Vehicle Description
You can sum up this 1955 Chevrolet 3100 3-Window pickup in just one
word: BRILLIANT. Glowing, miles-deep, lustrous Royal Crimson paint
with hints of metallic and pearlescence inside, deleted bumpers and
a custom-finished bed, a luxurious leather and A/C interior, and a
thumping 350 Ram Jet V8 crate motor under the hood give this hauler
the all the right credentials. Based on looks alone, it easily
qualifies as one of the slickest trucks we've featured at
Streetside in years, but it's also got all the right performance
hardware to back it up.
The first half of 1955 was the last hurrah of the uber-popular
Advance-Design pickups (aka known as the 1955 First Series), and
they signaled the end of a design era that catapulted Chevrolet to
the top of the American carmaker landscape. Although still a
utilitarian pickup, GM knew the market wanted a more civilized
machine, and the First Series trucks were the first step toward the
complete overhaul resulting in the Task Force trucks that came
along in the latter half of the year. As a result, customs like
this look especially smooth, thanks to their curvaceous fenders,
iconic grille, and long hood. This build obviously took some
liberties with the original look - including a slightly chopped
roof, deleted bumpers fore and aft, and a color-matched bed-top in
the back - but they aren't so radical that the original 3100 design
is completely forgotten. Other cool tricks include frenched
antennae, late-model side mirrors, and shaved door handles, and all
the custom paint and bodywork was done to a very high standard - to
the tune of $35K in labor alone. Getting attention has never been
difficult for Chevy's Advanced-Design trucks, but the gleaming
Royal Crimson paint on this 3-Window will have folks stopping in
their tracks. Painted just a year-and-a-half ago, the vibrant dark
cherry/burgundy shade was borrowed from the 2018 Ford Mustang color
chart and looks so fresh that you'll be tempted to touch it to see
if it's still wet. It was finished to a top-end, driver-quality
standard that most would consider show-ready, with an incredible
depth of clarity, consistent uniformity, and an amazing shine from
the deep layers of clearcoat that almost make you avert your eyes
under direct sunlight. It's not perfect, but you really have to
strain hard to find any minor imperfections worth complaining
about. Other than the chrome grille and headlight surrounds, all
the original trim and badging was removed, replaced with modern
CHEVROLET block letters on the hood and tailgate. Out back, the
rear bumper was swapped out for an LED-imbedded roll pan, and the
tailgate and bed cover above it was smoothed and painted to match
the body. Inside that bed you'll find everything was finished to
maximum standards as well, with a heavy-duty mat protecting the
floor, blacked-out walls and fenders, and a relocated gas tank with
a flush-mounted fuel cap.
Things get even better inside, where a pair of late-model bucket
seats (out of a Dodge Dakota) wrapped in custom leather hides and a
custom center console take the place of the original bench this
truck was likely born with. There's more of that, soft tan leather
on the flanking door panels and intricately wrapped custom dash,
and even the kick panels were upholstered for a finished look.
Plush black carpets contrast the light hides perfectly and were a
practical addition to keep things looking clean inside, while the
tan headliner continues behind the seats, wrapping the entire cabin
in upscale leather. The dash was completely reworked and punctuated
with gorgeous woodgrain trim that also adorns the center console,
dash grab bar, and the rim of the sporty tilt steering wheel at the
helm of the cockpit. Beyond that wheel is a full complement of
AutoMeter dials that keep an eye on the engine, along with a row of
accessory dials/switches, and controls for the Vintage Air A/C
system. That aforementioned dash houses A/C vents, cup holders, and
a Lokar-style shifter that manages the 700R4 automatic below. LED
interior lighting, seatbelts, a billet tilt steering column, power
windows, and remote door poppers round out the options list, and
even the pedal were upgraded to super-cool aftermarket units.
Nothing was overlooked inside, and the result is an awesome cabin
you're going to want to spend a ton of time in.
The engine is a powerful GM Performance Parts 350 Ram Jet V8 crate
motor that's been barely broken in since it was purchased for $7k
directly from a GM dealer, and it performs beautifully in this
truck with plenty of horsepower and torque on tap whenever needed.
Additions include electronic fuel injection, a performance cold-air
intake, long-tube headers, a March serpentine belt system, a big
aluminum radiator and electric fan, and, of course, the polished
valve covers, bright accessories, and steel-braided lines that all
help add nice pop to the satin-black engine bay. Backed by a 700R4
4-speed automatic transmission with an 1800-2000 stall torque
convertor and a 10-bolt rear with cruiser-friendly gears inside,
it's a superlative highway runner that's still punchy around town.
Up front there's an independent suspension with upgraded shocks,
coils, and power rack-and-pinion steering, there's a set of
heavy-duty air shocks out back, and with power front disc brakes
with drilled-and-slotted rotors the truck stops on a dime. A custom
X-pipe dual exhaust system with throaty QuickTime Performance
mufflers and electric cut-outs sounds downright erotic, and the
entire undercarriage is very nicely presented with new components
found throughout. That lowered stance is just about perfect, with a
lot of the credit going to the chrome US Mags and fender-filling
BFGoodrich rubber around them.
Smooth, powerful, fast, and loaded with creature comforts, this is
the vintage truck you'll want for your next long-distance haul.
Give us a call today!
