1954 Chevrolet 3100 5 Window

Description

1954 was a big year for the Advance Design pickups, despite an all-new model on the horizon. This lovely 1954 Chevrolet 3100 5-window pickup is not only the beneficiary of all those upgrades, but also packs an ultra-rare first-year automatic transmission and a beautiful restoration.

Styling was an evolutionary thing, and in 1954, Chevy gave their pickups a 1-piece curved windshield that updated the truck's look quite a bit. The bed rails are now flat, so it's easy to install the wooden stake sides this one wears, and there was a bit more chrome to dress things up. Wearing a very handsome and correct coat of medium blue paint, this truck has an honest look that'll fill you with nostalgia. Quite honestly, we rarely see them this nicely restored, but with prices on the move you'll probably see more of them in the future. Fit and finish are exemplary and nothing was altered from the stock specs on the exterior. The grille is painted body color, as it was when it was new, but dress-up items like the chrome bumpers, hood ornament, and even polished headlight rings give it a flashier look. And as with most restored pickups these days, there's a spectacular wooden bed floor that matches the stake sides perfectly, adding warmth and charm that's a big part of owning an old pickup.

The interior is basic pickup truck fashion of the mid-50s, with a brown vinyl bench seat, rubber floors, and a surprisingly attractive dashboard. The most remarkable feature, however, is the column-shifted Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, which was added as an option in 1954 and only a small fraction of trucks were so equipped. You'll note how much roomier it makes the interior feel and the steering column and angle of the wheel make it feel far more comfortable from behind the wheel. The gauges are big, bold, and nicely detailed while the doors are a nice combination of steel and vinyl upholstery for a bit of contrast. It has both the optional heater and radio, which would probably make this a loaded truck for its era, and the sharp restoration gives it a very polished look inside.

The 235 cubic inch inline-six engine was also upgraded for 1954, although this one now carries a dealer-installed 1956 powerplant that was likely installed under warranty. It's a surprisingly smooth engine for a truck and with the traditional gray engine enamel, it looks right under the hood. You'll note an accessory oil filter, a correct downdraft carburetor, and an oil bath air cleaner with a cleverly-installed paper element inside for easy service and long life. It has also been upgraded with an alternator and 12-volt electrical system. The Hydra-Matic automatic transmission shifts well and makes this truck easy to drive under any conditions and with improved rear gearing, it's actually better on the highway than its manual transmission siblings. The suspension is basic but rides well and won't balk at carrying a few items home from Home Depot on weekends and there's a correct-sounding single exhaust system that makes a nice six-cylinder burble. Body-colored steel wheels with hubcaps and trim rings dress it up a bit, and we always prefer blackwalls on our pickups.

Documented with restoration receipts and having been in the same family since 1955, this is a very high-grade pickup with a superb restoration and a lot charisma, not to mention a very desirable list of options. Call today!