2003 Chevrolet SSR

Description

If you're a fan of Chevy's SSR roadster pickup, you already know that nothing attracts a crowd better than these new/old pickups. While there are a lot of them with miniscule mileage and big price tags, this 2003 SSR shows a rather modest 42,012 original miles, and as a result, it is quite reasonably priced and ready to enjoy.

One could argue that the world didn't need a muscle car with a bed and a folding hardtop, but few cars can draw a crowd like this SSR. A lot of folks don't know what it is and even those who do inevitably do a double-take when they see one going down the street simply because it's so outrageous. Of course, the deeply flared fenders (which required all-new technology to create), the subtly retro nose, and the dance of the hardtop, which folds neatly behind the cab, all contribute to its eyeball-attracting good looks. Most of these are kept in protected storage except for sunny day driving, and this one is no exception, showing few signs of use. Bright red is absolutely the right color, capturing the fun of a vintage pickup truck and a high-impact look that means it'll always be the center of attention. The only custom details are gold-painted bowtie emblems fore and aft, a nod to the past that looks exactly right here. Pop the tonneau cover and you'll find a custom bed liner with black carpets and wood rub strips that look almost too nice to ever use for cargo.

The SSR delivers a full-luxury interior that's a far cry from the basic pickups that inspired it. Twin black leather buckets, a color-matched center console, and every comfort and convenience feature GM could dream up went inside. There's also lots of chrome, ranging from the steering wheel spokes to the knobs on the dash to the shifter for the 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Big, round gauges are easy to read and look racy, and the steering wheel offers a slightly retro look with controls for the radio built into the spokes. Other features include power windows and locks, A/C, cruise control, power seats, and a tilt steering column. And, of course, there's that remarkable folding hardtop that not only seals up like a closed car, but completely disappears behind the cab in a matter of seconds. If you want to attract a crowd, it takes nothing more than hitting the button in a parking lot.

The key to the SSR's performance is a 5.3-liter V8 borrowed from the truck lineup. As an LS1-based powerplant, it's insanely easy to modify, but this one appears to be quite stock, so reliability and drivability is OEM. There are a ton of bolt-on mods for these trucks, but remarkably this one remains completely stock, which suggests an easy life with a caring owner. Turn the key and it starts, the idle is smooth, and it hums around town like a Camaro with a bed. The automatic transmission makes it very user-friendly, and with powerful 4-wheel disc brakes and a suspension built more for handling than hauling, you'll never get tired of driving this truck. Flashy wheels were part of the package, with oversized alloys required to fill those big flared fenders. As a result, it wears giant 245/40/19 front and 255/45/20 rear performance radials.

If there's a collectable late-model Chevy, this is it. It's fast, it's fun, and name another V8-powered 2-seater with this much trunk space. Call today!