1950 Chevrolet 3100

Description

You already know that the Advance Design pickups are some of the best-looking haulers ever built, and when they're as smooth, sleek, and downright gorgeous as this 1950 Chevrolet 3100 5-window, it's easy to fall in love. This one also offers all the modern amenities, of course, yet keeps its ability to work for a living, making it the ultimate way to have your cake and eat it, too.

We're so used to seeing these trucks in Hunter Green or bright red that the deep metallic purple seen here looks downright amazing. That's not by accident, either, because there are a ton of hours tied up in the bodywork. At first, all you notice is the color, which is deep and luxurious-looking, but when you get up close, you'll notice that there's a lot more going on. Notice the louvers on the hood, which came from an '80s Camaro IROC-Z. Some, but not all, of the original trim has been shaved, particularly the nose emblem, and the stuff that remains has been restored and shines up beautifully. There's a custom rear roll pan with neatly integrated taillights and the bed itself is full of beautifully finished timber with bright stainless rub strips. No doubt about it, this truck has exactly the right look.

The interior has the same kind of nicely-done makeover, offering just enough upgrades to make it comfortable without steamrolling the original design. Comfortable cloth buckets from a late-model fit rather well in the 5-window cab and the dark charcoal gray color is a subtle contrast to the vivid purple bodywork. The dash is nicely finished using a custom insert in place of the original instrument panel, and a full array of Stewart-Warner gauges are a traditional look. A tilt steering column is topped by a cool billet steering wheel, and the center stack was very neatly redesigned to handle the Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo head unit, and A/C controls. The shifter fits neatly between the seats, and details like power windows, and the nicely trimmed door panels, make it very livable even if you want to drive it every day.

For power, you just can't go wrong with a small block Chevy V8, with this one displacing a familiar 350 cubic inches. All the usual upgrades make it smooth, powerful, and reliable, including an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor, MSD ignition system, and long-tube headers. The big truck-sized engine bay makes it easy to fit all the accessories, so the truck includes such niceties as power steering and front disc brakes, plus R134a refrigerant in the A/C system. Some chrome and polished aluminum makes it look just as good under the hood as everywhere else on the truck without being a challenge to maintain if you drive it. A stout TH400 3-speed automatic transmission is a great choice on a truck that can do some hauling if necessary and a 10-bolt rear end with a fat sway bar means this old Chevy feels a lot more modern on the road. It's got the perfect stance and sits on meaty 205/70/15 front and 295/50/15 rear Yokohama radials wrapped around shiny billet wheels.

It's no secret why these trucks are wildly popular, and this one neatly captures everything that was great about the original design with smart upgrades that only make it more fun to drive. Call today!