 15k miles on the build, this '46 Chevy
Restomod is ready to work for years to come. Call today!
