HIGH-END CORRECT RESTORATION, COLLECTOR OWNED, BUILT-UP 235 I6, DUAL CARBS!!

1955 Chevrolet 3100 Description

If you look through the Streeside Classics inventory, you'll see a few trucks like this 1955 Chevrolet 3100, but the ones for sale are only a fraction of the dozens we've had come through our doors. The simple fact is, these trucks just don't last long on the showroom floor, and the zooming prices and our inability to keep them in stock despite that fact suggests that they are very desirable collectables. They're also pretty darned good trucks.Hunter Green really dresses up the working-class 3100, and I'm guessing that very few of these trucks looked this bright when they were new. But who's complaining? This pickup looks fantastic! The paint isn't perfect, but it sure looks right on the curvy old truck sheetmetal, all of which is steel and in excellent shape. The bed is correctly restored and painted body color, and while it shows some signs of use, what's the point of having a pickup if you don't haul stuff with it? The stake sides are a nice touch, adding functionality and a bit of contrast that works especially well with the cream-colored wheels. A 1-piece windshield was a big innovation for a pickup truck back then, and most of the chrome, including the bumpers and grille, are new so they are in excellent condition.The brown interior is a very pleasant surprise when you open the door. Replicating a popular period look, it's handsome yet functional without looking stripped down. A tan dashboard, matching tan door panels and window frames, plus the brown vinyl seat cover give this basic pickup truck a comfortable feel from behind the wheel. The instrument panel itself is full of round gauges that look great and show off big, easy-to-read numbers that were surely a welcome sight at the end of a long day. It's mostly original, so the chrome has some patina and the steering wheel is showing its age, but nothing that looks out of place in a vintage hauler like this. Aftermarket turn signals are a smart safety upgrade and work in the usual fashion with a column-mounted lever, although you'll have to remind yourself to turn it off after the first few times you drive for 8 miles while signaling a left turn. Chevy's robust 235 cubic inch inline-six was at the pinnacle of its development in 1955, with full pressure lubrication and increased compression for surprisingly lively performance. This one, however, shows a lot of recent work and some vintage speed parts like the vintage Fenton intake with dual carburetors, split Fenton exhaust manifolds with true dual exhaust, and a beautiful Offenhauser valve cover on top. Correct Chevrolet Blue paint on the engine itself reminds you (intentionally) of the Blue Flame Six found in the Corvette, and its happy, distinctive exhaust note will be a friendly companion on any drive you take thanks to glasspack-style mufflers underneath (there are also electric cut-outs if you want to run wide-open). The 3-speed manual transmission and rear end are original and rugged enough to handle the added horsepower, and the rest of the undercarriage looks solid, clean, and ready for another 60 years of work. Wide whitewalls on contrasting off-white wheels with hubcaps and trim rings make this little hauler really stand out.They aren't all this nice, but these Chevy pickups never last long here in the showroom. Don't miss this one, too, call today!