Vehicle Description
The best resto-mods are the purest: they look stock, but offer
modern performance and comfort. This 1946 Chevrolet 3100 pickup
truck is a perfect example. At first glance, it's a nicely restored
old pickup, but under the hood there's a V8 engine, an automatic
overdrive transmission, and all the performance and comfort of a
newer machine.
Bright red paint is always a wonderful choice for an old pickup. 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. A
lot of these were worked to death, but this one seems very solid
and clean, so it was probably not a farm mule and survived its
working years completely intact. '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. Most of the chrome trim
has been retained and looks great, especially with that black trim
running along the sides of the hood and cab. The bed is beautifully
finished with a varnished wood floor that has a red stain that's
pretty darned close to the color of the bodywork, and it looks
awesome!
Inside, the basics are a little less basic than they were in 1946.
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 upholstered in
simple black vinyl, and the original metal dash has been restored,
not modified. However, inside the gauge panel you'll find the
original speedometer flanked by modern gauges, which is a neat
touch. The big three-spoke steering wheel is original equipment,
too, now vanished with a black leather wrap to give it a more
luxurious feel, and there are red accents throughout the interior
to tie it all together neatly. Carpets replace the original rubber
mats and the original under-dash heater remains, a nice nod to the
past. There's also an AM/FM radio hidden out of sight and a custom
handle on the shifter so it looks like the original 3-speed manual
but actually manages a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission.
The original six-cylinder engine and stump-pulling gears are long
gone, replaced by a rebuilt 283 cubic inch V8. However, the goal
wasn't tire-shredding horsepower, but rather comfortable cruising
without disturbing the character of the original vehicle. In that
regard, it is extremely successful. The engine runs without a fuss,
inhaling through a 4-barrel carburetor up top and exhaling through
a great-sounding dual exhaust system. There's plenty of shiny stuff
on the engine, including a stainless firewall, but you can tell
that it was built to cruise first and foremost. Up front, the
suspension is stock, which means a rigid axle, but it has been
upgraded with front disc brakes. A 1963 Nova donated its rear end
and it carries a more street-friendly set of gears so this pickup
can cruise all day at highway speeds. Chrome Cragar wheels wearing
235/60/15 blackwall radials give it a vintage hot rod look.
So 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. Call today!
