Vehicle Description
Patina trucks are hot right now. You know, those trucks that look
like they've been used hard and put away wet, but underneath are
nicely finished and totally road-worthy, making them a kind of
sleeper as well. This 1957 Chevrolet 3100 pickup nails the patina
look, but packs a fresh small block V8, functional interior, lots
of upgrades and tons of new parts.
Nobody's going to confuse this for a show truck, but that's
entirely the point. Artfully combining the parts from several
different trucks, it definitely has that junkyard dog look that
gets attention. But when you get closer, you'll see that the
sheetmetal is actually in pretty darned nice condition with none of
the rust holes that you'd expect on a truck with a used-up look.
No, actually, someone spent a good amount of time putting it
together, with good gaps and panel alignment that shows care
instead of a disregard for quality, and that's the essence of the
patina movement: used-up looks that disguise careful craftsmanship.
Pinstripes dress it up a bit and you can tell that they were added
after the body was assembled, since they're consistent from panel
to panel and the areas that look "rusty" have been cleared so they
will always look like this and won't get any worse, no matter what
you do with it. New glass, seals, lights/lenses all around
including a pair of LED taillights, and a front bumper that looks
to have been cut off with a torch all add to the look. And you'll
note that the gas tank was smartly relocated under the bed with all
new lines. At the next car show, this truck will attract all the
attention, much to the chagrin of the guys with bright, shiny,
expensive restorations.
The interior is simple but nicely done, starting with fresh
upholstery on the original bench seat. Rubber floor mats stick to
the original vibe and the door panels continue the junkyard dog
theme. However, you'll note there are new arm rests, all new door
hardware, and more pinstripes on the dash, so you know they were
careful about what they were doing. A tilt column with a fat
three-spoke steering wheel means this Chevy was built to drive and
there are brand new Auto Meter gauges in the dash, some of the few
pieces that don't have patina all over them. There's no radio, but
a Lokar shifter manages a brand new TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission, a nice upgrade over the original PowerGlide. And
heavy-duty belts mean it's safe to cruise, too.
With just 1295 miles on the clock, the 355 cubic inch Chevy V8
under the hood is still very fresh and it runs like new. There's an
Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and aluminum intake manifold, valve
covers that have been painted for the patina look, a fresh set of
ceramic-coated headers, a new alternator, and wiring harness to
make it all run. A big radiator with new lines ensures that this
rough-looking pickup doesn't have rough-looking pickup problems and
there's a new exhaust system with glasspack-style mufflers for an
appropriate soundtrack. There's a beefy TH400 automatic
transmission and the entire front suspension was all rebuilt with
new hardware throughout. The same is true of the rearend which
received a new third member with new seals and bearings, and new
shocks holding it up. The brake system was all replaced with a new
master cylinder, new front discs and rear drums and all new lines.
The very cool wheel package includes Vintage Torque Thrusts up
front and truck-like steelies in back to complete the look and give
it a wicked stance.
We promise you won't be able to have more fun than with this truck.
It drives beautifully but looks like it just lost a fight, and
everyone's going to love it. Call now!