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
3-Window pickup looks like it's been working the 'back 40' for
decades, but the slammed stance, updated running gear, performance
suspension, and shiny chrome all suggest that it's been working out
in its spare time.
The bodywork is 'patina', which is to say, it hasn't been treated
to a shiny coat of new paint in a long time but rather sports
something closer to its original color, aged by time and the sealed
forever under shiny clearcoat. The combination of brown, tan, and
black paint, surface rust, chips, and scratches accrued for decades
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, as this truck was
purposely curated for its character, and then a sizeable investment
was spent on clearcoat and new chrome and stainless to combine into
an absolutely killer look. Looking closely, you'll see that the
well-loved 'paint' hides nothing, but the panel gaps are fairly
good, meaning someone spent some time intentionally making it look
this way, and other than the rear bumper nothing major has been
shaved, trimmed, or altered off of the original 3-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. Setting the
'new-meets-old' theme starts with all that flash up front,
including a chrome horizontal-bar grille, bright headlight
surrounds, hood trim and badging, and shiny bumper below, plus you
also get bright side mirrors, door handles, taillight housings, and
those oversized alloys stuffed into the fat fenders. There's also a
real wood pickup bed out back, albeit with a cleverly raised floor
to clear the air-ride suspension, but nevertheless the original
stepside and running-board set-up of the truck is still intact and
we absolutely love the look.
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 was swapped for
an '80s-'90s model Silverado bench wrapped in comfortable tan
cloth, and the patina metal dashboard and door panels give it a
function-over-form look that we love. The dashboard includes
upgraded Dolphin gauges that keep an eye on the modern 5.3L V8
under the hood, an auxiliary gauge and controls for the air-ride
system, and even a pair of industrial-style cupholders that were
fitted to match the accent chrome on the glove box door. We love
that they left the original steering wheel and column to give the
truck an authentic feel out on the road, although it's much easier
to handle with modern power steering behind it, and that simple
black handle jutting out from the floorboard manages the upgraded
4L60E automatic transmission below. Other updates include modern
foot pedals, a remote control for the air-ride suspension to adjust
the truck's ride height, and a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/AUX stereo in the
center of the dash.
As is the tradition with many resto-mod pickup builds, this 3100
was given a new 5.3L Vortec V8 heart, which is a big step up over
the original Stovebolt Six that likely lived there in 1950. With
706 heads and all the modern components and conveniences that come
with a modern motor (including ease of accessibility and universal
service), it's running great and strong as can be, and with the
slick-black Vortec engine cover and cold-air intake system up
front, it has a dressed-up look that doesn't upset its work-ready
demeanor. Power steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes with slotted
rotors were added during the build, both of which likely came with
the modern subframe that was grafted on to work in unison with the
custom air-bagged suspension that sets the truck's wicked stance. A
4L60E 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, highway-ready
gears inside. A dual exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers sounds racy
and it's been fitted with a later Nova-style front end with a big
sway bar and tube-style shocks and a 4-link out back so the ride is
a lot less truck-like than you'd expect from something of this
vintage. 20-inch Foose wheels enhance any vintage hauler and
staggered 255/35/20 front and 275/35/20 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
flathead engines, this patina-covered restomod pickup is the hot
ticket. Call today!
