Vehicle Description
Well-preserved resto-mod with classic look and feel of the
original, upgraded and modernized for improved performance,
handling, comfort, and reliabilityDriven sparingly since frame-off
refurbishment in 2008Ruby Red over tan calfskin leatherPowered by
454 cubic-inch Corvette V-8 engine driving the rear wheels through
a TH400 three-speed automatic transmissionUpgraded to independent
front suspension and rack-and-pinion steeringFully customized
interior with aftermarket air-conditioning and wiring harness
systemCustom body-colored wheels with chrome coversThe GMC Blue
Chip Series range of trucks introduced for the 1955 model year was
an upmarket alternative to the more workaday Chevrolet Task Force,
also introduced that year. Offered in a variety of light- and
heavy-duty models, including commercial variants, they featured an
all-new appearance and more than 500 improvements over their
predecessors, with larger cabs that provided better comfort,
convenience, and visibility. A wrap-around, one-piece windshield
and A-pillars that slanted back toward the bottom lent a modern
look. While in-line six-cylinder engines remained standard, 1956
became the first year that GMC would offer a V-8 engine in its
trucks. Many models also came standard with Hydra-Matic
transmissions. In 1957, GMC offered its first, factory-built,
four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. That year,
light- and medium-duty conventional models also gained revised
front-end treatments with grilles that sloped back at the bottom
and featured horizontal bars.This GMC 100 is a well-executed
resto-mod with workmanship that shows great care in preserving the
classic look and feel of the original, while upgrading virtually
every major component to improve performance, handling, comfort,
and reliability. It is finished in Ruby Red over tan calfskin
leather and is said to have been in Arizona prior to being
relocated to Colorado, where it would undergo a frame-off
refurbishment in 2008. It changed hands again in 2013 and was moved
to Michigan, where the new owner, like the previous, is said to
have driven it sparingly.The frame was modified to incorporate a
Mustang II front end with independent suspension, sway bar, and
rack-and-pinion steering. The rear suspension was also modified
with great effort spent on creating optimal geometry for all
suspension and steering components. The engine was replaced with a
454 cubic-inch V-8 engine from an early-1970s Chevrolet Corvette,
upgraded with an Edelbrock Thunder AVS carburetor and custom
exhaust with heat-resistant ceramic coating. The engine is mated to
a rebuilt TH400 three-speed automatic transmission and a 10-bolt
Chevrolet rear end. The power steering pump is said to have been
re-valved to properly interface with the Ford rack-and-pinion
steering. The brakes have been upgraded to Classic Performance
Products hardware and feature an eight-inch, dual-chamber power
booster, and a Corvette master cylinder and valving. Custom,
body-colored wheels made by Wheelsmith in Corona, California,
feature chromed covers.The interior features an upgraded
air-conditioning system that exemplifies the extreme attention to
detail that went into every modification of this remarkable GMC
100. With a cut-off switch located under the dash, below the
period-correct radio, the air-conditioning fully integrates with
the factory slide controls and fan switches. An Ididit steering
column with tilt function, horn and turn signal, Kwik Wire harness
system, reproduction gauges, and a Glowshift 16 Pulse Speedometer
sensor adapter provide the best of new-world functionality with
old-world styling and charm.